New in Japan

Love Stage!! : Episode 01 Review

Love Stage!! introduces the audience to Izumi Sena, a college student who dreams of becoming a manga artist in a family where entertainment is the career path of choice. Despite all of the opportunities and offers for help Izumi has received, he declines them all because his heart lay in pursuit of manga; he even joined the Manga Club at school to better his drawing.

READ MORE
Skie

One Week Friends Episode 08 – 10 Review

One Week Friends remains sweet, but I’ve lost interest. The memory problem that defined earlier episodes has degenerated into a circumstantial plot tool and any weight it once held is gone; Yuki Hase reduces the progress he and Kaori Fujimiya have made together to acts that he is solely responsible for, and a grudge-holding boy from the past enters the scene and conveniently resets Fujimiya’s memory from the beginning. The more this series has progressed, the less and less it’s appealed to me, unfortunately.

READ MORE
New in Japan

One Week Friends: Episode 01 Review

One Week Friends is a bittersweet shoujo story of friendship and understanding that follows Yuki Hase as he attempts to befriend his classmate, the quiet and withdrawn Kaori Fujimiya. Fujimiya, however, isn’t so keen on entertaining friendships because she suffers from a memory problem that resets her memory every Monday, forcing her to start over each week.

READ MORE
New in Japan

Sunday Without God – Episode 04 Review

Sunday Without God is very interesting, from an animation standpoint. The saturated and sometimes blown-out colours continue, with glows and colour washes that create a whimsical atmosphere to contrast with the macabre nature of the show. Episodes two through four see Ai gain and lose her father, and some details about the world come to light that prove deeply disturbing and highly intriguing, marking the beginning of a plot arc I anticipate with delight and dread.

READ MORE
Zettai Boei Leviatan

Zettai Boei Leviatan: Final Review by Skie

Leviatan is a water wielding mage with a missing brother living in a quiet village populated by dragon-scaled, elf-eared people. It is during her daily magic lessons that Leviatan meets a fairy named Syrop bearing dire news: the planet is being invaded by monsters bent on world destruction. To counter this, Syrop invites Leviatan to join the Aquafall Defense team and repel the invading insectoid creatures. Along the way she meets fire mage Bahamut and the axe wielding Jörmungandr. Together they embark on adventures, befriending Guardians, restoring temples, and pondering ways of getting stronger.

READ MORE
New in Japan

Silver Spoon First Impression by Skie

When I first picked Silver Spoon (also known as Gin no Saji) I wasn’t really sure what to expect. All I knew was that it was about a city slicker out in rural areas, in over his head, and that was it. This first episode has proven particularly enjoyable and expands that basic premise to a refreshing twist on the usual high school setting.

READ MORE
New in Japan

Attack on Titan: Episode 16 Review by Skie

The summer season of Attack on Titan picks up with an oddly-cut and remixed summary episode, which can be skipped entirely if you’ve watched the first season, but it does its job for newcomers to the show. Afterward, we’re dropped into a trial for Eren’s life as the Military Police and the Survey Corps vie for his destiny….

READ MORE
Conventions

Otakon 2013

Otakon delivers a diverse, fun, and incredibly smooth-running festival with con-goers from around the United States – and beyond – celebrating Japanese culture and art through interactive panels, competitions, and other events.

READ MORE
Skie

Zettai Boei Leviatan: Episode 10 Review

This anime has so little impact that it is immediately forgettable, which is unfortunate considering the popularity of its source material but also begs the question that if the anime is this flat, what’s the original app-game like?

READ MORE