Samurai Harem

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Teen
Emotional Response: smack your head and shake it in shame funny
Notable Features: awkward teens, martial arts
Language: Japanese
Length: 12 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Good


"I meant to confess to your sister!" - Wassan

Yoichi is a young man who has been training on a mountain for most of his life. He's been home school and kept away from the city. So, he is sent tot he city to be with his cousins as a way to expand his horizons and train in a different environment. As soon as he arrives in town, however, he manages to get himself into misunderstanding and subsequent trouble. Like many harem anime, this series involves and awkward boy cast and beautiful, smart, violent ladies. There are four cousins, two in high school, one in middle school and a younger one. Of the four, the oldest is the smart, pretty one everyone is in love with. Ibuki is super nice and popular. The second daughter, Ayame is a traditional tsundere character - basically mean but with a good heart. The third daughter is a manga artist with a fun attitude and the youngest is adorable.

The one thing that gets them all is the social awkwardness that leads everyone to think Yoichi is a bit of a perv. Every other episode he manages to fall into some girl's chest or lap. The confrontational part of the story comes from a secret guy, and his sister, constantly sending assassins after Yoichi for no apparent reason. It is a vehicle every other episode to add conflict to move the story along. Despite the fact that the group has been successful in fending off the attacks, no one understands the reason motivation of the villain!

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It was cute. There wasn't a whole lot of plot in the story. There were some parts of the story that just seemed unnecessary, but as it was a high school harem anime, I don't think it really mattered. It's not really the type of series you hang around for because you can't handle not knowing what is going to happen next. I did find some enjoyment out of it. Unlike some of the recent awkward boy series, this one referenced naughtiness without any nudity at all - in a good way. I also appreciated the additional of the little sister. Nothing untoward happens to her (which is good) but she's just so freakin' cute! It also appears that she might be a good cook!

The assassins are great! Well, they're terrible which makes them great. I just wish there was a little more lead in to the whole bad guy motivation thing. There were some real hints, but not until episode 9 - given that there are only 12 it was a little late. I would've been happy with  more action/fight scenes. Either way, it was good. It's a nice rainy day anime, really. You can sit through a few episodes without blinking an eye, and still have a nice little amount of enjoyment out of it. If that's something you're looking for on that rainy day, I would recommend it.

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Next Week!: Next week I'll be in Chicago for Anime Central (ACEN). I'm super excited. This does mean, however, that I won't be posting a blog post on Thursday. I will post a review of the convention the following Thursday. SO EXCITED!!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Genre: Adventure
Age Appropriate: Any age, really
Emotional Response: Excited in a kid way
Notable Features: adventure, action, friendship, elemental magic
Language: English
Length: 3 seasons, 61 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Great!

"Shush chatty monkey." - Sokka

Aang is a young boy trapped in a block of ice. Katara and Sokka find him while floating around in the water. Finding him and setting him free sets off a complete 3 season series of action and adventure. The three teens live in a world where people have elemental magic, separated into kingdoms of people will like abilities. Katara and Sokka are from a water tribe, and Katara has inherited the ability to manipulate water. With the arrival of Aang in their lives, Katara uses his need to find more about himself as the escape she needs from her set destiny. There is no way that Sokka would let her leave without him and so the trio goes off on a mission to learn more about Aang.

There is trouble, however. Aang is an Avatar - one of the chosen few who are reincarnated over and over with powerful abilities that stretch over all elemental boundaries. His job is to bring balance back to the land and there is a huge obstacle in his way. The Fire Kingdom is ruled by a tyrant who wants Aang out of his way, or within his power. So, now the three are looking for more clues into Aang destiny while working hard to avoid capture by the Fire Kingdom. Their journey takes them through the Air, Water and Earth kingdoms, meeting new people and obstacles along the way. The plot becomes a coming-of-age story coupled with saving the world.

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I love it! I'm not always a fan of younger age range animated series. This one was a lot of fun. I'd seen a few episodes of the original when it was on Nickelodeon but it wasn't until it showed up on Netflix that I sat down and watched the whole thing through. Seriously, I watched the whole thing through, in great big gulps (bites?). The characters are really compelling, and the little mini-romances are adorable. It's also really kid friendly. I mean, come on, it was aired on Nickelodeon.

Aang and the gang include a flying lemur and an air buffalo! I want both, kinda. The buffalo might be hard to care for, though. Aang does a bunch of air tricks too that I wish I could manage. I would also like to be able to use those tricks to fly. It completely brought out the kid in me. I highly recommend it - especially if you want something to watch with the younger crown. Don't let it stop you if you don't!

There was only one negative about the franchise. The movie. It was so awful I wanted to cry and rage at how the ruined the story. Don't see it. After you finish this sentence, just pretend it doesn't exist.

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Let's try some more!: Samurai Harem

So, I Can't Play H?

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Older teen+
Emotional Response: Amused and mildly interested
Notable Features: grim reapers, pervs, fan service
Language: Japanese
Length: 12 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Okay

"The size of your breasts isn't important. It's the warmth generated by what's behind them." - Ryosuke

So, I Can't Play H! is all about the perviness. Ryosuke is a young man in high school known for his unabashed love for the female body. He has one great friend, Mina, who loves him despite his awkward inability to keep his thoughts to himself. Even though he's a huge pervert, he also has a good heart and would never do anything (aside from his bizarre commentary) to ever hurt a girl. The whole things goes to hell when he meets a woman outside of his house, who wants him for his energy.

Lisara is a young woman who has come to Earth in search of a person with awesome soul powers that she can use for herself. Until she finds that person, she needs a temporary contract for power with someone, and Ryosuke was the most immediate person when she was in need. Now she's a bit stuck with him until she meets her goal. The story is all about his new found acceptance of how awesome him perviness, his perverted powers that put Lisara above the others and their budding friendships.

