FLCL

 

Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Drama

It is also a manga. I have not read it yet. Yet. 

      This anime is only 6 (SIX!!) episodes long and often incredibly confusing. When I watched the first episode, I could not even tell why things were happening, but THINGS WERE HAPPENING! and I was like, OMG. But yeah, this kid in the anime club I am in recommended watching this to me. He mentioned Gainax was the producer of FLCL and Gurren Lagaan (which was another anime I was recommended to watch, but from another boy from my old school) AND some animators that had worked at Gainax worked with Trigger to make Kill la Kill. I have seen Kill la Kill and am currently watching Gurren Lagaan so I thought, "Hey why not?" And lemme tell ya', I was NOT disappointed. FLCL has the same appealingly sketchy animations style, outrageous characters, and twisted plot as the above mentioned animes (which I really enjoyed as well) and I'm so glad to have seen this. 

     So the whole plot is about this one twelve-or-something year old boy. Two girls practically dominate his life:

his older brother's girlfriend (?)

(art by this amazing artist. Go check out some of their other works here!)

and this girl who calls herself an alien.

(art creds to here)

     So in any case, the alien girl hits the boy in the head with her guitar which allows robots to grow out of his head.

     Here's a little preview of episode one. I usually dislike English dubs with a passion, but I'll make an exception this one time. For reasons...

     Ah, one last thing before I go, the soundtrack for this anime was amazing, It felt awkward at times, but after watching it again, really tied in the whole thing. The band that did it is called the Pillows. Furthermore, this year at Anime Midwest, the Pillows' "number one cover band", the Pillowcases, will be appearing! And I'm going! (My first anime con, so excited, much cosplay planning, wow.) So, yeah, there's that too. :) 

k, bye now!

(Further credits to the internet and YouTube for pics and vid.)

Skip Beat!

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Shoujo
This is also an anime, and although I have not watched it, I think I prefer the manga. 
     Normally, I dislike the old drawing styles of manga. But my boyfriend-at-the-time recommended this to me because the story was really good. Finally I gave in, and I ended up liking it a lot. The art took some getting used to, but the story and the characters are amusing and entertaining. There are, like, a billion chapters though, so I'm still reading it.
     Anyway, this is the story of a girl on her rise to stardom in order to get back at the boy who used her to become a popular idol. In the process, she undergoes a whole personality, appearance, and basically everything change. This is a refreshing and fun story.
That's everything I have to say. bye!

Katawa Shoujo

1-26-15

     About to embark on a journey: Katawa Shoujo! I saw a post on Instagram and it piqued my interest. It's a visual novel, apparently. So I just downloaded the file...and a player for it.
2-1-15
     I was going come back in a few minutes to tell you guys all about what I thought of it, but it's really long! So I will tell you what I think of it so far.
     Basically you are a boy who has a serious heart condition who is sent to this academy for disabled kids where you meet all these girls and you're trying to get closer to them(?) It's really cute!
I will keep you posted on further developments, but I haven't been able to play much recently due to other things. Gomen! bye ^. .^

Kyoukai No Kanata / Beyond the Boundary

Genre: Demons, Fantasy, Seinen, Slice of Life, Supernatural
Fun Fact: I didn't know what seinen meant, so I googled it and apparently it's anime/manga that is aimed towards audiences of 18-30 y/o males. Of those two things, I am not. But, I really enjoyed this anime a lot! I know it's not an actual requirement to be 18-30 and a male, but I just wanted to compare to the new definition I discovered.
     Anyway, so in this world, there are monster spirits called 'youmu' and Spirit World Warriors who fight the youmu.  There is a boy, Akihito Kanbara, who is a rare immortal half-youmu and half-human 'meganest'!

And his kouhai who wears glasses, Mirai Kuriyama, who is a Spirit World Warrior.

(above art is made by this artist)

     Episode 6 is a really great episode! I mention it because I felt like it derailed from the original story line, but it totally fit in with the characters' development and them creating bonds together. It was hilarious! Ah, so funny.

