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Today we’re going to be taking a look at some older anime. You might even call this one a classic. From way back in 1987, though the English dub was done in 1999, we have the Original Dirty Pair.

Story

Kei and Yuri are known throughout the universe as the “Dirty Pair”. They act as agents of the WWWA, travelling the galaxy and taking the toughest jobs. They always solve their cases, but they always cause damage as well.

My Opinion

I’m trying not to judge this anime on the art. It’s from 1987 and it shows. Even though the art seems pretty good for the time, a lot better has come along since then.

The English dub is pretty bad. Even the recording quality is so bad that it overshadows the voice acting. It’s like they didn’t even try.

The overall setup is pretty similar to a lot of other anime that has come along since. A couple of hot girls dressed in skimpy clothes blowing stuff up and causing lots of damage. I’m surprised there isn’t a name for this specific type of anime yet. Well, other than fan service.

Speaking of fan service… The clothes seem to cover more than a lot of other anime costumes, though that isn’t all that much. Proportionally speaking, the girls are also a lot more realistic than other similar anime as well. They’re still well endowed, but they’re within the realm of believability. They make up for that by being just a little sluttier than other characters. So things even out.

Is it worth it?

I think Original Dirty Pair is worth a rental. This anime is starting to show it’s age, but it’s still got some decent action. Just watch the subtitled version, the dub is horrible.

Anime, Reviews, DVD, Action, Adventure, Fan Service, Fanservice, Sci-Fi, ADV Films, Dirty Pair, Original Dirty Pair, Volume 1

Story

Yoshimori Sumimura is a Kekkaishi, a demon slayer that uses force fields. His family are guardians of a piece of very powerful sacred land. The land needs guardians because it can grant demons tremendous power.

Yoshimori doesn’t work alone though. His family isn’t the only one protecting the land. It seems there is a rival family of Kekkaishi, the Yukimura family. Yoshimori works together with Tokine Yukimura.

If all tha wasn’t hard enough, the land that Yoshimori protects has a school built on it, the same school that he and Tokine attend.

My Opinion

There’s quite a bit of stuff in Kekkaishi that we’ve all seen before. There are demons who want to be more powerful, guardians to stop them and rival families. Is that a bad thing? I don’t think so. It’s handled very well. All of the stuff we’ve seen before just makes it easier for us to get to know the characters and the story.

Yellow Tanabe takes all of these familiar elements and uses them to create a world of magical adventure that you’ll want to spend a lot of time exploring. The story, the characters and the art all work together to pull you in.

I liked the variety of monsters and spirits. The battles were pretty darn fun. I also enjoyed seeing what the characters were like at home. Just because they have a sacred duty doesn’t mean that they have no interests outside of that work.

I enjoyed Kekkaishi quite a bit. I’ll certainly be looking for more of this story.

Is it worth it?

Kekkaishi is worth checking out. If you like supernatural adventure and action I’d recommend picking up this manga.

Manga, Reviews, Shonen, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural, Kekkaishi, Yellow Tanabe

Story

Alice Seno’s life has gotten interesting lately. First she falls for the same guy her older sister is interested in. Then she finds a lost rabbit that’s really going to cause trouble. The poor little bunny is really a very powerful creature that wants Alice to become a “Lotis Master”.

How is a girl that has trouble expressing herself supposed to control reality with words? She’d better learn fast because her sister is missing and Alice will need help to defeat the demon that took her.

My Opinion

The story is ok, but it never really captured my interest. I don’t know why, it’s not like there was anything I disliked about it. There just wasn’t enough that I did like about it. The characters are the same way. I don’t dislike them, but there isn’t really anything that I do like about them.

The art is a different story. I really liked the art. There’s nothing revolutionary about it. It’s just your basic shojo fantasy art. It is very well done though. As much as I liked the art, it just didn’t fill the gaps left in the story.

Oh, I did think that this was interesting…

It’s pretty bad when a typographical error is the most interesting thing about your book.

Is it worth it?

Not really. If you’re a fan of Yu Watase or her other works, then it might be worth checking out. I can’t really recommend it to everyone. While I liked the art I thought the story and the characters were kind of boring.