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So, I Can't Play H? was a simple series about a pseudo-demonic girl who stumbles on a perv boy and decides to use him for her benefit and ends up in more hot water than she was anticipating. Much like most harem anime, there is a lot of fan services everywhere but slightly better with conveniently placed smoke/steam/beams of light. There were some pretty funny moments, and I didn't hate it or anything, but I would only call it okay.

I never really cared too much about the characters. It was a pretty standard plot line for any harem anime and I didn't see anything special. The only different thing was the almost unique way they tried to spin the main characters perviness. I would say that it couldn't quite pull it off, especially when considering Heaven's Lost Property. So, it was okay. ::shrug::

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CHOMP: Attack on Titan

Cosplay Complex

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Older teen+
Emotional Response: Kinda funny
Notable Features: cosplay and dirty jokes
Language: Japanese
Length: 3 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Not so much

"Well, doesn't it look like I'm making love to the cameraman? "-Ranko

Cosplay Complex is a short series of only 3 episodes. They focus on a small school group of girls (and one guy) who are interested in cosplay - particularly in cosplay competitions. The primary character, Chako, is a bit of a spaz and has a strange relationship with a strange fairy (and an owl?) who can magically become any outfit needed - provided her dear friend is willing to pay her in tasty treats. Despite the cosplay premise, the series is generally a comedy with a wealth of dirty jokes and fan service. The various members of the cosplay club all have outrageous personalities, that are highly focused on absurdity.

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Um, I can't really say much positive about this series. The jokes are okay, I suppose. I got a few giggles in there, but otherwise I wasn't super impressed. It certainly wasn't the worst anime I've seen, but I wouldn't recommend it. Well, that's not entirely true. If someone asked me for an anime that was pretty stupid and maybe funny, this one would be on the list. I think the owl was probably my favorite character, although the younger girl, Athena, is pretty darn cute. So, yeah, not exactly a productive use of anime viewing time.

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Something different: Diabolik Lovers

I couldn't become a hero....

Genre: Action - or lack thereof
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: Ok, Ok, ROTFLMAO
Notable Features: comedy, demon king, hero, magical appliances
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 season, 12 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Great!

"I'm respected!" - Fino

Raul wanted to be a hero. He was even in a training school to become one, but then the worst (or best?) happened. The demon lord was defeated and there was no longer any need for heroes. The school closed, weapons stores closed and the heroes were forced to find work in different ways. Some attempted to go into security firms, but Raul had no such luck. He ended up as a clerk in the Leon Magic store, selling magical appliances to the general public. Despite having reluctantly
taken the job, when a new employee joins the team, Raul suddenly has a bit more purpose before.

The new employee is Fino-chan, shockingly also the demon lord's daughter! Despite his misgivings, Raul finds himself becoming more and more involved with her. He starts taking his role as her trainer more seriously, and finds himself enjoying her presence, annoying as it may be. Given his role as a former hero-in-training, and her position as the demon lord's daughter, one might think tension would rule the day, but their unlikely friendship makes for some interesting times - both in an out of the store.

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Since the series is only 12 episodes, with no likely sequel in the works, I don't want to share too much about the story. It was a lot of fun, though. There is a point in episode 11 that I was literally laughing out loud. I'm sure I sounded a little crazy, but it was worth it. Part of the show was a little slow, but by the time everything was finished it all seemed to be necessary. I could possibly see this lengthened a little bit with additional character development, but it wouldn't have been necessary.

I really enjoyed it, and I'm glad I gave it a try. Sometimes, it's hard to watch anime after anime, but I don't want to take real break. This series was lighthearted enough, short enough, and easy enough to keep my attention without worrying about anything. It would definitely be a good choice for someone looking for nothing in particular. I don't think I would set it up for a 12-year-old, but otherwise it's fine. I recommend it!

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What's next?: I have no idea, but I'll figure it out. (That's not a title. I really have no idea.)

Junjou Romantica

Genre: Romance
Age Appropriate: Adults
Emotional Response: Girlish, inappropriate giggles
Notable Features: yaoi, high maintenance boys, comedy
Language: Japanese
Length: 2 seasons, 25 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Top 10

"We're Japanese. Can't we just play it a little vague?" - Misaki


Junjou Romantica follows three new romantic couples that coincide with Sekai Ichi's three couples. There are subtle hints between the two series, if you can find them. Each of the three couples have individual problems, and there is a new love triangle in the mix. Misaki is a young student looking to test into college, but he needs help. He ends up connecting with his older brother's best friend as his tutor, and then it becomes complicated. His new tutor is Akihiko Usami, a famous author and an uncontrollable fiend interested in corrupting Misaki at every turn. When Misaki's brother goes away with his new bride, Misaki stays in town to start school, and ends up free-loading off of Usami by living in his condo and paying rent in cooking and chores. Much as Misaki protests, he ends up in consistently compromising positions with Usagi-san. As the story progresses, Misaki ends up in a terrible complicated mess that includes Akihiko's brother, Haruhiko. Their story revolves around this sibling-rivalry and Misaki's resistance to love.

One day, Hiroki finds himself crying on a park bench, lamenting his unrequited love for an old friend. Nowaki, a much younger man, sees him and drags him along to a mini-rocket launch with a bunch of old guy friends. Despite many his protests, Nowaki drags himself into Hiroki's life by begging for school help and forward declaring his love. Somehow, the large age difference and difference in status becomes a huge issue for them both in their own story of complicated love.

Another complicated romance, including a large age gap, is Miyagi and Shinobu. Shinobu fell in love with Miyagi long ago, before realizing that Miyagi was marrying his sister. He returns from studying abroad on the news that they divorced and seems to think that it's fate. His battle for Miyagi is not only against age and status, but also against Miyagi's long lost love - a former teacher who has passed away. Only when Shinobu is about to give up does Miyagi consider that his old love is ready to be replaced with a new one.