     Ah, but then the last three episodes were just so much. I was crying straight through them all! I was positively bawling - the whole hiccupy, gasping and sobbing, tears-blurring-my-vision-so-I-couldn't-even-read-the-subtitles scene. It was bad. But it was so good. I cannot even.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS!

     That's all for now, I guess! bye ^. . ^ ~

(All pictures and gifs not specifically credited 

are credited to the internet. 

Thank you internet.)

Special A

(photo credits to the internet and to Sentai Filmworks)

Genre: Shoujo, Romance, Drama, Comedy, School Life
     One day, 6 year old Hikari Hanazono is introduced to Kei Takishima via their wrestling loving fathers. Confident in her skills, Hikari challenges Kei to a match, but is utterly defeated. Ever since then, she has devoted herself into trying to beat him at anything and everything: grades, go-carts, eating, tobibako, etc. She's followed him from grade school into high school (?) in a constant effort to one up him. The school they attend it super elite and the two are members of a group called the Special A, for they are the top seven at the top of the class (or the school, I don't remember.) The group has a very Ouran High School Host Club feel. It just reminded me of OHSHC because they're just a group of good looking people who are having fun. This anime totally made me laugh every episode, but then again, I was in 6th grade. With the sense of humor of a 6th grader. So.
     The romance and drama part of this anime's genres consists of Hikari seeing Kei as a rival, yet Kei is in love with her! Of course, she is too dense to notice, but SPOILERS!!! Anyway, it's funny because after every competition, a stone 2nd place symbol falls on her head. I personally think that's the reason she's unable to see Kei's love for her. Hahaha!
     This is also a manga, which I haven't read...yet. I read a post earlier about how it (as a manga) wasn't that great, but the anime was...and I have to wonder if I were to re-watch it, would I still say the same things I am now? Also, would I dislike the manga? Only one way to find out! Time to hit the manga reader app >u< bye!

Thank You, Commodore Matthew Perry

     Today I learned about Commodore Matthew Perry (shown above). On July 8, in the year of 1853, he arrived into Edo Bay, in Japan, on a mission to open up Japan to American shipping and trade. He is fully responsible for all of this:

and all of everything else to come to America.

Thank you, Matthew C. Perry, for making giving me dreams that can become realities.

(All above pictures credited to the internet.)

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

This video is my childhood haha.

     This video has zero relevance to the actual anime...besides the video images. Jussayin. 

Genre: Comedy, Mystery, High School Life, Romance, Sci Fi

     So my friend and I were watching this at the same time, but she was ahead of me and she notified me of blood and aliens. And I was like, WHUUT? Because all I had seen so far was Haruhi and that one guy character interacting. The introduction of her insane obsession with aliens, her different hair styles and ribbon colors each day of the week, and how she formed a club and made him be a part of it. Then I got to some part where he gets trapped in a classroom with some girl and SHE TURNS OUT TO BE AN ALIEN and I was like WHAAAAT??!! And she dies or something. 

     Anyway, I'll have to watch the rest of the series sometime because I stopped after that one episode on account that it traumatized me.

Anyway, that's all I know. bye

Tokyo Mew Mew

(Above art done by this amazing artist. Please go check her out and support!)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Mahou Shoujo, Romance, Science Fiction, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Supernatural

     My VERY FIRST anime. EVER. I watched it in dubs, tbh. But I did go back and watch it with subs later on. So I understood all the nya puns. Man, this was such a cute anime. And it was just perfect for a beginner like me. Although, one thing: I couldn't tell if Kisshu was a guy or a girl!? I mean...I just assumed he was a guy... (he(?)'s the one in the middle)

What a witty guy. He doesn't even know. 

But, he did end up kissing Ichigo...

     Either way, it was a good anime and I liked how it ended. The girl marries the guy of her dreams, the world is saved from aliens and monsters, and the girls all finish high school. Perfect. Just what I wanted.

