In our newest contribution for the Bonus Round on Anime3000, we look at the first half of the 2009 Satelight show, the Guin Saga. An adaption of a classic Japanese fantasy series that ran for over a 130 volumes by scarily prolific author Kaoru Kurimoto. Guin Saga is the story of Guin a man with amnesia who is trapped in a leopard mask that helps the prince and princess of a fallen country as he tries to regain his lost memories. But as the Mongauli army peruses them they are forced deeper into the cursed land of Nospherus. We clearly enjoyed the books but how does the anime stack up? As a bonus we also have a dramatic reader from a “lost” book in the series. As a bonus besides your normal Thieves we have Otaku USA’s Caleb Dunaway as Remus, Patz from Insert-Disc as Istavan, and Carl Li from Ogiue Maniax as the narrator.

Anime3000 – Bonus Round – Guin Saga Part 1

THIS POST CONTAINS GUIN SAGA SPOILERS

Depending on who you were the Lord of the Rings movies could be a very different experiences.  You could have went in only having a vague pop culture osmosis as your awareness of the original books. Those people went in and had little to no expectations. There were also the casual fans of J. R. R. Tolkien’s work. They knew the general plot from when they last read the books and may have remembered when major parts were adapted. They might remember that  they removed Tom Bombadil but minor changes are easily overlooked. Then there were the hard-core Lord of the Rings nerds who noticed ever single change made to the battle of Helm’s Deep. Whenever you adapt a book into a visual media there are changes they have to be made. The longer the prose the more changes have to be made. The Guin saga novels are no exception when they were adapted into an anime.

I was lucky enough to discover Guin Saga (though only the first arc) before the anime, but not too long before so it was fresh in my mind. Watching it come to life in animated form was thrilling but also challenging. I can only imagine how the legions of Japanese fans who have stood by Guin’s side for years and years felt about it. Novel to screen is harder than manga to screen for obvious reasons but there are many other issues that come up beyond pure aesthetics. Still, the Guin Saga anime did a good job, but of course there were moments missing that we couldn’t ignore.

The first two casualties in any adaptation into to a visual medium are scenes and plot lines cut for time and the lack of inner monologue. As visual media often has time length restrains that the written word does not you have a tendency to cut scenes down or remove them all together to fit in your running time. A good deal of the fighting in Nospherus was either simplified or cut down. In the novels there are many more scenes of Guin using guerrilla warfare and clever tactics to fight a larger and well-trained foe. These scenes gave you the sense of how skilled he was as a tactician and well as a warrior.  I also remember us being really disappointed that the scene where Guin must cross the over a massive flesh-melting slime creature was cut from the anime. In the books it was an amazingly tense scene are really had you on the edge of your seat. The other major cut was a good deal of the inner monologue. You lose a good bit of Guin’s and Istavan’s character due to this. Guin’s inner monologue gives to a greater sense of how he plans things out, what he thinks about his situation, and what he remembers about his past. Without this he becomes a bit more of a silent protagonists than a thoughtful leader who only speaks when he need to. This is very noticeable when he meets the wolf in his journey to find the Lagon. In the anime the wolf guiding him is only in a pretty short pair of scenes. In the novel Guin is constantly assessing what the wolf is telling him without words and how he is getting inklings that this meeting and many others to into his greater fate. We also get less of Istavan’s inner conflict over balancing helping others and looking out for his own skin.

Guin is a deft and charismatic leader. Competent would be the understatement of the century for his physical abilities but it has to be said that Guin just as often uses his words, few as they might be, to move the people around him on and off the battlefield. And while certainly divinity is on his side, that doesn’t diminish his strengths. But that hand of Fate, the eye of Janos or Jarn or whoever it might be that looks down on the world and especially the path of Guin, is intense and weighty. You feel it in the story no matter the setting or characters you are observing at the time. Yet, in the TV series it feels like the most diminished part of all the elements. The idea that Guin brings the disparate tribes together is paramount, but feels glossed over in the anime perhaps from a lack of time. But on the flip side, the height of the Nospherus battles sometimes come off bland making the time devoted to them seem too large. You also lose some of the fated element when Rinda’s role as prophetess is practically forgotten almost immediately after it is introduced.

The other main difference I noticed was the all the fight scenes were different. The sights are mainly the same but the details and style are radically different. From the first time Guin fights the soldiers in the forest to his duel with the strongest Lagon warrior the choreography of the fights is much different. In the books they read much more like the fights you would read about in a traditional low fantasy adventure whereas they played out more like an anime when adapted to the medium. The fact that everything explodes when Guin defeats the The Black Count or the fact that the The Black Count has a ninja like bodyguard in the first place. I don’t think either style in inherently superior to the other. In fact the flashier style of the anime fights might be a bit more suited to the media.

Speaking of battle differences, Istavan’s infiltration of the Mongaul ranks and subsequent betrayal didn’t feel nearly as impressive in animated form. Istavan is portrayed from the beginning as a very gray character, his part in this deception takes it further and deeper. Once again time seemed to be against the series, we don’t feel Istavan bond with the commander of the blue squadron. And the final decisive moments as Istavan leads the band into the trap that ends with soldiers being burned alive was relegated to the death of only a few. It just didn’t come off as divisive for victory as it did in the books.

In my opinion the best way to experience the franchise is to watch the anime first. Even with the Fate/Zero anime and Game of Thrones I am watching the TV series first and then going back to read the novels. You are often able to judge the adaption in a fair manner when you are not constantly comparing it to the book. Therefore it is often best to take in the visuals  for the enjoyable spectacle they are. Then you can read the novels and get an expanded view of the story you already enjoyed getting new layers you were unaware of beforehand. I know that while we enjoyed the anime overall our favorite parts were the episodes that adapted material past the first 5 books as it was new material to us. Without preconceived notions about the material we just sat back an enjoyed what we watched. The only downside is that watching the anime first tends to set your mind’s eye as to what everything looks like. You often will picture what you saw in the anime as opposed to creating your own images through the text. But I think if you can accept that influence it is the way to get the most out of all the media and with a series as good as the Guin Saga it is great to experience it to its fullest. Both forms of the story are worth your time.

It is really easy to ruin your enjoyment of a series by expecting it to adhere perfectly to its source material. I know this comes off as a gripe post, and I guess it is, but it is more about noting the differences rather than hate the show for it. I found the anime (at least the 13 episodes I’ve seen) entertaining. But I can say with certainty that I enjoyed the parts that I hadn’t been able to read the novel of much more.

Would also love to hear other people’s picks for some of these categories as well! By the way, some of this stuff happens to have come out in years gone by but we first watched/read/whatnot this year so that’s why they’re here, I’ll hear no guff about it! I really enjoy this part of the year, all the posts seem to be more fun and this one is no exception.

Best Anime of 2009 or Show that Infuriates You to No End When Someone on MAL says “If you like this show you will love Dance in the Vampire Bund.”

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
The noitaminA is your go to animation slot when you are looking for something that is simultaneously different, mature, well produced, and smart. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is no exception to this rule. An exceptional look at ordinary people involved in an extraordinary but still extremely feasible situation. It is a superb mixture of intense character study and survival drama. I know some people feel the end is weak but I thought it did well in capping off this  powerful and thought provoking show.

Eden of the East
It is a little bit mystery, a little bit drama, and a little bit suspense wrapped around an intriguing concept. It’s a wonderful series to watch unfold and since Takizawa doesn’t remember what has happened there is a wonderful element of discovery that comes. Takizawa himself is a refreshing and mysterious guy but you always get the feeling, or I did, that he was a good guy even when things looked dubious. Also he loved dogs, can’t be bad. The game was able to engross and impress me from episode one and continued to do so throughout its broadcast.

Anime Man of the Year or You Must be Swift
as a Coursing River

Battler Ushiromiya
Have you ever wished Phoenix Wright could be the star of his own supernatural murder mystery anime? Well if so then someone heard your prayers. In Umineko no Naku Koro ni we have Battler Ushiromiya who is a clear homage to Phoenix Wright with dramatic finger pointing, manly crying, and split between having to do detective work and acting like a lawyer. He may have his flaws but no matter what he keeps marching forward despite numerous set backs and tragedies. Plus he is just plain cool whenever he is on the counterattack. His casual charm and iron clad will set the tone for the anime as much as they do the games it was based on.