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I love this anime. I'll say right now, though, that you really have to be interested in yaoi to appreciate it. If you're not into yaoi at all, stay away. I completely love the funny antics that show up, particularly in the Misaki/Usagi storyline. The others are big more serious, but also smaller in their character development. There is an additional one-episode story, but it's just a little add-on that was kinda fun.

There are so many things wrong with this series, and I didn't seem to care with all of the funnies and romance. It seems like Usagi is taking advantage of Misaki at every turn, and he does for the most part. The only real comfort is that there are episodes where it is clear that Misaki is totally in love, but too afraid to see it for what it is. Also, he doesn't seem to have too much of a problem in most of the morning-afters. I wasn't strongly attached to the other characters, though. In hindsight, I think most of the cameos between Sekai Ichi and Junjou are more easily recognized in Sekai Ichi. They're certainly easier to notice if you watch them back-to-back. I always felt a little clever when I saw them, though.

This is one of the few anime that I will watch when I'm having a terrible time. I can't really put my finger on it exactly, but it's good for my sanity. So yeah, basically if you enjoy yaoi, you'll enjoy this. If you're not sure, try it anyway.

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Meowmeowmeow: ANIME MILWAUKEE

I'll be attending Anime Milwaukee this coming weekend. Since it will take a good chunk of three days, I'll not be able to really catch up on any new series. As such, I'll be posting a review of the convention itself! Have a good weekend, everyone! (Maybe I'll see you there??)

Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi

Genre: Romance
Age Appropriate: Older teens
Emotional Response: Come on! Get a move on!
Notable Features: yaoi, romance, manga editing
Language: Japanese
Length: 24 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Pretty Good

"Maybe I really am only in love with your face." Kisa

Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi follows three couples loosely related through a manga editing team. One part of each couple works for Emerald - an editing team that works with shojo manga - however, there is no real reference in the individual stories to the other couples. Two of the dramatic couples are actually caught in a pseudo-love triangle, with two people shyly in love with each other, and one on the outside looking in. Jealousy abounds, however, in the traditional misunderstanding that go with romantic fiction love triangles.

The primary couple is Onodera and Takano (or Ritsu and Masamune). The biggest part of their drama is the high school romance they had that was cut short by a terrible misunderstanding between the two and the sudden moving on Onodera to a different country. In present day, Onodera has started working for a publishing rival of his father's company, as a way to show his independence, and is "misplaced" into the manga department, Emerald. After a very awkward encounter, he faces a major shock when he's faced with the fact that his new boss, the up-and-coming hot shot editor, is actually his high school sweetheart! Between their past, Onodera's denial of his feelings and the unfortunate non-acceptance of Takano's bff (who is desperately in love with him), the story unfolds.

The second and third couples (Yoshino/Tori and Yuu! + Kisa and Yukina) are much shorter interludes mixed in with the Onodera/Takano storyline. Yoshino/Tori/Yuu is actually not that wildly different. The three have known each other for a long time, two are possibly in love, one is on the outside, and the middle of the triangle is primarily oblivious to the tension building. Kisa and Yukina are an awkward pair. Kisa is a 30 year old editor, and Yukina in a 20something art student who works at a bookstore. Kisa admits to himself that he's a bit lame in his chasing of only attractive people, and discarding them later, and Yukina is young and optimistic in the face of Kisa's lack of self-confidence.

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I'm attempting not to add too much, because while there are only 24 episodes, the three story lines are fairly separate. I'm not always someone who likes a lot of harsh emotional conflict, depending on the situation. At least, not in cheesy romances like this. The other problem I struggle with in regards to SIH is not a failing in the series, as much as my preference for it's counterpart - Junjou Romantica. I probably could've done them the other way around, since I'm pretty sure this is a spin-off of that, but that's not it worked out.

I really did enjoy this for the most part. I wasn't super dragged into an emotional relationship with the characters, but there was something entertaining about it. I'm not sure if their relationships bothered me because i didn't relate to the characters, or because I really did. Either way, I would definitely recommend this to girls (and boys!) who enjoy the Yaoi genre. If you don't, I would recommend it at all. It's strictly yaoi romance all the way. Sometimes, I've seen anime that has crossed genres, or is so phenomenal that is doesn't matter. No matter how much I may enjoy this when I'm watching it, this is not one of those. Essentially: If you're in the mood, go for it.

But maybe watch Junjou Romantica first. Even if you don't notice the crossovers, there are a couple of cameos in this that make no sense otherwise. Yeah, I'll review that soon. 

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What's next, hmm?: Junjou Romantica

Fairy Tail

Genre: Fantasy
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: LOL that was pretty funny!
Notable Features: mages, magic, flying cat, dragons, mass destruction (oops!)
Language: English - so far
Length: 3 seasons, 84 episodes (again, so far) - 100+ if you're impatient
Overall Recommendation: Great



"Aye, sir!" - Happy

In a place called Magnolia, there is a wizard guild that is known throughout the world for it's strong (and strange) wizards. The wizard guilds are a place for wizards to meet and find jobs, requiring their individual skills. It's also supposed to be a place where you can meet up with other for bigger jobs, or just to have that sense of family. In Magnolia, that guild is Fairy Tail.