Manga, Review, Shojo, Fantasy, Alice 19th, Volume 1, Yu Watase, Yuu Watase

Anime News Network reported that anime company Gonzo will be streaming some of thier new titles. Not only that, but those titles will be subbed in English. Check out the story for the details.

Why is this a big deal?

That’s easy. This is a big deal because this gives fans of anime outside of Japan a way to see the new stuff without turning to fansubs. As great as some fansubs are, they’re still illegal.

Why am I writing about this?

There are a couple of reasons that I’m pointing out this tidbit of news. The simplest reason is because it’s cool. This is good news. I hope Gonzo has tons of success with this. If they do well with this, then other anime companies might do the same.

The other reason I wanted to talk about this is because of a post I wrote back in November. In that post I talked about how anime companies can reduce piracy. One of the things I mention is simultaneously streaming the anime with subtitles.

It’s no secret that the first company to get their product on the shelves has a huge advantage. The same principle applies here. Gonzo is providing an official version of the anime a lot quicker than even the fastest fansub groups. That alone will probably do a lot for Gonzo’s reputation.

All of this leads me to a question.

Will you watch Gonzo’s anime online?

I’d really like to find out what you think about this. Will you be checking out the anime that Gonzo releases online? Is Gonzo on the right track? Do you think other anime companies will start doing this?

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Anime, News, Opinion, Online, Gonzo, Subtitle, Fansub, Fan Sub

This is one of the reasons I love manga and anime. There’s something for everybody. It’s not all ninjas and giant robots you know. Yakitate!! Japan is a cooking manga that focuses on bread.

(A giant ninja robot cooking manga would be freakin’ awesome.)

Story

Azuma Kazuma first tasted great bread when he was 6 years old. From that day he’s been determined to make bread that will represent Japan. Coming up with a national bread is pretty tough to do in a country where bread is still trying to catch on.

Kazuma has a few recipes, and a few tricks up his sleeve, but will it be enough?

My Opinion

Yakitate!! Japan is a fun manga. It’s got some great characters and a great sense of humor. It has to have something special going for it because it’s about bread. I love bread, but until I checked out a little bit of Yakitate!! I had no desire whatsoever to read a manga about it.

Takashi Hashiguchi does a wonderful job setting up a competitive atmosphere. You’ll be cheering on your favorite baker before you know it. Anyone who has seen the food competitions on the Food Network will understand how surprisingly addictive such competition can be.

With the right characters you can make a manga about anything fun to read. Even bread.

(I’d still like to see a giant ninja robot cooking manga though)

Is it worth it?

Yep, Yakitate!! Japan is worth checking out. You don’t need to know much about bread or baking, the humor is enough to make it worth it. This manga is good enough to eat.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Cooking, Yakitate!!, Yakitate!! Japan, Volume 1, Azuma Kazuma, Takashi Hashiguchi, Viz Media

I wish this had kept it’s original title. I know that Strawberry 100% and Ichigo 100% mean the same thing. I just think that Ichigo 100% sounds better.

Oh, and it’s more suited for teens than kids. Nothing really graphic, but there are a lot of very detailed fan service panty shots.

Story

Junpei Manaka sneaks up to the roof of his school to look at the view, but what he sees is something he never expected. Junpei surprises his dream girl and accidentally sees her strawberry print panties, but she runs away before he can talk to her.

Who is the girl with the strawberry panties?

My Opinion

Junpei is kind of a dumbass. There, I said it. It’s not hard to figure out who the girl on the roof was. There are plenty of clues. It’s so easy to figure out that figuring it out isn’t even part of the story. It’s no big mystery. Even Junpei figures it out. What makes him a dumbass is the amount of time it takes him.

Ok, my rant is over. Junpei does have some good qualities, so it’s not completely unbelievable that the girls fall for him. It’s just mostly unbelievable because all the girls are so hot. Why are the girls in a harem manga always babes? Throw the bone a dog every now and then.

Is it worth it?