Guin
After thinking this over way too much, I finally decided on Guin for a few reasons. First being that after more than 100 books about his quest on the bestseller list, Guin finally got an anime. Adding to that is that Guin may arguably be the most manly character animated in 2009. If you watch just the first episode, this will become obvious. I also read about Guin in novel formthe first time this year myself. And finally, and sadly, Guin’s creator Kaoru Kurimoto passed away in 2009, a woman who was still writing about her most popular creation.

Anime Woman of the Year or I am Woman Hear Me Roar

Canaan
Canaan is a competent kick arse girl with a gun. That is usually all that you need to sell me on a character. The fact that Canaan has her rather slick synesthesia ability which I thought was a very original superpower. She has a stoic and cool feel to her but it she still cares for the people she wishes to protect and gives her all to do so. I also think that her competence on the battlefield but her awkwardness in personal relationships gives her a good mixture of strength and weakness that make her a serious version of Sousuke Sagara. I also think makes her an interesting character to me.

Sawako
Picking a woman of the year became a lot easier the more I watched Kimi ni Todoke. Sawako has a special strength of character that uplifts you, just as she does to the many characters around her. She is humorous and endearing and you never doubt that she will succeed and grow in each new scenario she encounters. Sawako’s positive attitude, even after endearing so much isolation is a true testament to the human spirit and the ability to change.

Favorite Classic Manga Release or Get Off My Lawn and
Read This Manga Instead You Whippersnappers

Astroboy
I bring up Astroboy for several reasons. The first is the releaseof the critically acclaimed manga Pluto in the U.S. which is based on one of the most famous Astroboy stories. While Naoki Urasawa makes the story his own, there is much to be gained from reading the original story. The second is the release of the Astoboy CG movie. It might be weak but it shows the lasting legacy of the Mighty Atom. The third is the fact that premier Tezuka scholar and Astroboy fan Frederik L. Schodt was an excellent guest at Otakon 2009. If any of these things interest you I suggest you pick up Astroboy and see where it all began.

Swan
Okay, so this didn’t just start in 2009 but the fact that it is still being released is something to celebrate. Swan continually wows me with its style, layout, and melodramatic storytelling exemplary of 70′s shojo.

Worst Thing I Watched or My Eyes! The Goggles Do Nothing!

Queen’s Blade
Oh Queen’s Blade you are so bad that you are not even good at accomplishing the simple goal you set out to do. You want to be a dumb little fantasy adventure series with enough titillation to captivate an audience. You go far enough to be grossly excessive in your fan-service but pull back from being porn almost in a chicken sort of way. Also all the humor is rather misogynistic or bizarre. In fact much of the series is just utterly misogynistic. They decided to try to turn everything up to 11 including the breast size but they forgot not to turn the knob for bad up to 11 as well.

Akikan!
Akikan! has a lot more wrong with it than its stupid premise of soda drinks transforming into girls. All the characters are either annoying, creepy, losers, or all of these things in combination. The character designs are awful and the animation quality is way below sub-par. Akikan! is the type of show that makes you say “I didn’t know they made anime this bad anymore!”

Best Convention Guest or I Need to Get an Autograph
with a Haro On It.

The Tomino
As anyone who has read the blog for any amount of time has seen Narutaki and I have very similar tastes. But when it comes to what we are the most passionate about we tend to be very different. But there is one place where both of our passions are about equal and that is for mecha. And one of our favorite mecha directors is Yoshiyuki Tomino. It was amazing to be able to meet the man behind the real robot genre. He was as blunt and cranky as you expected him to be but he seemed to be genuinely appreciative of his fans which was nice to see. Seeing him was the highlight of the year.

Tomino
Tomino Con 2009 was the highlight of many a fan’s year! Obviously we are no exception. What more is there to say other than there is a reason we both put him!

Thing I Wish People Would Stop Talking About
or SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!

Kyoto Animation
I wish people would stop talking about Kyoto Animation fro two reasons. The first is the second season of Haruhi. Yes Endless Eight was a very silly idea that might have been one of the biggest missteps with an anime franchise we will ever see. If they stopped watching Kyoto Animation might have learned some sort of lesson. But it seemed like after a point people just started watching episodes just so they complain about it the day after. The second is K-On!. I wish people would just stop talking about K-On! because I did not think it was that good. Also because if I bring up K-On! we won’t hear Narutaki’s thoughts on K-On! and that would be less than pleasant believe me.

Studio Shaft
I am just tired of hearing the constant internet love letter to Studio Shaft. What little interest I had in them thanks to Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei has promptly been washed away by masses of people decreeing they can do no wrong. The fact that Dance of the Vampire Bund is coming out next month just compounds my disinterest.

Series I Unexpectedly Liked or Chili and Chocolate

Mirai Nikki
Mirai Nikki is a much smarter and more entertaining manga than I first thought it would be. Mirai Nikki turns out to be the smart little thriller with a good mixture of action and psychological horror. The different diaries each had interesting powers and seeing how Yukiteru has to overcome them is fun an interesting because he has to out think his opponents and find the weakness in their diaries. Plus when the manga needs to turn the creepy factor on it does it quite well. It is a fast moving series I am am pretty sure the end is coming soon. I hope it ends as well as it has started and I look forward to Sakae Esuno’s next work. I will say that I am still a little scared by the huge Yuno Gasai fan-base who sort of scare me.

Taisho Baseball Girls
While I was saddened there were no more musical numbers after episode one, it was a wonderful little story of baseball and friendship with just a touch of romance in the mix. Koume is a great lead who is a warm girl on the edge of a modern age. And while Baseball Girls does explore some feminist themes, it does so with the right amount of force for these characters. This is a show I was happy to say was one of the best of 2009.

Favorite Opening or Last Night a DJ Saved My Life

Umineko no Naku Koro ni – Katayoku no Tori
The opening to Umineko no Naku Koro ni is just as epic as the opening to the game and that is no small feat. It has some great vocals with a mixture of Italian and Japanese by Akiko Shikata. The lyrics are a delightful insight into the story if you are paying attention. Also I love that after every arc you will notice that they have added something new to the opening. It keeps the introductions interesting without raising the budget significantly. I can’t wait to see the opening for whenever they make a Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru anime.

Eden of the East - Falling Down
Best opening has to go to Eden of the East for me because of its great combination of design and sound. What I loved most was the use of graphics more than animated sequences. And Oasis just rocks.

Best License Announcement or Time to Sell Some Blood

Fist of the North Star
It has been the common sentiment that Fist of the North Star is just one of those titles that would never sell in the U.S. after its previous failure and therefore would never be completed. Then it started streaming online which was mind blowing. Then Discotek Media picked it the DVD rights. For the longest time Fist of the North Star has been one of those series that is popular elsewhere in the world but not in the U.S. Now hopefully the small but dedicated fanbase will get what they have always hoped for.

Sengoku Basara
Not only was I personally super excited that this series got licensed, but it is also a smart choice by Funimation. Crazy fighters and over-the-top characters in an insane interpretation of feudal Japan animated by Production I.G. That is basically a winning combination for me right there. Did I mentioned choreographed dancing samurai in the opening? Fun times all around!

Best Short Manga or Sometimes I Would Like to Read a Manga Series Under 30 Books Long

Tanpenshu
Tanpenshu is a short story collection in two books by Hiroki Endo the author of Eden: It’s an Endless World! The stories are often self-indulgent as Subatomic Brainfreeze said when he commented on the blog but I feel if you are going to be self-indulgent do it in short story form. It is a great collection that shows Endo’s range as an artist and storyteller. It is a good mixture of funny stories with dark stories but all of them are mature tales. It is a great read if you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.

Palette of 12 Secret Colors
I have basically spent all year praising Nari Kusakawa up and down to anyone who would listen, this I will continue now. Palette of 12 Secret Colors features an exotic island where the birds and their “palette’s” (human partners) provide the colors of the world. Cello is training to be just that but with only middling success and a string of clumsy color accidents under her belt. As such see often talks with Dr. Guell and things go forward from there. These two have such a hilarious chemistry that it is infectious. It is lovely the way that romance and choosing a future are combined here with an emphasis on what loving someone means. With all of Nari Kurakawa’s series there are elements of magic combined with romance and humor topped with heaps of charm.