Lucy is a young woman who seems obsessed with joining Fairy Tail. As a Celestial wizard, her power lies in using celestial keys to bring forth constellation beings. While walking on her way, she runs into someone claiming to be the most powerful wizard of Fairy Tail!, only to be disappointed with the results. This momentary bummer is quickly remedied when she meets the destructive Natsu, and his happy sidekick, Happy. Natsu is a Fairy Tail wizard, and bring Lucy to the guild hall, and has her promptly added to the roles (with the Master's permission of course). In the guild, Lucy meets many interesting characters with many interesting powers. After many episodes of destructive comedy, it appears she's joined a team of some crazy people: Urza - requip powers that allow her to change armor with a thought, Natsu - Fire-breathing Dragon Slayer and Gray - Ice wizard with a problem keeping all of his clothes in place. None of them particularly get along with each other, but more in a sibling way. Being only done with the third season, there will be a lot more to come.


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I'm definitely enjoying this one. It's very friendly, in many ways. There is some drama, and some sadness, but the emotional levels aren't devastating. There is certainly a lot of coming-of-age and personal growth involved in each episode. Personally, I'm waiting for everything to be released in English. It's not that I don't like Japanese (obviously) but I do prefer to watch in one language all the way through. So far, so good. It's pretty fun to watch a number of episodes in a row, but I wouldn't say that I could watch them all in one or two sittings.

There are key points that I think are important to the plot. I feel sympathy for Natsu every time he thinks he's found his father-figure dragon. It seems like the other Dragon Slayers who appear have similar stories. There is also the loss of friends that permeates different epsidoes. However, I'm always very amused by the groups' inability to finish a mission without blowing something up, crashing it to the ground, or picking up a stray member that used to be an enemy. They're a relatively even mix, thank goodness. I would definitely recommend this one, particularly if you like Hunter X Hunter or things in that group.
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Coming up: Guest Review!

Phantom Thief Reinya

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Teens, I guess?
Emotional Response: ::headsmack:: Why?
Notable Features: Mischievous cat burglar with an alter-ego and a talking mouse sidekic
Language: Japanese
Length: 12 shorts
Overall Recommendation: Probably have to be under some influence


"I can overlook that." - Chief


So, um, there is this cat/cat burglar girl that works in a shop and has a mouse sidekick. She's sassy and very obvious but the investigative team never notices. There is a young, obvious girl cop, a pervy chief who "overlooks" things anytime the girl cop squeels and hides behind him, and a young, pretty male investigator type who is desperately in love with Reinya (cat girl) and shows his love with a variety of strange poses and sparklies. Reinya steals something frequently or find herself in some other comedic situation. The team then descends, either hoping to catch the cat burglar, or to help their lovely friend Reinya (haha). While there are 12 episodes, they're all short - just like this synopsis.

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There isn't really much point to this series, except maybe that there is no point. It reminds me a LOT of Super Milk Chan and 12 oz. Mouse. Partially, this means that I would've enjoyed it more when I was younger and drunk more often. Thankfully, these shorts are only 3ish minutes long, therefore making it more tolerable. I don't want to say it was terrible, because the truth is that it wasn't. It just isn't my cup of tea anymore. Probably because I'm a bit more of a grown up now, not a lot more, but enough. There is someone I would probably recommend this too, although probably for nostalgia's sake, but otherwise I would only recommend it to people either in the funny-because-I'm-drunk stage in their life, or youngsters who have the same mental maturity. I only left it at teens because of the pervy chief and his "I'll over look that," moments.

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Sure: Fairy Tail

High School DxD New - Season 2

Genre: Fantasy/Action/Comedy
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: Yeah! You can do it!
Notable Features: demons, angels, fallen angels, fan service
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 Seasons, 12 episodes (+ OVAs)
Overall Recommendation: Great!

"I don't ever want to see her cry." - Issei

Season two is a continuation of the story from season one (duh). There are some new characters added to the mix, however. Rias' brother, Sir Zech's, joins the story as one of the three big hitters. Azazel, leader of the Fallen Angels appears slowly until the end where he makes a nice little entrance, and Michael shows up with a game changer to everyone's surprise. After some shocking news and more action-packed battles, we learn Kiba's story and a new devil joins the group - a former Angel named Xenobia. Also, new battle pieces are revealed! An adorable cross dressing first year is taken under Issei's perverted wing, and the bonds of friendship become strong.

Aside from Issei's magical arm issues, there are now Holy Swords. They become a focal point for a number of episodes, as they have the power to seriously wound demons and a full blown search occurs when one ends up in the wrong hands. Somehow, through everything, the three factions end up together on a single team trying to defeat a common enemy. 

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It's hard to write a full synopsis for a second season. I don't need to fill out all of the character details the way I usually would. The personalities of the main characters haven't changed much. This series held a lot less dopiness, and comedy, than the first one, but that's pretty par for the course in a second season. I will say that it was a lot of fun. I haven't really loved the last few I've reviewed so it's nice to be back to something "Great!" It was so much fun, and I actually cared about what was happening to the characters. I can't decide if I want Issei to meet his dream, though. I mean, he's the good-hearted, dirty-minded protagonist, and I want him to succeed, but then I'm agreeing with his ideas of having a harem and groping girls all over the place. Okay, that made me laugh despite the naughty.

Season 2 did not disappoint. If you enjoyed the first season, I definitely recommend the second. They did a really good job with just making it a continuation instead of trying too hard for something else. I had to watch it in Japanese, though, because it hasn't been released in English yet. Sometimes, I  have a hard time transitioning, but with enough time between the seasons it's not a problem. Watch it.

Special note: While I recommend watching the OVAs, they are highly inappropriate and didn't have any censorship. I would most definitely not recommend me for children. Well, the fan service is enough that I wouldn't anyway, but the OVAs are worse.

