Koihime Musou - Shin Koihime Musou

Genre:Fantasy/Comedy
Age Appropriate: Adult
Emotional Response: OMG, I can't believe they just said that. HAHAHAHA
Notable Features: travelling fighters, pseudo-nudity, yuri
Language: Japanese
Length: 3 seasons, 36 episodes
Overall Recommendation: Heck Yeah

"Fight with Rin Rin!" - Rin Rin

Koihime Musou is a comedic historical fantasy, centered around a time when travelling fighters roamed the land. The series follows a small group of ladies travelling with Kan'u (Aisha), the Black Hair Bandit Killer. She runs into different girls at different times and they frequently travel with her for a few episodes or so, before going their own way, and eventually show up again later. The primary exception to this rule is Rin-Rin, her little sister sidekick. Rin Rin appears in the first episode as an orphan in a small town, who tweaks Kan'u's heartstrings. They make a vow of sisterhood and agree to travel together for all time.

As the series progresses they pick up some very important friends, many part ways, and some seem to stick around for good - particularly Sei (aka Butterly Mask) and Shuri (a child genius obsessed with knowledge). The groups interactions frequently involve the lords of the land in a variety of situations (most of whom are very interested in the ladies for multiple reasons). Every once in a while, the stumble upon a male character who effects the story in some way, but never becomes a main character. This series is all about the ladies - both their relationships, and their ability to kick butt.

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This series is ridiculous!...in a good way. The outrageous yuri is hilarious everytime it comes up. As long as a little girl love isn't an issue with you, watch it. It took me awhile to get through all three seasons, but it was worth it in the end. It was totally unexpected. I thought it was going to be some sort of martial art epic fighting drama-type story, and what I got was a historical fantasy yuri comedy. No complaints, though. I'm always up for a good laugh. So much for attempting to squeeze a little variety in what I was watching.

I highly recommend it if you need a laugh. There is some pretend nudity, with carefully placed steam and light streams, and some "omg I can't believe they're showing that even if they're not really showing that" moments, so this is not for the kiddies. I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable watching it with my parents. I might blush. Still, worth it. I'm smiling right now just typing this because of the funnies running around in my head.

Not all of the storyline is important, so don't expect some emotional breakthrough drama that changes you life, but that was fine with me. Unfortunately, as with all series with sequels, the fun goes down a little bit. A lot of the yuri jokes fade away, which is okay but they don't replace it with anything. The third season has the real action, if less fun comedy. It wasn't a struggle to watch, so I enjoyed it tot he end, if at varying degrees.This series gets my stamp of approval.

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Where am I?: Amnesia



I'm going on a camping trip this weekend! There won't be any internet available, though, so, I won't be posting anything for Monday. My bad.

Black Butler (Season 2 + extras)

Genre: Drama/Action/BlackButler
Age Appropriate: Older Teens
Emotional Response: really? and LOL
Notable Features: Victorian England, butlers, reapers, demons
Language: English
Length: 1 season, 12 episodes; extra episodes
Overall Recommendation: Pretty Good

"You surprised me." - Ciel

Black Butler's second season follows a strange turn of events. Alois and Claude are the new lord/demon duo of the story. Alois is a strange, twisted young man who made a contract with Claude and it includes kidnapping Ciel Phantomhive and causing Sebastian excruciating pain. Shockingly, the original pair return to the story with a few extra twists and turns. Apparently, Sebastian has lost Ciel's soul due to a mishap and now must find a way to retrieve it. Ciel returns without his memory intact, due to his lost soul, and finds himself in a twisted battle with Alois, whose jealousy over the demons' desire for Ciel know no bounds. There are duels between the butlers, and the masters, over misunderstandings and deceit between everyone that end in a very interesting manner. As the season is much shorter, and preceded by enough back story, there isn't much to add to the synopsis.

There were a few extras available to me for the series. In the first series, there was an extra that was commentary-style, starring the three servants. There is a filler episode which included the cast doing a play for children. After the second season, there were new extras which included a version of Alice in Wonderland, but with Ciel as Alice.

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The second season doesn't much do the first justice, but that is the way of most sequels. I actually found moments where I wished that they had originally ended it with the first, but I did enjoy the extra time with Sebastian quite a bit. I have no love for either Claude or Alois, and also wanted to punch either of them in the face on multiple occasions. An additional twist in the emotional feel was my complete sympathy for Sebastian. In the first season, I felt more connection to Ciel, but Sebastian really dominated the second for me. It had nothing to do with my love for him in general, but more about how he got screwed.

