[Review] The Legend of the Legendary Heroes

As The Legend of the Legendary Heroes ends, I guess that I’m still waiting for this series to still show me why it should be called Legendary. Twenty-Four episodes in and I can see that all of the elements for a great sequel/conclusion to this series are in place. Yet, the evidence already presented suggests that even if there is a sequel, it would not be able to adequately combine those elements into a polished final product for a variety of reasons. That said, LOLH does offer a fairly interesting cast of characters and it occasionally delivers interesting action sequences, which  makes it an above average show, if only barely.

Though he was only in like 3 episodes, Tiir was probably the best developed character in the whole series

[Review] The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

Here’s the short version: whatever you’ve heard about it is true; it’s really that good. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is an absolutely stunning film that succeeds on every level. It does not make up for the horrible second season, but if you liked the first season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and long for more of something of that caliber, this is a must-watch. You will not be disappointed.

If you actually want me to expand on those thoughts, proceed downward (note: like any proper review, this will contain no spoilers, although I will delve into story bits when necessary).

Review – Giant Killing

Prior to the premiere of Giant Killing, I had never watched a sports anime in my life.  I couldn’t even remember the last time I had seriously sat down and watched a sport.  I used to watch basketball a lot.  I remember rooting for the Bulls, who were my home team mind you, and then after them the Lakers.  At some point, I simply lost interest in sports altogether.  I have certainly never watched a game of football.  So, not only does this series serve as a gateway to an entire genre of anime for me, but also an introduction to soccer and a reintroduction to sports in general.  I am far out of my element and easily the outsider in the viewer pool.

This is me at the start of this series.

[Review] Black Rock Shooter – Wait for it… wait for it… wait for it… OK, it’s over.

After much delay and, depending on where you hang around, much hype, the 50 minute OVA Black Rock Shooter was finally released yesterday, July 24. Despite the solid visuals and music, the poor pacing and storytelling make this an anime that I can’t recommend, even to die hard fans of Vocaloids or Supercell like myself. You’re better off just waiting for the soundtrack and seeing some of the highlights.

Review – Jet Set Radio Future

I haven’t written a game review in quite some time, and I can attribute it to not playing anything particularly noteworthy.  However, I managed to come into some Xbox games recently, and one of them stuck out to me.  I remember years ago I played a demo of Jet Grind Radio for the Dreamcast, and I always wanted to really play it.  I had my opportunity with its successor, Jet Set Radio Future.  It’s been nearly a decade since its release, so let’s see how it holds up over time.

Anime St. Louis 2010

Anime St. Louis is really the impulse convention of the year for me.  I always decide to go at the absolute last-minute, and then somehow the arrangement just works.  This year, I have Heidi to thank for providing the little convincing needed to go.  Seriously, those puppy dog eyes are powerful stuff.  I also need to thank Alisa for providing lodging during the convention so I could attend all three days instead of just one.  Now, without further ado, the convention coverage!

[Review] Metroid Manga

As this post publishes, TheSpeedGamers will begin yet another charity marathon.  This time, they will run the entirety of the Metroid series.  In honor of this and out of my curiosity as a fan of the franchise, I checked to see if Nintendo had sponsored any anime or manga adaptations of the series.  Sure enough, to celebrate the release of Metroid Zero Mission, the company approved a two-volume back story to the games and the life of Samus.  I read it, and now I’m going to tell you about it.

[Review] Darker than Black – Ryuusei no Gemini [MAJOR SPOILERS]

I honestly didn’t think I’d ever recover enough to write a review about this series. I mean. That ending. T-That ending.

After a while, though, I’ve come to terms with the depressing mindscrew end, and have decided to enjoy the show (and its fandom) for what it is: a quasi-psychological sci-fi exploration of characters and “what if?” scenarios. As I’ve said before, Suou captured my attention enough to make me watch the show, but it was also worth watching thanks to the exploration of Hei and Yin’s relationship and the extraordinary plot twists. Close to the end, it seemed like Bones had written itself into a hole, but the revelations at the end of episode 11 pulled things back together surprisingly well.

(A/N: Still haven’t managed to see all of season one, but fandom has spoiled me enough to allow me to put this review quasi-in-context of Kuro no Keiyakusha. Therefore, it may contain minor spoilers for season one as well.)

Review: Himitsu – The Revelation

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while (read: years), you might remember that I watched a series for Himitsu for a short time.  First, thank you for reading us for such a long time.  Second, Animada finally finished subbing this series a few months ago, so over the last two weeks I’ve been watching it between this season’s episodes.  It has definitely been a long time coming, but now I can evaluate the entire series for you.

Review: Seitokai no Ichizon

You might recall that I made one of the 12 Days of Christmas posts about this series.  That was after I had watched one or two episodes.  Now I have managed to complete the entire series, so it’s time for a better look at the whole and see if this is really something you might be interested in.

You'd like to think that, wouldn't you...