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Oh, dear: Phantom Thief Reinya

Sword Art Online

Genre: Fantasy/SciFi/Action/Adventure
Age Appropriate: Preteens
Emotional Response: heart warming and heart breaking
Notable Features: swords, video games, love, evil scientists
Language: Japanese
Length: 2 season, 25 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Top 10 (Fine, Top 5, but don't tell my cousin)

"Kirito-kun will save me" - Asuna

In a time far, far from now (not that far), in a land far, far away (not that far either), a VRMMORPG comes online with 10,000 new players. These players are a mix of beta testers and new players, trying out Sword Art Online. The game is set up to use NeverGear equipment that intercepts brainwaves and makes it a full-dive gaming experience. Something is wrong, though. While there seemed to be no weird occurrences in the beta test, the real game has a terrible problem. There is no log-out function! The game's creator reveals his dastardly plan to use the game as a new world. The only way to release the players is for someone to finally beat the 100 level game, but climbing the tower and defeat the bosses. The even more terrible catch: because the game is linked to all players via their brains, anyone who dies in the game will die in real life. 

The protagonist is Kazuto, but his game handle is Kirito. Kirito is a beta tester who commits himself to surviving, and winning the game. The world develops into a real world out of the real world. Guilds are built, teams made, and battles won and lost. Kirito chooses deliberately to be a solo player, especially after tragedy strikes in his first guild foray. Through his grueling journey to beat the game, he meets people and makes important, life altering friendships. The series follows Kirito's journey and relationships as he carries on his mission to survive.

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My little cousin is probably going to make me eat my words. I'd been avoiding this, solely because I didn't think I would be in the mood. I think I got back into the adventure mood after finally finishing Legend of Legendary Heroes. This, by far, surpassed LOLH. Frankly, it surpassed a lot of anime series I've seen. I watched all 25 episodes in less than 48 hours, and I loved every minute. I will recommend it to everyone.

This is one of the few series that I've watched and nearly had me in tears. It's rare for me to get the sniffles at anything, and there were just a few episodes where I admit I teared up. The emotional investment was huge. It might take a little recovery, but I will watch this again. And possibly again. I'm floored by my feelings at the moment. There were some parts that were unsatisfying, but I'm pretty sure they were supposed to be. I mean, not every story is supposed to be exactly the way you want it to be, right? I'm glad for some of the more traditional elements, though. I might replace Tears to Tiara with this, with the sole exception of the fact that TtT was much funnier. That's not to say this didn't have funny moments, but they weren't a focus.

Seriously, unless you have some unknown hatred for Adventure/Fantasy/SciFi, you will not regret watching this.

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Dumbfounded: Freezing

Servant x Service

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: 
Notable Features: civil servants, work relationships
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 season, 13 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Okay

"My name is Lucy Kimiko Akie Airi..." Lucy.... Yamagami

Servant x Service is a simple work-place anime. It follows a small group of three new additions to the welfare office of the city. They each have different positions, but only in minor ways. Lucy (who has the world's longest name after the Lucy part) is awkward, shy and obsessed with her goal of revenge against a different worker from when she was born. Hasebe is a slacker/ladies man, who has somehow managed to fall in love with Lucy. Miyoshi is a recent college grad who is soft spoken, and a huge pushover when it comes to clients who talk to long. Added to this mix are a supervisor who is too shy to make a different, a cosplay obsessed woman with strange attitudes, a high school student, and a boss that leaves so much room for what-the-hell-is-going-on. There are no strong plots, but mostly just a series of encounters in a comedic view of civil service offices.

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There isn't anything particularly special about Servant x Service. It's not bad or anything, but I probably wouldn't recommend it. I've enjoyed catching up on episodes as they were released, as a way to pass the time. I've been watching some other series that I enjoy more, but this is fine. The characters are a bit charming in their own little ways, but the main boss guy is my favorite. If you decide to give it a chance, you'll see why. I wouldn't stop anyone who wanted to give it a try, but it might be a waste of your time unless that's what you really want at the moment. At least the last episode was pretty cute!

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Right: Free!

Brothers Conflict

Genre: Romance
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: weirded out vs. cute guys!
Notable Features: reverse harems, odd family conflicts, spacey girl
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 season, 12 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Okay


"We're too close to exchange whispers of love." - Ema

One day, Ema's dad tells her that he's planning to remarry. As a result, she's off to live with her new step-brothers. All 13 of them! They live in a house/apartment complex, where everyone get their own room, and different floors, with some common areas. From the beginning, Ema is a little bit shy, and oblivious. Her brothers, however, are all fairly forward. While they all seem to have similar feelings of genuine concern, except maybe one, they are all also in love with her. The five closest to her in age are the main "contenders" in the storyline, but each brother shows romantic interest in her in some way, with one exception. Louis has only brotherly feelings for her, and becomes a great source of strength.

Let's not forget her most important ally, though. Ema has a "pet" squirrel who is dedicated to protecting her from her brothers. Juli can talk, and often expresses his displeasure at the different situations Ema finds herself in, but no one else can hear him - except for Louis. There is no real mention of why Louis is special, but the squirrel and brother form their own "Protect Ema" committee. This series has little story lines about each brother, and often develops their relationships with each other, both as brothers and rivals. The intense, forward brothers often throw Ema off guard, and you have to wait until the end of the series to learn her important decision.

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Brothers Conflict was a mix of fun and discomfort. I really felt for Ema during the whole "I love you, sis" situation. That has got to be confusing, and I would never want to be in her position. I also have a love/hate relationship with the brothers. I adore Louis - despite, or because of his strange speech patterns - and I like Natsume, one of the triplets, probably because he's a video game developer. How cool is that? I am really happy that Ema is a step-sister, though. WEIRD. I frequently wanted to punch Futo, often in the nuts, for his personality/attitude/creepiness. He had one or two redeeming moments, but not enough for me to like him. I can't say too much, without giving too much away, but I will say that it was weird, creepy, and funny. I would most definitely recommend this to any girl who loves the whole reverse harem thing (which does include me!), but I wouldn't recommend it for any other reason. I'm probably not going to watch it again. It certainly wasn't as good as Uto no Prince Sama.