Most Horrible Piece of Merchandise or Things Too Tacky to Place Next to Your Big Mouth Billy Bass

1/8 Sheryl Nome NA Ver PVC Figure
I realize that one of Sheryl’s biggest appeals is that she has a smoking hot body. I don’t think anyone is going to disagree with that. So as expected you are going to get some rather risque figures of her. But this figure crosses the line from sexy to downright vulgar. Her outfit is a bit gratuitous but it’s nothing that is inappropriate for a sexy figure. The thing that makes this figure utterly reprehensible is Sheryl’s pose above that huge shell with the phrase Rise Up !! on the base of the figure. It is about as unsubtle as you can get. It just makes the figure so crass that I can’t see anyone but people who buy the figures with the clothing you can take off or the figures with the “real” breasts to buy one.

Char figures that you can put your own face on
I wish I was making this up. To be blunt, no one should want to see their own face in place of Char’s. NO ONE.

Funniest Series or The Best Medicine

Hyakko
I said it once and I will say it again. I really feel that Hyakko is an unappreciated series. It is an excellent school based comedy with wonderful characters, good comedic timing, and a lively sense of energy that can be all too lacking in slice of life series. Torako is a great energetic and spunky girl to interacts off the rest of the class quite well. These is also a good amount of male characters who get face time which are easily forgotten in certain shonen school comedies. Although the manga has not been licensed the anime is streaming for free.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s
Yes, it is unintentionally funny but funny nonetheless. They have card duels (which is pretty funny itself) on motorcycles! Everyone in prison (there is a prison arc) has decks of cards which are used to decide who is boss! I am ready to marathon this show!

Favorite Mecha Anime or The Char Aznable Award for Excellence

Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z-Hen
As Narutaki joked if we did not include this series in the list several people we know would probably jump us and then force us to edit this list so it was included. Possibly multiple times and even in categories where it did not belong. But this is for a very good reason. This is Yasuhiro Imagawa firing on all cylinders. It is not just an excellent giant robot show it is an excellent show all together. It has great characters, a full structured plot that was mostly written out from the start with amazing twists and turns, more Go Nagai references than you can shake a stick at, and of course blood pumping robot fights. If you watch one hardcore mecha series this year it should be this one. I mean it has Rocket Punch! 100 Rapid Shots! and what more could you ask for?

Eureka Seven
Okay, yeah I am way behind on the Eureka Seven fan train, okay? I just watched it this year and it makes me wish I had done so much sooner! It was a wonderful combination of characters and their growing, changing relationships. Both the looks at love seen through Eureka and Renton plus Holland and Talho captured me almost instantly. And equally thrilling is the shows combination of mecha and surf culture, very fun and unique. To round it all out is a world of mysteries that are slowly, but surely, revealed. Eureka Seven had everything I wanted in spades.

If I Never See This Type of Character Again or Characters Who Will Be the First Against the Wall
When the Revolution Comes

Fake strong female characters
I am just sick in tired of female characters that are supposed to be strong but are anything but. I don’t need every female character to be strong but don’t sell me a false bill of goods. Don’t give me the strong swordsman who is just a princess waiting to be kidnapped with and armor and a sword instead of a dress. Also don’t give me weak women who pretend to be strong by being total monsters and they try to sell me on the being fine either. Made real strong female charaters or don’t make them all.

Teenage girl who has the brain capacity of an 6-year-old
I think that pretty much sums it up, but if I have to elaborate I will. I’m not saying every girl needs to be genius level intelligence or anything, but really could they atleast go an entire episode without falling down for no reason or perhaps talk at a level someone their age should? I see this more than should happen and really it leaves the worst taste in my mouth.

Well done serial adventures like Flash Gordan and the Lone Ranger work best if they are addictive. They should engage the audience in a way that even after giving you some amount of resolution keeps you coming back again and again. Guin Saga is no exception to this rule, the first book tells a complete story but it is a very small piece in the grandiose epic of Guin discovering who he is, what he was meant to do, and being totally awesome while he does it. The next four books keeps up the constant forward momentum of Guin and his companions in the next leg of the journey. When you finish one book you will often be surprised how quickly you find yourself wanting to move on to the next.

Once I got my hands on the rest of the Guin books released from Vertical, it was a short time before I was finished and wanting more. We decided to review the rest of the Marches Episode of Guin together because a lot that is going on is very transitional especially in the second and third installments. This is by no means a complaint or a determent to the series, it is just a fact in a multiple volume story that some books will fall into this section of moving the story along without having any huge incidents. However, Kaoru Kurimoto is able to keep you on your toes the entire time with a rapid pace and varying points of view.

Like an good serial adventure we ended with our heroes in mortal peril (i.e. jumping into the churning waters of the deadly Kes River) after escaping the castle of the Black Count. They obviously survive the fall and soon find themselves with Istavan Spellsword running into the twisted wasteland known as Nospherus. Guin and company soon find themselves between the monstrous denizens of Nospherus and a large contingent of Mongauli soldiers led by the beautiful Lady Amnelis. Guin must find a way to marshal the inhabitants of Nospherus to drive off the army intent on killing them all, taking the twins of Parros, and annexing the wastelands. Guin is outnumbered and outgunned but he’s Guin, fate would not have it any other way.

It becomes quite clear as our band of heroes makes their escape from the Monguali army that Nospherus is a hellish place. However, as they start to understand it, they begin to use it to their distinct advantage with the help of the Sem barbarian tribes. Even though Guin is on the side of the Sem (and really all the inhabitants of Nospherus) it is always an uphill battle that requires cunning, supreme strategy, and a bit of fate’s guidance. The final battle still had a lot of surprises in store and while the overall outcome was what I expected, getting there and what was sacrificed was not. Once again the storytelling of Guin Saga really shines when it can lead you to understand characters but not predict the entire story to follow.

These books clearly confirm that the series is called Guin Saga for a reason: Guin gets the most screen time and the most character development. In the first book we learned that Guin was more than just a simple power brawler, he was a warrior with a brain. In these books we discover that Guin is truly a jack of all trades. We get Guin the survivalist, Guin the strategist, Guin the orator, Guin the diplomat, and Guin the leader. All of these skills seem to come naturally to Guin which often seems to worry him because he is never sure if they are his old memories coming to the surface or memories someone planted in his head for some sinister purpose. Guin grows into his role as a warrior king as the series goes on further showing the series resemblance to Conan.

Oh Guin, how you never fail to cause incredible feats that are nothing short of godly. In these books we don’t get much closer to uncovering who exactly Guin is or what is guiding him along the way. And he is being guided to some great destiny, that much is clear. This is not used to let anything at all happen (though much happens), Guin still has to get there, to overcome, and to think on his feet but along the way he is pushed by a greater force. Guin’s leadership skills start to come through in these books, even if not everyone is happy about it or believes in him. He also starts to get more comfortable in his situation and sometimes let’s it take him into the unknown. I’m not so sure we got a lot more personality development in these books, but Guin continues to impress, it’s almost unbelievable how Kurimoto is able to continually make him an even more compelling figure with each new step taken.

Rinda and Remus don’t do a great deal in these books, they are mostly there for Istavan and Guin to either protect or rescue most of the time. They are clearly going to be more important when they get back to more civilized lands but that is not the current situation. Istavan gets the lion share of the character development in these four books which is helped along by us hardly seeing him in the first installment. Istavan if it was not already clear is a charming and self-centered rouge much like Han Solo. And much like Han Solo he starts off only looking out for number one and gets ready to flee whenever the going gets tough but rather quickly he is attracted to Rinda and also realizes that she might be a key part to his destiny. This leads to some major flirting/fighting between Istavan and Rinda sealing their Han and Leia like relationship. As the books go on Istavan does not become a selfless martyr but he does slowly show he is willing to put himself on the line for his comrades.