     Oh, btw, ALL the characters are insanely adorable. There's Pudding the monkey, the purple wolf one (her name starts with a Z?), Ichigo the cat, the snooty one (I think she's a  bird), and the ditzy girl (who's animal traits are unidentifiable.) AN AWESOME TEAM, NO?

(Above three pictures are credited to the internet.)

Kay, that's all for now I guess. bye.

Toradora

Genre: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Slapstick, Slice of Life
     Wow...actually, I mean. This was a super popular anime and I did end up watching it...Like, the synopsis (this is also a link to watch the episodes!)tsundere character, Taiga Aisaka (picture below), I got nada, zilch, zero, no thing.)
kinda helps jog my memory, but I don't really remember anything much about the plot or any adventures the characters had. =.=;; (Well, besides that
     Guess that means I'll have to rewatch it! But that's not a bad thing :D
     This gif is my life, though.
     K bye!

Tsuritama

(Above drawn by this amazing artist! Go check out their stuff!)

Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy, Science Fiction, Sports
     So there's a socially awkward boy...and an alien...and a mysterious man...and a local. Their form a relationship over fishing and tackle their individual problems with help from eachother.

 (credits to this artist, whose work is amazing. Go check them out!)

     Tapioca and Haru are my favorite characters just because I feel like Haru is the glue between the four main boys (technically it's fishing, but I suppose since he was the one who introduced it to them...) and Tapioca is a freaking bird! Birds are amazing. Especially because (ahem, click to see full picture, please.) of this!

(Drawn by this amazing artist. Go check them out!)

     But anyway, could this be a pattern? Are all bishounen characters named Haru? *Quick Google search...* Yes. Yes, absolutely. Haru Glory from Rave Master, Haru(ka) Nanase from Free!, Haru Yoshida from Tonari no Kaibutsu-Kun, to name a few.
     I really liked this anime. I had gotten bored of all the ecchi stuff in other anime and this was a welcome break.
\^u^/~bye!

Watashi Ga Motenai No Wa Dou Kangaete Mo Omaera Ga Warui! (It's Not My Fault I'm Not Popular!)

Genre: School Life, Comedy,  Slice of Life, Shounen
     This is both an anime and a manga. Keep in mind I have only watched a few episodes. I'm working on that haha...<^u^;; But the opening song is SO COOL!! Confession: I didn't pay a lot of attention to the actual song, but the graphics ARE INSANELY GOOD!
     Basically, this girl is super popular, has tons of dating experience, and boys constantly fawning over her...in the otome gaming world. In real life, she's an otaku, unpopular, and unapproachable. This anime is her life!
     From the few episodes I have watched, I totally was able to relate to the main character, Tomoko Kuroki, though I'm somewhat less extreme. I'm not into the otome gaming world, but it's mainly because I'm not exposed to it nor do I have the means of acquiring it. If I somehow do get into that world, I will be taking a few years hiatus. XD haha
     But I am kind of an otaku...in the Western positive way. I have a social life (??) haha nope Guess I have a few weeaboo symptoms to keep an eye on though...
     The struggle is real.
     bye.

Yosuga no Sora (Sky of Connection)

Genre: Harem, Erotic, Romance
Warning: TWINCEST! and other sexual activities
     I watched this when it first came out in 2010 and I was blown away. Now, now, don't get me wrong, it's a really good story, great visuals, and strong characters. However, I was somewhere in middle school and this was the first erotic anime I had ever watched. I could be "traumatized" and "scarred for life", but I had recommended watching it to one of my friends. We watched it together and oh boy, did some serious sht happen. Good times, though.
     But yeah, so these orphaned twins move to the countryside where they have to learn to live on their own, make new friends and meet old friends, develop relationships, and satisfy their raging hormones! (just kidding. not really.)
     Oh, one other thing, apparently this is also a game! It came out in 2008 and ... yeah bye.