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Um. Huh.: Servant x Servicw

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Preteens
Emotional Response: mild amusement
Notable Features: high schoolers, awkward kids, social navigation
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 season, 13 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Decent

"I told you we can never be friends." - Yukinoshita

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU is a high school drama/comedy focused on the school's Service Club. The main character is Hikigaya, a social outcast guy who seems to like being alone. He's forced to join the Service Club after turning in a smart-ass essay to his teacher. The club only has one member, another social outcast, Yukinoshita - a beautiful girl who thinks she's a little better than everyone else, and holds back nothing in conversation. The two realize that they have something moderately in common with their inability to related to others, but have a hard time reconciling that with each other as well. Enter Yui, the first person to ask for help from the Service Club, a pseudo-popular girl who only wants to fit in. After her request is completely, she attaches herself to Yukinoshita (dubbed Yukinon), and joins the Service Club. Despite the harshness owned by Hikki and Yukinon, Yui seems to find them better friends, in some respects, that the people she'd attached to in class. 

Other characters join in during each episode to help with whatever project comes up. The series itself primarily uses the service projects as the individual plots per episode, but the real storyline is about the relationship of the three new Service Club "friends," through the eyes of Hikigaya.  As a high school drama, the storyline is generally pretty standard, with some minor plot twists, and some relational issues that could reach out to an audience. 

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My only real fandom would be attached to the adorable Saika Totsuka. I was a little in love with him the whole time, and I adored Hikiyama's reaction to him every time he was in an episode. Of, if only this was shonen-ai. I think it would've been adorable to have more episodes so I could see the cute awkwardness. Still, the beginning on my review holds true. To add more really could've ruined the series as a whole. He's just so cute!

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU was generally pretty fun to watch. I wanted a little more out of the story, but that really wouldn't have fit very well with the series. It suffered somewhat under my love for Say I Love You. It was enjoyable, though. A bit like Servant x Service, there wasn't anything particular of note in the series. I think it would only get a recommendation from me beacuse of Saika Totsuka, or for someone of a high school age looking for something like it. It certainly wasn't negative in any way.

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So Cute: Brothers Conflict

Legend of Legendary Heroes

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: funny, suspenseful, heartbreaking
Notable Features: heroes, relics, magic, friendship
Language: English
Length: 2 season, 24 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Great!

"I just want to take a nap." - Ryner

In a land, far away, there are two nations fighting - Roland and Estabul. Ryner Lute is a magic recruit for Roland, with a special magic ability called Alpha Stigma. There is something dark, and mysterious, about his magic, and it's all hidden in his eyes. For the most part, this magic helps him in little skirmishes in training, but if it gets out of control things can go terribly wrong. As a young man, he's trained in magic, but his dark powers make him a target in the end. There are others in the world with the Alpha Stigma, and they're persecutes as monsters. He's imprisoned, and it's only when his dear friend Sion attempts to rescue him that we realize the depth of his personality.

Ryner is a bit of a lazy bum.  On top of that, he's a pacifist. He believes war is useless and terrible. His "manifesto," written while he is imprisoned, reaches the new king. The new king is his old friend Sion. As part of his friendly release, Sion sends him on a mission with a sword-wielding lady to find magical artifacts that may help their cause. While Sion believes in a peaceful existence, he cannot find a way to get it without war and violence. Ryner helps Sion out of loyalty, and forms a strong bond with his partner, Ferris, that spurs him to act when he can, despite his constant desire for a nap.

The series follows the conflicts between Roland and the neighboring hostile territories, and the effect that have on the characters in the story. Ryner has difficulties reconciling his abilities and his personal beliefs, especially in the face of society. Sion finds himself following a path against his feelings, and Ferris fights for them and for her beloved dongo. Along the way they all meet others who greatly effect them personally, but in the end it comes down to their bonds with each other.

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The Legend of Legendary Heroes starts out intriguing and funny. It's a great start, and it sucked me in pretty well. All in all, it's a pretty amazing story. I don't know exactly how high it would be on my list, but it's no where near the bottom, that's for sure. It's a great adventure tale, with some heavy personal development and strong emotional pulls. The only difficulty I had was dosage. I took a break from it for awhile because the fun adventure drops into heavy, darker storyline and that was hard for me to do quickly. I suppose that's a mark of a good series, though. I became invested in some of the characters, and I was pissed off anytime someone hurt them. Since they all face emotional, and personally difficult choices, with heartrending obstacles, it's not something you can easily sit through marathon style.

I both loved and hated Ryner's whining about naps. Near the end, it's was all I wanted to hear because it meant that he was in a moment where he was feeling himself. I constantly wanted to punch Sion in the face, for his poor decision making skills, but I admit that I wouldn't know what to do either. I'd like to think I wouldn't make his choices, but who knows? Ferris has a great obsession for dongo. It's a huge signifier about her emotional state when she either wants tons of dongo or none at all. It makes me want to try some.

I'm sorry I keep writing about this one. I recommend it. Highly. The violence level is fairly high, with a little gore, but nothing too terrible, I guess. It's a bit like Tears to Tiara in it's epic story-ness, but the feel is different. I'm not sure I could talk a second viewing anytime soon, it's certainly pushed me in the more comedic direction - if you haven't noticed - but one day I'll probably watch it again. I'll sucker someone into watching it with me.