Istavan easily becomes the character to watch, after Guin, as this epic continues. Just as Guin, Istavan has some amount of divine destiny guiding his way. When combining this with his cocky personality and his deep belief in fate, he gets himself in to many scrapes and close calls only to be pulled back. So with Istavan and Guin around, there is no telling what might occur which makes for plenty of nail-biting action which keeps the adrenaline rising and the other characters on constant edge. Rinda finds herself often moving between complete unfailing belief in Guin and a desperate need to somehow carve a way out of Nospherus and survive. Thrown in the thick of this is an obvious attraction to Istavan whom she also wishes to believe in. Rinda seems to change little in these books, but that could be because she is much less seen here. Even Remus sees a bit more growth in these books while also back peddling once and again. However, for the most part he is showing his attention to detail and the understanding of battle even if he isn’t in the fray. Once again I find that I am indeed curious the most about where Remus’s future lies because it seems to fraught with possibilities.

The biggest addition to the cast is Lady Amnelis who is the young general of the Elite White Knights of Mongaul. She has a cold and distant beauty that for various reasons draws all of her subordinates to her; some want to protect her while others wish to win her favor. She has several goals in Nospherus including clearing a path in Nospherus, claiming a powerful artifact, and capturing the twins and Guin. As she realizes Guin is the main obstacle between her and her goals, she becomes more and more obsessed with him. In turn her subordinates also become obsessed with defeating Guin with Astrias more than anyone else as he hopes he will win Lady Amnelis favor and maybe even her love. We get a lot of looks into what the armies large number of soldiers are thinking and doing even if they are against our protagonists. We seem them move through confidence when they come into Nospherus to truly doubting their superiors and their mission as Guin and the horrible conditions in Nospherus wear down on them. It gives a little humanity to those who would otherwise be faceless soldiers for Guin and company to mow down.

It’s worth noting that while the opposing side gets plenty of character studies and even sympathy, that isn’t really seen for the Sem. Perhaps it is unnecessary since we will inevitably root for Guin’s side. This is a nice contrast actually since many of the soldiers aren’t inherently bad, which also came across in the first book. This is no truer than when we start to learn about Marus, captain of the Blue Knights. His ultimate fate and who puts him there are some standout moments that make the viewer rethink things as well as some of the characters. In the case of Lady Amnelis I’m not sure what we are supposed to think. We are constantly being told how amazingly beautiful she is and how much respect she is given as a general but she is incredibly ineffectual in these books. This may just be a case of being good when not facing Guin who is stupendous! Amnelis’s retinue garners plenty of heartfelt struggle for the reader, but she herself has less of an effect. New characters are added to this series slowly but consistently and sometimes you don’t even realize what their importance will be.

Book five is a good stopping point but with the words “for now” inserted on to the end of that statement. Sure Guin has defeated the Mongaul soldiers but there are still dozen of plot threads unresolved, numerous new allies as well as many new enemies have joined the fray, and while he is closer to finding out who he is and getting the twins to their relatives, he is also no where near close to accomplishing either. If Guin was doing blockbuster numbers like it does in Japan this would be fine. We would all just eagerly await the next book and the further adventures of our leopard-headed hero but it seems for the time being this is all the Guin we are going to get. And that is a crying shame becuase Guin is one of the best adventure fantasy series on the market, bar none. As LeVar Burton used to say, “But you don’t have to take my word for it.”

What more is there to say about Guin Saga? Every moment is entertaining and it even has politics and moral dilemmas thrown in making it not just any bloody pulp fantasy. If you enjoy fantasy at all, there is no reason not to pick up these novels. These installments in Guin’s ongoing journey are full of boundless adventure, thrilling drama, and intense violence. I weep thinking that Guin Saga has a very low chance of continuing to see an English release.

Top 5 favorite fantasy anime:
5. Claymore
4. Slayers
3. Guin Saga
2. Berserk
1. Record of Lodoss War

The classic pulp fantasy adventures involve manly men with rippling muscles fighting their way through hordes of monsters to survive and carve out a place of power in a chaotic and brutal world. The first name you usually think of in the west in this genre is Conan the Barbarian. The first Conan movie is what helped Arnold Schwarzenegger become a movie star. In Japan when people think of sword and sorcery the first name that jumps to mind is Guin. There are currently over 120 books in the series with no sign of stopping. In fact Guin Saga is the longest continuing single-writer’s work in the world. There is also a manga series of side stories and an anime based on the novels. Kaoru Kurimoto is also a well respected mystery novelist in addition to writing about Guin. Even Issac Asimov would be impressed. The Guin series is clearly influenced by writers like Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock and Fritz Leiber but she makes a fantasy world and characters that are her own.

I am always curious about works that have influenced creative minds across the board. This is especially true when I have only recently heard of a work that has been decades in the making and continues on (the 126th book was published just last month!). Though it seems quite suddenly Guin Saga has stepped into my line of vision not only thanks to Vertical’s publication of the first few novels (and some subsequent manga) in the series but as it has just begun an anime TV series run in Japan. Also a great love for both fantasy and adventure runs in my veins. Beyond so many other genres, these types of stories begin in an unfamiliar, mysterious world where the reader must not only discover the secrets of each character on the journey but also explore an unknown setting. So it was with barely restrained curiosity and excitement that I took up the first Guin novel.

After the Mongaul army has taken the capital of the Kingdom of Parros, the remaining twin heirs to the throne, Rinda and Remus, flee for their lives. During their attempt to escape they are accidentally teleported into enemy territory. When they are captured by enemy soldiers a man in a leopard mask named Guin single-handedly saves them. It turns out that Guin has amnesia and cannot remove the leopard mask. The three of them must band together not only to escape the deadly Marches they found themselves in but to escape the grasp of the tainted Black Count Vanon and Stafolos Keep.

Adventures can start many ways. Some may begin in a sleepy village or with an ordinary boy. Guin Saga laughs at that and fast-forwards you to where the action truly beings. This is easily one of the best hooks of the book: our narrator dumps us into the middle of the Marches only moments before Guin takes down an entire band of trained soldiers and then collapses. And this is Guin on an off day as he has only just awoken to his clouded memory and a leopard head quite unwilling to come off of his own head. These moments of intensity and calm come in quick succession like an enjoyable rollercoaster ride. Kurimoto also knows when and where to sprinkle the details of the world giving the viewer just enough to be able to fill in the surroundings with their imaginations. There are many scrapes in the next 200 pages and the body/ghoul/monster/thing count is high and bloody. However, the book is hardly a string of violent incidents. As we get more and more pieces to the puzzle, it becomes increasingly clear that this world is a complicated place.

Guin starts as a blank slate to himself and to the reader. We quickly learn that he is an amazing fighter and that he still has a decent amount of knowledge about various things not related to himself. The only personal memories he has are his name and the word Aurra. But if Aurra is a person, place, or thing is unknown. While amnesia can often be used as a tool to circumvent having character development, I applaud Kaoru Kurimoto for slowly showing us who Guin is as he in turn learns it as well. The most important thing we learn is that Guin is manly, bad-arse dude. We get several descriptions of how amazing Guin’s physique is, but more importantly every fight is clear cut proof that he is head and shoulders above anyone else in terms of ability. But Guin is more than a muscle bound monster, he has a clear grasp of strategy and diplomacy. Guin is not a talkative person but he will be the leader or take orders as the situation demands. We get a good insight into his thought processes to see why he does what he does.

Guin is a hypnotic, stunning character that demands your attention from the prologue to every scene he appears in (of which are many, imagine that). Since he starts with just a little more knowledge about what is going on around him as the reader does, the mysteries of the world are slowly revealed to us. Though this could make for some awkward dialogue of people spouting off long monologues of explanations, it is kept to a minimum. People’s reactions to his appearance are just as important as the descriptions we get. He is constantly being compared to a God. And you get the distinct impression that women are going to be falling in love with him left and right as the series continues. As for his great skill in battle, we learn quickly that it is more on instinct; it’s as if he has done nothing but train to fight his whole life to survive the fiercest foes. Since we know only as much as Guin does, our guess is as good as his about where these abilities come from and what effects the leopard head has on them.