The extras were definitely worth a look. For the first season, there were more of a diversion after a few intense episodes. They certainly weren't necessary to the story, but why not? After the second season, I really enjoyed the adaptation of Alice in Wonderland with Ciel as Alice. After the second season, which really was quite good, the Alice episodes tickled me enough to forget any real complaints I might have had about the continuation of the series. On the hilarious side of things, there is nothing better than watching the ever popular Black Butler running around as the White Rabbit. Don't miss it. Still, there is no better extra then The Making of Black Butler 2. Seriously. Druitt is such a drama queen.

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Sadly, we must move on: Gravitation

Black Butler (Season 1)

Genre: Drama/Action/BlackButler
Age Appropriate: Older Teens
Emotional Response: laugher, tears, moving
Notable Features: Victorian England, butlers, reapers, demons
Language: English
Length: 1 season, 25 episodes
Overall Recommendation: TOP 1

"I'm simply on hell of a butler." - Sebastian Michaelis

Two years ago, the Phantomhive manor burned to the ground, taking the lord and lady of the estate with them, and leaving behind their young son, Ciel. Ciel suddenly reappears after those two years with a new butler in tow and no smiles to be had. This is the beginning of Black Butler. Ciel's mysterious butler, Sebastian, has an uncanny ability to breeze through any obstacles, magically fix any problems, and act as an ideal butler. These curious abilities come from the fact that Sebastian is Ciel's demon servant, held by a contract that is visible in Ciel's eye, and on Sebastian's hand. The other staff in the mansion seem to have no actual abilities other than screwing things up, leaving Sebastian to clean up after them, and providing comic relief in each episode.

Ciel's duties as the Earl of Phantomhive include running the family business of Funtom Toys, along with other ventures, and acting as the "Queen's Guard Dog." These duties include maintaining a relationship within the London underground, and looking into strange happenings that, in the end, are only solvable with the hidden help of Sebastian. Other allies appear with The Undertaker, a reaper named Grell, and a dog. The series progresses through many trials and tribulations with these players by Ciel's side in his quest for vengeance against those who caused his parents' deaths. Sebastian's only goal is to meet this need for Ciel in exchange for his soul - and his methods are often a mix of creepy and/or humorous.

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Can you tell that this is my most favorite series? I was actually going to wait on doing this review. I wanted to save a little bit for myself to savor re-watching Black Butler, but I was having a bad day and so it began. I even have a little Sebastian plushy doll toy, now. We watched it together. I am splitting the two seasons, again. I know it didn't really work with Vampire Knight, but these two seasons are long enough, and different enough, that there is no way to get around it. I'm not even sure that I will be doing Season 2 right away. We'll see how far I get.

Sebastian is awesome. If it weren't for that whole losing your soul into endless darkness and torment bit, I might be willing to get myself a sexy demon butler. Part of me is saddened for Ciel throughout the series, especially when I remember that he's around 12 years old. Despite the stupidity of the goofy three staff members with no skills, I don't think I ever wanted to punch them - which is amazing. Tanaka is a big favorite, ho ho ho. I don't know how to describe the series. It's dark but funny, shocking but moving, and full of "Yeah! Kick his ass! Go demon, go! Those jerks!" It was the end, though, that tore at my heart a little. It wasn't a surprise ending, so to speak, but the emotion it rbought up in me was startling - both the first time and the second. I wasn't surprised that I was moved watching it a second time, but more the level of emotion that I still had being equal to the first. I mean, I already knew what was going to happen, right?

I didn't really rate this as Older Teens because of any impropriety, as much as it's dark enough that I wouldn't sit a middle schooler in front of it and just go about my business. I was a little bit dark in my teen years, and this would've been right up my alley then. Clearly, I've changed a lot in the past 10 years or so. It's my favorite so I have to recommend it. I wouldn't be offended if it's not really someone's cup of tea, although I can't see an anime fan running away. So, I recommend. Really. You should see it. If you don't like it, lie to me, because it's amazing.

Um, yeah. Sorry.

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As you wish: Black Butler 2, plus extras