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Seriously!?: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

Astarotte's Toy

Genre: Comedy
Age Appropriate: Teens
Emotional Response: equal parts cute and disturbing
Notable Features: succubi, friendship and human "toy"
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 Seasons, 12 episodes 
Overall Recommendation: Okay

"That's not what I want to hear you say!" - Astarotte

Astarotte (aka Lotte) is a young succubus princess in the Monster Realm. She's reaching her adolescent years, and as such she's expected to start building a harem. In order to survive, she's expected to retrieve the "life-seed" from males, otherwise her magic will disappear and she'll die. There are a few complications however, the foremost being that she hates all men. Her top servant, Judit, is obsessed with fixing the problem, and is putting a lot of pressure on everyone to get Lotte started on her harem and moving toward her maturity. In order to combat this pressure, Lotte makes a wild assertion that she would only consider giving in if they were to find her a human male. The gates between the realms through the World Tree have been sealed, so Lotte thinks herself safe. 

Somehow, through someone's magic, the gate opens and Judit falls through. She ends up in the World of Man, stumbles upon Naoya - a young man on his way to work - and offers him $500,000 pay to come to a "new job." The little girl, Asuha, with him barges her way into the bargain and raises it to $600,000, with neither knowing what the job is! Shortly thereafter, Naoya ends up pushed through the gate into the unsuspecting arms of Lotte and the drama begins. Completely freaked out by the situation, Lotte  acts cold and decides Naoya will be her "toy," and being competely freaked out at the concept on being in this young girls harem, Naoya goes along with everything. Even more drama, and comedy, occurs with the arrival of Asuha and the mysterious connections everyone has between the two worlds. 

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I did get a good amount of enjoyment out of this series, but I couldn't helped but be disturbed at least once per episode. Lotte is a ten year old expected to start her journey of maturity, mostly under pressure from princess expectations and the high strung Judit. It's obvious that she has no real interest in that area. Naoya doesn't really understand why he's brought to the World of Monsters right away, and more information makes things extra complicated  The one saving grace is that however the story line goes about this weird relationship angle, it obvious that Naoya is not a creep at all, and the tide turns toward Lotte's feelings versus Judit's ideas of obligation. It gets a little weirder near the end, but I guess given the plot it's not so bad. 

Asuha is probably my favorite character. She's the same age as Lotte, but her personality is so outgoing she ends up making everyone around her smile. Now, if only Naoya could convince her that underwear are a necessity...haha. The budding friendship between the girls is nice to see, and I really was pleased to see that Naoya wasn't super icky. The comedy bits were pretty cute, too. I don't know if I would really recommend this to someone, unless it were to somehow come up in conversation or something, but I do think it was pretty cute. I guess between the weirdness and the cuteness, I'm giving it an Okay rating, based on what I think others might feel. 

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It feels so free!: Aoi Sekai no Chushin De

The Devil is a Part-Timer

Genre: Action/Comedy
Age Appropriate: Preteens
Emotional Response: excitement and laughter
Notable Features: demons, heroes, magic, alternate realms
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 Seasons, 13 episodes 
Overall Recommendation: Pretty Good

"Is this really the Devil?" - Bel

In the other dimensional world, Ente Isla, the Devil has started a war to take over the four directional countries in a bid for world domination. However, he's met his match in the Hero Emilia, and they both end up in modern day Japan, traveling through a Gate. Upon arrival, Satan and his general, Alciel, find themselves in a place where they have no more magic, a different language, and without any resources. Emilia has followed them through said gate, and they meet up on a street in the rain. While the story revolves around the situations presented between Emilia and Satan (and co.), the center of the comedy is the fact that Satan has become a part time worker at MgRonald's, and originally believes that this will be his path to the top of his new world, Earth. Everyone from Ente Isla has changed their names, and ages, met new people and started some sort of job situation - except Alciel who is tending house and researching ways to replenish magic.

At some point, there are new Ente Isla characters added to the story, often people from either side betraying our favored protagonists. There is also a young lady character who works under Satan and has managed to fall in love with him. His commitment to protecting those "under his command" often leads him into situations where he becomes the heroic character, and confuses those on the other side in the process. The series has mini-battles, some emotional flashbacks and a comedy element that makes this series more modern day vs. fantasy genre.

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I throughly enjoyed this series. There weren't any points where I was teary eyes - either from hilarity or sadness - so the emotional components weren't that important, but it was fun. I got a big kick of out Lucifer's character the most, I think. He has a rather small part in each episode, but I could totally see him in a lot of guys I know. I wish there had been time for a little more character development, but I'm happy with what there was. I also think there could have been a little more to the potentially epic battles, but it seems they wanted to keep it to 13 episodes and with that amount of time I think they did a really good job. There is a part of me that wouldn't mind a second season, though I've heard nothing about it, but I'm pretty satisfied without one. I guess, if they'd done more it would change the overall feel of the series, and I don't know that it would've been a good thing.

Well, apart from Satan actually being a bit of an idiot most of the time. I found a lot of fun in each of the other characters, when I didn't want to throttle them. I just wish I'd been able to get a little bit more. I really liked the few moments when he shows how not-stupid he is, as much as I liked when Alciel acted like an irresponsible fool. There was a small book-by-uts-cover moral to the story, but not so overt as to be irritating. I'm really glad that I decided to give this one a try. I would seriously recommend it.

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Crazy, yo: Astarotte's Toy

B Gata H Kei

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Age Appropriate: Adult
Emotional Response: um...omgwtfbbqlol
Notable Features: high schoolers, eros deities, wacko chicks
Language: English
Length: 1 Seasons, 12 episodes (+outtakes)
Overall Recommendation: Pretty Good

"I wished for the same thing you did!" - Yamada

Yamada is a nice young lady looking to fall in love. That's a lie. Yamada is a misguided teen obsessed with having sex with 100 guys before she graduates. The catch is that she's never done anything sexual before and had no clue how, or who, will accomplish the task. The only determining factor she seems to have made is that her future partner should also be a virgin. Through a chance encounter, Yamada falls off of a bookstore ladder right onto a plain, boring looking guy - Kosuda. She has no idea who he is until they start school and he ends up being at the desk next to her. Yamada thinks that because she's the prettiest, most popular girl in school, that this should be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, while she's right about Kosuda thinking she's hot (since she really is the most popular girl in school), she frequently gets in her own way by being awkward and attempting to force situations when she has no idea what she's doing.