Rinda and Remus are interesting as a pair as well as individually. Both twins have led an extremely sheltered existence. Rinda is obviously the stronger of the two. She is the one who always takes charge and constantly shows the dignity, elegance, and cunning of a proper member of royalty. She steps up to the plate when necessary, shows a good grasp of most situations, and has a great deal of adaptability and resilience. She is scared and shaken when appropriate but she never lets it stop her from doing what she can do. Since Rinda is not only a strong soul but also has the gift of prophecy, Remus seems to have grown dependent on Rinda while being slightly resentful at the same time. Remus starts extremely passive and more of a hindrance than anything. He seems mostly there to complain, get Rinda in trouble, and be rescued. As the book goes on we see several moments were it is clear that Remus has potential to grow and be stronger. When he is forced to step out of his sister’s shadow, he has resolve and strength he has just never had any reason to exercise it before. He does not unrealistically transform from a crybaby to a man but we do see him begin to change slowly but surely.

Rinda and Remus start from opposite corners, one pretending not to be scared and the other showing it like a second skin. They have both been raised as royalty but have gotten different things out of it. Rinda gaining the inflated ego but also the stature appropriate to a woman of her standing and Remus being left with the pampered softness of never having to fend for oneself. Rinda often postures and it is easy to see why Remus has become the submissive twin. This becomes especially clear when you find that the two have never been further than a room’s length away from each other since birth. The eventual, though short, separation of them during the course of the book breaths a bit of life into Remus. I am curious to see how their relationship changes and whether it grows or deteriorates as the journey continues. Their bond with Guin is remarkably quick and is even commented on by Remus. It is sure that something is pulling all three of these fates in the same direction.

The Black Count Vanon is a vile and nasty man in every respect. He is easy to hate while not being comically villainous. Everything from his intimidating and monstrous appearance to his callous and vicious nature make him an excellent first antagonist for Guin. We are also introduced to Istavan Spellsword who will surely cross paths with Guin again. Istavan is a charming and clever mercenary. He seems to be the ultimate survivor and sort of a Han Solo-type charming rouge. His fate is unknown at the end of the book, but given the type of person he is, he is sure to appear again. Rinda also meets a sentient monkey girl named Suni. Although they both cannot speak the others’ language they quickly become friends and help each other throughout the course of the book. She too seems poised to become a reoccurring character. Orro of Torus is another notable member of the cast. Although we hardly see him and we never get a detailed description of him, Kurimoto easily paints a picture of the type of man he is by his actions and words.

Our nefarious villain Count Vanon I’ll agree isn’t comically evil, but he does come off as a pretty typical foil to our heroes. However, everything in Guin Saga has a familiar yet surprising feel to it and Count Vanon is no exception. Some of Kurimoto’s best descriptions come along with him including the way he smells and the way he moves. He is easily and hideously memorable. Also worth mentioning is the soldier Orro of Torus who, in a moment of ardor, aids Guin at a critical point. He plays a small part in this book, but he brings a greater point to light: the Mongauli are not just a race of evil-doers. People have motivations and things they wish to protect on all sides of the conflicts that are erupting. There is more at work here which establishes the splashes of grey in this world Kurimoto has created. While the side cast has certain aspects that make them sure to appear again, there is no telling when it will be. I can imagine people we see now showing up again dozens of books later just as easily as in the next chapter. The series seems aimed for a very large and varied cast to come.

One of the questions that springs to mind is if it’s worth reading the novel if you’ve seen the anime. I feel that while the anime is a good adaption, they are different enough that having experienced one does not prevent you from enjoying the other. The general plot, pacing, characterization, and spirit is the same but the anime plays around with the details. So reading the novels is still a distinct experience. There are excellent companion pieces to each other.

Because of the series’ immense library you might be hesitant to dive in, but nothing could be more of a folly. Guin Saga’s intensity, its pace, and its characters move you along their path so effortlessly that you are in the throws of combat or exploring a dark chasm not sitting quietly on the sidelines (so much so that you forget you are on the subway going to work and almost miss your stop!). In a mere 50 pages I knew that I was not going to be able to put this series back on the shelf. So perhaps it is dangerous, not because it is so much to read, but rather because there is no way you won’t want to read it all if they follow in the stride of this first installment.

The first book of the Guin Saga is more the first of a five act play than book one an arc. That does not mean it does not have a definite and self contained narrative though. You get a sense that this part of the story is over but if there was never another book you would surely go crazy. This book merely introduces you to the main plot, shows the world that Guin finds himself in, and starts him on his long journey with his new found allies. It is the first step on the journey of 120+ books. This is hardly a bad thing. Like any good series the author keeps you anticipating the next book. You get your fill of action and adventure but still have a hunger for more. Don’t be too surprised if you find yourself rushing to the store to pick up the next four volumes in a hurry.

READ AN EXCERPT

Alright, it is worth noting that we had to do this enormous review not once but twice! It is amazing that it is done at all. Anywho! This is becoming a standard when the new season starts up. However, I think this is the first time that there are way more shows that I want to keep up with than is humanly possible. It is shaping up to be a good season. I think these first episode reviews are worth doing, first impressions are important and it’s fun to see how right (and wrong!) we are when the dust has cleared.

K-ON!

I once said that BECK had a shonen hero surrounded by seinen heroes. K-ON! is a show about a moe heroine surrounded by school comedy heroines. K-ON! has an enjoyable premise so I wanted to like it. Ritsu Tainaka is an energetic drummer who wants to use the school’s light music club to form a band. She quickly recruits Mio Akiyama for base and sheltered Tsumugi Kotobuki for keyboard. I would have enjoyed any of these three being the star. The problem is Yui Hirasawa is the main character and she is just useless. She has no skills, no passion for anything, and is a total klutzy waste of space. It could be saved if the story is about Yui’s growth as a person. I just have a feeling that while Yui will learn to play the guitar she won’t grow as a person because that would break her moe charm. That is a shame because I really liked the music and the animation from Kyoto animation. Maybe if after the show is over someone I trusts says that Yui actually develops beyond useless I might go back and watch this.

I was looking forward to K-ON! because I wanted something like Linda! Linda! Linda! but as an anime. Essentially to have the story be about how music brings people together, changes them, but not about them making it to stardom. That could be this show, possibly. It certainly seems to focus on the friendships between the girls. I really enjoyed Ritsu, Mio, and Tsumugi. They played off each other nicely and had a synergy to them. Yui on the other hand is blah and she is the lead. I wouldn’t have a problem with her clumsy nature if it was not the constant center of everything, every scene she is in! She can’t walk anywhere without tripping or doing some other failing action. It is just too extreme. And of course she will likely stay as she is but somehow become great at guitar. If the focus was more spread out to the other characters I would have more of an interest.

Tears to Tiara

At first we were not going to watch this show because it is based on an eroge tactical role-playing game developed by Leaf. But after Ask John offhandedly mentioned that is was the best hard fantasy since the Record of Lodoss War we put it on our list. It starts when an evil priest kidnaps the oracle of a small village to sacrifice her to awaken a powerful demon lord. When her brother discovers what happens he cuts through the priests soldiers in hopes of stopping the ceremony in time. The demon lord is not such a bad guy because we see him paling around with our hero in the opening sequence. Overall it reminded me of a good start to a RPG video or table top game. The action was good and the main character seems like a solid choice. I know people have been complaining that they see too many women in the ending. I saw a good amount of guys as well. As long as they keep the characters strong and avoid harem/eroge traps I am fine with a little gender imbalance.

Anything that is hard fantasy needs to be looked at and automatically gets an extra 10 points from me. It is just rare to see a straight up sword and sorcery anime, I can’t for the life of me figure out why that is. The story seems simple enough, demon lord being resurrected so the fun lies in the characters we go on the journey with. Both Arthur and Riannon seem like strong and capable protagonists. They both display intelligence and bravery within this episode. There is also a decent about of action. From the opening you can tell there is a (unsurprisingly) large casts of characters who will enter this epic. Tears presents us with a slow but steady start much like fantasy novels. It is hard to call it right now, but I am certainly continuing on.

Natsu no Arashi

I had gone into Natsu no Arashi with high hopes because the original manga was done by Jin Kobayashi. The end result was less than I had hoped. It takes place at a cafe where two of the waitresses, Arashi and Kaja, have the ability to jump through time. We are introduced the to premise as Yasaka, who has a crush on Arashi, plans to sabotage the strawberry shortcake of a rival. Kaja is also looking for a missing slice of strawberry shortcake. The set up is not entirely bad. Strange events that happen off screen in the first half turn out to be the result of time travel. The show did not click with me. I did not see Jin Kobayashi’s signature comedy style in this episode. I was also not very impressed with the character designs. I will probably check back later to see if things have improved if for nothing else to see where they go with the time travel aspects.

I plain couldn’t understand much of this episode. I was trying, I really was! It was manic from the moment it started and didn’t slow. It was certainly trying to be funny, but trying is the keyword here because it was just bizarre. I’m not even sure if there is a plot but I don’t really care to find out.

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom

This anime is based on the visual novel Phantom of the Inferno by Nitroplus so some readers should feel free to skip to the next review. We start with a fairly stylish assassination at a mansion by Zwei and Ein (who is dressed as a maid). During the mission we are thrown into a flashback that revels that Zwei had his memory wiped by the organization he works for. He has been trained by Ein as an assassin since that day. Phantom tries really hard to be a mixture of gritty violence and profound concepts. The symbolism is so blatantly that is goes from potent to silly. The two main characters are generally emotionless so it’s hard to empathize with their plight. It is obvious that Zwei will eventually try to leave the evil organization that brainwashed him but I don’t care enough to find out why or how he decides to leave.

This show started off well enough. Much like an American action movie a stoic looking guy in a nice car pulls up and takes dudes out with calm efficiency. He proceeds to do the same to a house full of guards. However, it goes down hill after that as we jump into a flashback. After I saw this backstory I promptly stopped caring. Everything about this story says we are going through the motions, nothing feels engaging in the least. The way a metaphor is supposed to work is making the audience think a little. Not so here, they might as well hit you with a hammer. It also has some of the worst dialogue of the season. I was hoping to overlook the flaws in this show in favor of having James Bond the anime, but they are too glaring.

Higepiyo

At five minutes Higepiyo is sort of a humorous the You Tube clip. It is the story of a family who adopts a baby chick that is the size of a hen and has a beard. Oh and the chick acts like an old man. The first episode is basically the family freaking out to their strange new pet. It is an amusing little lark especially when the man who sells the chick keeps telling them no matter what it does it is surely a baby chick. Hardly a substantial anime but fun.

This show was able to accomplish what it wanted to in five minutes: make me laugh! The family reactions are just so hysterical, such as when they are buying the chick and thinking about who he reminds them of. I certainly wouldn’t watch it every week but I would grab up a collection to watch straight through.

Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z-Hen

Do you like Go Nagai? Do you wish that shows would go right to the hot robot vs. monster action? Do you like yazuka punks and trench coat wearing detectives fighting soldiers of doom? If you said yes then you probably already saw this show and are waiting to see if I am cool like you. If you said no then you should avoid this show like the plague. There really is no story to the first episode. The episode is called Finale. Kouji Kabuto is fighting Dr. Hell who after being chopped in half merges with a giant monster. When we come back to Kouji he is fighting quid monsters and talking to Zeus. This is less a first episode and more an overture of what is to come. They cram in every major Mazinger character and some Go Nagai characters from other series he has done for good measure. I would be impressed by the person who can spot all the Go Nagai shout-outs. I assume they are going to start the actual introduction to the story in the next episode but if they can keep up the crazy from this first episode we have a winner on our hands.

The show starts calmly enough with Kouji saying he is a boy just like us (which is hysterical in and of itself) and from then on the show is nonstop crazy, over the top, action! I don’t think it is possible to fit more characters in one episode. There is no real way to understand what is going on, you just have to roll with it. Between the appearance of Zeus, a guy I thought looked like Shaft, and a noir detective I can’t choose the best guest spot! I’ll assume we go back to the beginning in the next episode and some amount of sense can be made out of the whole thing. I have never watched Mazinger before and this show begs the question “Why not?!”

Asura Cryin’

If a bunch of writers gathered to write what they thought was cool they might write: mecha robots, physic powers, men in suits with machine guns, ghosts, Templars, and shrine maidens. There is nothing wrong with the aspects individually but in Asura Cryin’ they all come together in a bland mess. After Tomoharu Natsume has a near death experience he can see the ghost of Misao Minakami. When Tomoharu and Misao move into a new house, he receives a mysterious briefcase from this world traveling brother. Of course various supernatural organizations want it. It could be a good show but nothing hooks me. I like mecha but it comes of as boring. The ghost girl is more a stale twist on a old trope. I am sure that Misao is not actually dead which means she and Tomoharu can hook up in the end. Oh and I would like to point out that the woman who gives him the briefcase turns out to be a senior at his school and the president of the chemistry club (which is more like the occult club). Narutaki and I both called shenanigans because she looks older than some of the teachers. Did she get held back for a decade?

This show doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be and in its attempt to be it all it does nothing well. Is it a supernatural mystery? Is it a harem romance? Is it a school comedy? Nothing hits the mark in the episode making it hard to connect or care about any of it. Misao is probably the only semi-interesting character in the bunch, too bad most of the cast can’t see her! Tomoharu is so bland that he doesn’t even have a inkling of curiosity at this mysterious suitcase his brother drops in his lap. My reaction to this show is: Yup, I watched that show.

Basquash

When I was told there was an anime about robots that play basketball, I felt it could only turn out two ways. You would have a train wreck or a show that was ironically enjoyable. It turns out that Basquash is neither and actually really good. It is a fun, energetic show with beautiful OAV quality animation. Dan DJ declares war on the sport of Big Foot Basketball after his sister was injured in a Big Foot Basketball accident. After getting a mecha of his own from a childhood friend Dan crashes as championship game. The charters are lively and engaging. Even Dan’s sarcastic transforming pet Spanky is fun. There is a very unique sense of design to the world. There is a good sense of humor as well, especially when Dan first learns to pilot his mecha. I have say I was caught off guard by how well this show was done and hope to see it continue to impress me.

I was ironically interested in this show after hearing that is was about basketball and robots. Then I was actually interested when I saw the preview video. Basquash has serious style from the character designs to the animation to the music.  I loved Dan DJ (and his alter ego Dunk Mask) with his bad attitude but desire to protect his sister. And when he takes out TVs all across the city it is just plain cool. Everyone else is just adds to the diversity of the show. The camera uses unique angles and is constantly moving, sometimes so much that I couldn’t read and watch at the same time. It makes every moment have energy. Basquash has an infectious quality about it that makes it a pleasure to watch.

Ristorante Paradiso

Don’t let people fool you. This show is clearly an old man’s fantasy. It is  about handsome older gentlemen that get lovely young girls to fall in love them while having a cool job in a exotic location. Now if women who like older men who wear glasses watch this show the creators will hardly cry themselves so sleep at night. Nicoletta comes to Rome to visit her mother’s new husband and inform him that her mother is divorced and has a daughter. Instead she winds up falling in love with the restaurant and one of the older men on staff. I had assumed the show would be more like the Bartender. People would come into the restaurant with problems and the wait staff would bring them a meal that would help them through. But instead we get a seinen romance. It’s a fine show. Very leisurely and comforting. I don’t have a problem with the female character design as much as the rest of the Internet does. Since it is streaming for free I am interested in sitting back and taking in this unique show but it is hardly a priority.

I was hoping for something more food related or about running a restaurant. So with that expectation I was bound to be disappointed. The wait staff at the restaurant are diverse and will probably be a fun bunch. Though the pace is rather at a saunter. The shows tone is rather on the light and humorous side even when thinking of Nicoletta’s sad childhood circumstances. This is a definite plus. Nicoletta spends most of this first episode saying “grazie” way too many times and randomly thinking how hot Claudio is. I can’t say whether I really care about her reason for being in Rome as much as I want to see how interacting at the restaurant will change her. Oh and if I wasn’t sure this was an old man fantasy from the beginning, I was convinced by the preview for the next episode.