Yamada and Kosuda have an interesting group of friends that each have their parts in the story. Yamada's best friend suffers from constant awkward questions about her own love life, and how Yamada should proceed. Kosuda has a long time childhood friend for a neighbor who is harboring her own secret crush on him. There are boys in the class who are total dorks but often engage Kosuda in awkward boy talk. Enter the most dramatic character - Kanejo. She enters the school as a transfer student and begins a competition storyline with Yamada, only broken up by her obvious love-obsession with her own brother. Each episode shows a new step forward, or back, in the relationship between Yamada and Kosuda, and their awkward dance around the topic.

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This series didn't grab me too much when I started it, but it did do well enough for me to be interested in finishing. It had a fairly even mix between head banging shame, and tummy tightening laughter. It was just awful, but in that way that's funny and you know it shouldn't be funny, because you're an adult now, but it's funny. It had a high school class cast, so I'm inclined to say it would be funny for high schoolers, or college students, but since the content is 75% sexual, I still labeled it Adult. There is a little nudity in the last episodes, but given the subject matter, it's fairly tame. I just don't want someone letting their kids watch this without fair warning.

It really is a comedy of errors. Every time the couple in question makes a move, things go wrong. Kosuda is a typical geeky-awkward high school boy, and when faced with aggressive but ignorant Yamada, he ends up confused. I mean, no high school girls are that interested, right? At least, that seems to be his internal monologue. It doesn't help that she's completely obsessed/oblivious about how to proceed. If you're looking for a little light, but dirty, humor, then I would recommend this. It's only 12 episodes, but it really is a great fit for the series. So, go watch it for a good time. (hehe)

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I don't know if I'm ready for this: The Devil is a Part-Timer

You and Me

Genre: Coming of Age?
Age Appropriate: Preteens
Emotional Response: mix of bored and entertained
Notable Features: high schoolers, typical situations
Language: Japanese
Length: 2 Seasons, 25 episodes 
Overall Recommendation: Okay, I guess

"I just want to sleep at night." - Yuki

You and Me is a slice-of-life type story that follows the life of 5 high school guys. Kaname is more serious, Shun is a little girly and sweet. Yuta is motherly and his twin, Yuki, is lazy. The four young boys grew up together, and added into the mix is Chizuru, a transfer student. He met the twins at two different points in earlier years, but didn't realize the connection until now. There are a couple of minor characters that pop up every once in awhile, but the focus is really on the relationships between the 5 boys.

The story doesn't have any particular drama or comedy. It's just a series of "day in the life," episodes, that occasionally have an interesting episode-only plot. The twins are pretty attached at the hip. There is a young girl who is in love with Shun, but is the secret object of affection of Chizuru, and Kaname's mother has a strange level of love for her son. Really, the storyline reflects their first two years in high school, and the little events that effect their lives.

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As long as this series is, there isn't anything much to it. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I don't know that I would actually recommend it to someone unless they were very specifically looking for something like it. I appreciated season one more, it seemed to have better pacing, but season two dragged a bit. I ended up pulling myself through the end of the series just to finish. It was a cute series, though. I wish it would've had a little more depth, but it wasn't horrible or anything. I might have liked it more if I were really in the mood for chill at the time, but I think it was a little too chill. Overall, the best word I can think of to describe it would be sweet. There were some cute parts, and some funny parts, but overall it was just okay.

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Errr: B Gata H Kei

Zettai Boei Leviatan

Genre: Adventure/Action
Age Appropriate: Preteens
Emotional Response: Excitement, Feel Good
Notable Features: girl power, magic, dragons, evil insects
Language: Japanese
Length: 1 Seasons, 13 episodes 
Overall Recommendation: Great

"My name is not Syrorin!" - Syrop


Leviatan is a young lady with water magic, who lives in a small town of others just like her. She lives alone because he brother has gone off somewhere, and her existence in fairly lonely. Her only reminder is the staff she carries. It was her brother's and it helps her focus her magical abilities. Like Leviatan, the other women in her world had magic and wings. They are descended from dragons. While the men usually don't have much in the way of magic, they're all born with immense strength. Leviatan's journey begins when she meets up with two other young ladies - Bahamut and Jorgumund. Each of these young ladies also has magical powers. They comes together under the slight, humorous manipulations of Syrop - a mischievous fairy with grand ideas about creating the Aquafall Defense Force!

There are evil creatures that have landed on the planet Aquafall. These evil creatures come in the form of large monsters, called Lucasites, and their smaller minions, Toripos. They are the direct result of terrible meteorites and want nothing more than to destroy Aquafall. The series follows the girls on little journeys to save/retrieve their weapons that are continually lost and regained in battles with the Lucasites. They also become friends with guardians in the world who will come to their aid if they're able to contact them. Together with these new friends, the goal of the Aquafall Defense Force becomes defeating the terrible evil beasts and helping others as a result. If only their battles in town would stop destroying the inn...

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I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I'd like to think that if it were to take off, it would be similar to Sailor Moon. There are fun magical transformations included. My biggest hope is that this is only season one. There haven't been any announcements that I've seen, but the last episode was just aired at the end of June. It's probably to early to tell. It wasn't as exciting as Magi, but it was nice enough. It was also completely family friendly. It's probably a great series for girl power-minded individuals. I really appreciated that the story has friendship, coming-of-age and fun without being blatantly obvious about the message. The review portion is a little short, granted, but I'll simply recommend it as something fun to do on a rainy day, or to watch with the young women growing up in your life. Go Girl Power!

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Transform!: Chihayafuru