Pandora Hearts

Pandora Hearts is like mixing rice and tofu together: each ingredient is okay but sort of bland and combining them does little to add any flavor. Pandora Hearts tries to take comedy and horror with much the same results. It does not switch gears as poorly as Kuroshitsuji but it does not succeed in it either. Oz Bezarius is exploring the grounds of the mansion where his coming of age ceremony is to take place. While playing with his sister Ada, and his servant Gilbert they find a hidden chamber of the grounds. Oz sees a vision of a ghostly girl who seems homicidally obsessed with him. There is a unmistakable influence of Alice in Wonderland throughout Pandora Hearts. But even that cannot spice up the show. The comedy is generally not funny and the horror brings up several mysteries but I can’t say I am interested in any of them.

This was one show I was looking forward to. It is a real shame that I can’t endorse it. It has a combination of things I like including Alice in Wonderland, Gothic style, and a cute blond boy lead. It starts with Oz, his servant, and his sister exploring this mysterious estate that is used very infrequently. This is a fine beginning as many children’s story start just so. However, the execution falls flat. The moments of comedy came off as dumb and many of the ominous points were more laughable than anything else. The animation is also sub par which really hinders these character and costume designs. Unfortunately, there was nothing to make anyone need to see the rest of this show.

Eden of the East

Eden of the East seems like the show I was destined to like. You can call it Honey in the Shell or Ghost in the Clover (which is my favorite) but it’s pedigree is unmistakable: animation by Production IG; created, directed and written by Kenji Kamiyama; and character designs by Chika Umino. Saki Morimi is saved by a naked man after trying to throw a coin in the White House lawn fountain. Her savior turns out be an agent of a mysterious organization that has wiped his memories. He decide to call himself Shinobu Morita . . . I mean Akira Takizawa. They resolve to go back to Japan together. This show is firing on all cylinders. The main characters have great chemistry. The animation is wonderful and  I love Chika Umino’s character designs. The opening and ending are good and innovative. The plot is instantly engaging but there seems to be deeper themes to be explored. It would take quite a lot to get me do dislike this show. I recommend it to everyone.

The way the opening scene is done hooked me immediately. It was a smart way to show where we start the story and gives us some knowledge of our heroine’s personality without unnecessary exposition. Saki is a funny and charming leading lady. Akira makes him self memorable thanks in part to a lot of public nudity in this first episode. When they come together there is magic on the screen. The first episode succeeds in creating a story with comedy and suspense plus a hint of romance to come. I can’t wait to see what antics continue on their pursuit to return to Japan and where ever else their story takes them. I just plain want to see them again. Easily the show to keep an eye on this season.

Hatsukoi Limited

For some strange reason, I had a good feeling about this show. Ayumi Arihara is talking with her friends about how she has always wished someone would confess their love for her. Right after her friends warn her to be careful what you wish for a gorilla of man gives her a love letter and starts following her. When she finally rejects him she is kidnapped by his enemies as a hostage. The ending of the episode has to be seen to be believed. This show has a great sense of comedic timing with situations that are realistic enough while staying silly. The characters are good comedic foils and while we mostly see Ayumi our glances at the rest of the cast reassure me that the show will remain entertaining. I think this is my favorite comedy of the season so I really hope they can keep up the level of energy and silly fun that they did in the first episode.

This was the most surprisingly good show of the season for me. I was a bit cautious going into this shonen romance but it turns out I had nothing too worry about unless laughing too hard is a bad thing. I mean the first episode is called Beauty A and the Beast Z. The struggles in this episode are nothing short of brilliantly hysterical. Even though our main cast is all female you can tell it is shonen romance from the angles the girls are shot at. Even so they kind of hit some of female thinking dead on. This reminded me of a modern Boys Be type show, something that is in between 90′s and current taste. I will happily check out more!

Valkyria Chronicles: Gallian Chronicle

I wanted to play Valkyria Chronicles but never wanted to pay the money to buy a PS3. The next best thing is watching the anime. When Alicia Melchiott is assisting all the civilians in her town evacuate she finds Welkin Gunther and detains him for being a spy. When he escapes, Alicia and Welkin run into an enemy patrol. I like the alternate version of early 20th century Europe. It is a fun setting that goes unexplored in anime. Alicia is sort of silly but I can understand where she is coming from with all the confusion going on. Welkin is an oddball but entertaining in his quirky charm. Great care was taken to reproduce the watercolor feel  of the CANVAS graphics engine from the games so I am sure that will make many fans happy. I think it was a good introduction to the series and I hope it stays a faithful adaptation of a great game.

I had heard much about Valkyria when the game came out so the anime was talked about with much caution and anticipation. Alicia comes off as a bit over zealous (after all she does arrest Welkin for sketching trout!) but she is at least calmer than some of her comrades. It is interesting to see the effect actual looming battle has on the city watch. People seemed to be treating it like a game of sorts. We don’t know a whole lot about the enemy yet though we can surmise they are gung-ho as they go after three random people with major artillery! The world setting is something I haven’t really seen, this sort of in between era feel, and I quite liked it. This season is quickly proving anime based on games CAN be good!

Guin Saga

While watching Guin Saga I remembered what Ioannis “Yani” Mentzas for Vertical said was the draw for him into the series on the Ninja Consultants. Guin Saga has more of a pulp fantasy feel and starts right in the middle of the action rather that in sleepy little town. It starts with the Kingdom of Parros being overrun by troops and the only surviving heirs of the kingdom being teleported to their relatives. Due to a mishap the twins are transported to the middle of the forest in enemy territory.  They are quickly capture by enemy solider but then saved by a man in a leopard mask. He proceeds to hits a man in full plate armor so hard he stinks completely into the ground. Guin has lost his memories so he agrees to help the twins get to safety while he searches for clues to who he is. Rinda is a strong female while not being an action girl. Remus on the other hand is sort of a whiny brat who has mainly been carried by Guin. Still this is an excellent fast-paced fantasy adventure and I look forward to watching more.

I had been wanting to pick up these novels for a while, so I was really looking forward to the anime. Guin Saga is much more in the Conan vein of fantasy rather than a traditional setting. The action starts almost immediately pulling you in. Guin is a total bad-ass, why wouldn’t you want to see a dude in a leopard mask smash guys into the ground? He hits a guy so hard that his armor sparks and sets a tree on fire! Certain things have a common feel like Guin’s amnesia, his remembering only one word, and the decision to randomly help these children. However, the future of the story and of this world seems like a complete unknown. Guin is both new and familiar at the same time and this is what makes you want to watch. Three cheers for fantasy anime this season!

Sengoku Basara

If you take list I mentioned during Asura Cryin’ it would also have: samurai, ninjas, historical battles, bad English, explosions, mainly punching, and girls in skimpy outfits. Unlike in Asura Cryin’ all these idea com together to create an awesomely cheesy show. I enjoyed this show like I enjoyed Macross 7. Set during the Warring States period in Japan there are various warlords with outrageous gimmicks who want to control Japan. Sanada Yukimura and Date Masamune are two warriors who meet twice on the battlefield but it is soon apparent that they will be linked by destiny. Every battle is over the top; anachronisms litter the show; and the dialog is delightfully cornball. I was also amused because (for some reason I cannot explain) I keep reading Samurai Deeper Kyo. Both series use many of the same historical characters but have completely different takes on them while still being light years away from what the actual people. I would be a fool to not mention that the opening has soldiers doing choreographed dancing in the background. If that does not sell you I don’t know what will.

This show starts with an eye-patching wearing, English yelling, Date Masamune leading his soldiers in battle many of which look like yakuza. Then we get a brilliant opening that is hilarious and manly and the song is by the fabulous Abingdon Boys School. All of these things show you exactly what you are getting yourself into when tuning into Sengoku Basara. And what you are getting into is AWESOME. This show is a manly frenzy of over the top action. Yukimura and Shingen punch each other as a sign of affection!  Date is nothing short of magnificent as he fights with six sword style, is voiced by Kazuya Nakai who is Zoro from One Piece, and loves to spout random English (favorite phrases include “Let’s party!” and “Here we go!”). It is so crazy that is does not pretend to be anything else even though I actually am interested in the plot too.

07-Ghost

Your enjoyment of this show comes down to your tolerance of BL. If you can’t stand any BL then skip to the next review. Everyone should give this show a shot because it’s a fun buddy show with intrigue and action. There is just some very implied love between the two male characters. Despite having amnesia and being a former slave, Teito Klein and has been selected to train the military. He and his close friend Mikage make it through the brutal testing by working together. After the test Teito overhears a conversation commander Ayanami is having and something he says makes him remember part of his past. Mikage helps Teito escape and soon he is on the run. The real joy in this series comes from the excellent and playful relationship between Teito and Mikage. They work well together and while there is distinctly a strong bond between them the audience decides how intimate it is. The action, comedy, and drama flow in and out of each other quite well. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out. By the way Narutaki will tell you a dozen reason why he likes this show. He will fail to mention a strong draw is that Mikage looks like Tamaki with a scar.

I knew a little about this series since I read the first chapter of the manga a while back. This is a supernatural action show with bishonen taking up all corners of the room. There is a decent action scenes as well as establishing the attitude of the military. The friendship between Teito and Mikage is where the most interest lies. Teito has a fuzzy past and makes him a real outcast. Mikage is a laid back guy that befriends him. Their futures are uncertain at the end of this episode. I could see them becoming enemies just as much as I could see them staying comrades. Though I would like to see them fight for a common goal if only because they really balance each other nicely. If you like your action with hints of BL then this show is worth checking out.

Shangri-La

After a major environmental disaster changes the world, all the countries of the world are forced to monitor their carbon emissions. The organization that controls carbon has a strangle hold and uses threats of military might backing their decisions. Popular prisoner Kuniko Hojo is released to much fanfare. She is soon whisked home where she is being trained as the next leader of the metal age. I really like Kuniko. She is sort of a female version of a shonen plucky hero. She is sort of dim but powerful, energetic, and someone who inspires loyalty in others. Also that combat boomerang is pretty sweet. The real test is how they mesh the simple forthright story of a city of misfits with the political games and maneuvering of the empire against those who would impede their plans. Since it is based on a series of novel it has the potential to escape the Gonzo curse of having a good opening premise that falls apart due to lack of planning. The problem is Gonzo has gone out of their way to make original endings which nixes that advantage. Still it’s a unique world with some interesting concepts.

I was most interested in Shangi-La because the character designs are by Range Murata who did Last Exile. Of course this made me also cautiously optimistic. Kuniko’s wild streak makes her an entertaining lead. Her concern and relationships with the people of her town make it clear her role in leading them will come up soon. The world setting is cool as it is set in at unspecified future date where Carbon use is so out of control that it is taxed and has its own law enforcement. All of these things sound good, but the first episode isn’t quite hard hitting enough. They sold me on the world but not the characters yet. I think it is worth checking out a couple more episodes to make a final call on it.

Hanasakeru Seishounen

This seems like it started out as a yuri manga and then the editor forced to it become a reverse harem to please the readership. Kajika is an unusual looking girl who transfers into a Japanese school after growing up in America. One girl in the class named Yui befriends her much to the jealousy of the other girls in the class. After a run in with a tough girl in the school almost gets Kajika and Yui raped by some punks, Kajika is whisked back to American. Her famously rich father has decided to marry her off to one of three men. It is a game because he won’t tell her who the three guys he has picked for her are and they do not know they are part of the game. It’s so odd because it seems that the second part of the episode is the real meat of the story but it comes out of nowhere. I liked Kajika because she is a oddball strong female character. She approaches every situation with her own logic. The rest of the series while not bad did not really click. I feel that the real test of the show is how well Kajika interacts with her three potential suitors. She is an odd character so if the three guys play off her well it could be a fun show but if they are lame the show will be lame, too.

This show need nothing that came before the last five minutes or so. Sure it was funny to hear Kajika go on and on about her leopard Mustafa but they could have thrown that in elsewhere. It is unclear if any of the rest will have bearing on the rest of the show at all. The game her father proses at the end is where the fun lies! Why not have some weird competition to find your future husband? I can’t say I really cared about anything else including the actual characters. But it could be a guilty pleasure. It needs to throw itself into complete ridiculousness to really be good.

Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou

This is just a bizarre show from a production stand point. It is mostly animated in 3-D animation but switches seemingly at random to traditional animation. The 3-D is lackluster and stiff but would not be anywhere as awkward if it did not jump back and forth between styles. In the first episode of Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou we get two stories in one. Mimi Kitagami is the popular student class president who goes out of her may to make sure she is always beloved. She resolves to try to get three slackers called MM3 to participate more in activities. As soon as some progress is made with her obvious romantic pairing Ushio Tojo we jump to the second part without transition or real resolution. Mimi then helps a ganguro girl named Rika who is challenged by the extremely popular Rose Princess Club. So Mimi must play Henry Higgins to Rika’s Eliza Doolittle. They are both standard stories from the shojo play book. I have seen plenty of shojo that can take both stories but put an original spin on them. The problem is Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou is not that show. No one in the show is really fun or engaging and that is what separates good shojo from boring shojo.

I saw a small picture of this show and decided it looked cute. Sort of fun and hyper looking. I offer my sincere apologies now. This show totally freaked me out. The CG is just plain bad but worse than that is it makes all the characters look like scary marionette dolls! As for the plot is was rather disjointed and bland. Maybe it is the lack of expression in the animation, but every character just seemed soulless. I was looking for a simple, cute, shojo romance and this show was not it.

Shinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica Crimson S

Shame on you Sengoku Basara and Valkyria Chronicles. You tricked me into thinking that anime based on video games could be good. Shinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica Crimson S is a prequel to the Shinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica games. As a child Phoron meets a spirit enchanted by his singing. She then promises to visit him again. Flash ahead to Phoron studying at a school that teaches students to summon spirits with music. When a mysterious shadowy spirit starts attacking people on campus. The spirit then sheds its cocoon and reveals itself to be a naked girl. She is a jealous tsundere loli. This show proves itself to be everything horrible about games based on visual novels. We have flat stock characters stuck in utterly predictable situations. Academically I want to like a music based magic system but in practice the system is laughably lame. Every aspect of the this show makes it painful to watch ultimately accumulating in a painfully extended ending.

This show didn’t have to fail. It starts off decent enough with a battle though for some reason the spirit keeps telling Phoron he is a man. And then it is just downhill from there. Nothing about this series is interesting. Everyone in this show can be called by their role in the show, which is sad, such as “friend of main guy” and “girl who will fall in love with main guy but not win him.” Then of course we have fetish archetype girl, er I mean Corticarte. This series gets the prize for worst designs, the musical instruments fail on both look and use. Macross 7 has better designs, come on people! Thank goodness this show was here to not let us be lulled into a sense of security when watching anime based on visual novels. Blah.

Cross Game

I am pretty sure that Mitsuru Adachi is no longer allowed to write anything but baseball manga in Shonen Sunday. Ko Kitamura works for his family sporting good store which puts him in constant contact with the Tsukishima family that owns the local batting cages. We follow Ko’s budding friendship with the family and his eventual romance with Wakaba. Then one summer a shocking indecent occurs which changes everyone’s lives. Cross Game captures a nostalgic feeling of the excitement of childhood and thrill of your first love. Ko is a charming and cunning slacker while Wakaba a the embodiment of the perfect Japanese girlfriend. The rest of the cast is equally likable and quirky. I am curious to see how the cast deals with the fallout of the events of the summer. If I had to make any complaint about Cross Game is it is very similar in it’s themes to Touch. If you are looking for him to do something completely different you are going to have to wait for his next work. Adachi hits another one out of the park with Cross Game.

What I always like about Adachi’s series is that he is able to convey character personalities in a short period of time. We easily become endeared to all the characters in just one episode of Cross Game. Ko is a fun and charming fellow, you can’t help but like his sly nature. The entire Tsukishima family makes themselves memorable like the middle sister who wants to be a pro ball player. All of the members of the baseball team that Ko joins all seem colorful. They seem like an enjoyable bunch that will make the series a lot of fun. Baseball is important but it is definitely the backdrop to the growing and changing lives of these characters. My only reluctance in continuing to watch Cross Game is the possible length as Touch is rather long.

Top 5 main character types I could do without
5. Jealous Tsundere Loli
4. Emotionless killer
3. “Strong” Female Bitch
2. Bland Harem Hero
1. Useless Klutzy Heroine