Strawberry 100% is a harem manga. If you like harem manga, then you’ll enjoy this one. I like harem manga, so I’d have to say that it’s worth checking out. There isn’t really anything new in this story, but it is very well done. The story is good, the characters are likeable and the fan service is plentiful.

Manga, Reviews, Shonen, Harem, Romance, Comedy, Fan Service, Strawberry 100%, Ichigo 100%, Junpei Manaka, Mizuki Kawashita

The Way I’ve Always Thought Of FanFic

I’ve never really liked fan fiction. It always seemed like a waste of time to me. Wasted writing time and wasted reading time both. If I want to read a Harry Potter story, I don’t turn to fanfic. I just read Harry Potter.

Oh, and speaking of Harry Potter fan fiction… there’s another good reason not to read it. A lot of fanfic writers tend to write the stories the way they believe they should be written. Not a big deal. I’m sure it’s a lot of fun. For them. For a lot of the readers it’s just painful.

I’ll admit that fanfic can make great writing practice. You’re able to focus on the plot without having to come up with new characters or settings. After a certain point, I believe you’re a lot better off writing original material.

Don’t use fan fiction as a crutch if you want to be a writer.

What’s Changing My Mind

I agreed to proofread a story for my girlfriend. It’s FanFic set in the Bleach universe. I just check for glaring grammatical errors and give her my opinion. I also try to let her know if I think one of the characters is doing something that doesn’t seem right.

Why would I agree to proof read fan fiction in the first place? Blackmail. She’s also working on some original fiction that I really want her to finish. I think that’s going to be a great story and I want to read it. So I agreed to help with the fanfic if she continues to write the other story.

What I Think Of FanFic Now

It’s not that bad. Some of it could be pretty good. The important thing is that it’s fun. It’s another way to interact with the stories and characters we love so much. It also gives us a chance to interact with other anime and manga fans. If you don’t mind letting other people read your work.

It is not a replacement for original fiction. I’d still rather read something new than the best fanfic.

General, Opinion, FanFic, Fan Fiction, Bleach, Harry Potter

Look at him. Mocking me. Enjoying that cigarette. Bastard! I won’t forgive you.

I hope your boat sinks.

I Quit Smoking

I’m trying to quit anyway. It’s been a couple of days now. I’m having some trouble with it though. The biggest problem I’m having is the reason I’m posting about it here at all. I’m having a lot of trouble focusing on anything. Part of my mind is always preoccupied by the thought “Where the hell are my cigarettes?”

This is about the 5th time I’ve tried to write this post. This time I’ve managed to get as far as writing a few paragraphs that are somewhat coherent. Don’t count on that continuing much longer.

I figure I’m in for at least a few more days like this before things start to get better. So the next week or two probably won’t be my best writing. I’m not even gonna try. A couple of larger posts I’ve been thinking about will have to wait. I’ll probably be posting a bit less as well. If I can’t manage to write something that meets even my low standards, I’m not going to bother posting it.

I will try to get posts up, I’m just doing my best not to let the quality suffer.

Story

Yomiko Readman is off to Manshu Academy after getting a mysterious letter from the former “Paper”, and her ex-boyfriend, Donnie Nakajima. It seems like the Library of England needs her special talents again. This time she’s supposed to find an ancient library and the treasures of knowledge it contains.

Can she complete her mission while maintaining her cover as a teacher in the very strange academy? Should she even try when the man she thought she killed raises doubts about the Library of England and it’s intentions?

My Opinion

Questions seem to be the theme of Read or Die volume 2. Questions are raised about Yomiko’s past. Questions are raised about the Library of England. Questions are raised about what’s going on at that freaky school. I repeat once again… Questions are raised.

Now, how many answers do we get? Not many. The few answers we do get are only addressing the small questions.

The story in this volume slows down for some introspection. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Unless you have the introspective main character run off by themselves a lot and leave the point of view with secondary characters that shouldn’t even be there in the first place. Guess what happens in this volume?

Other than the slow bits, the story is pretty good. it seems to be setting up an ongoing storyline, and doing it fairly well. Questions are raised, and the important answers are not given.

Is it worth it?

I’d say so. While the second volume may not be as action packed as the first one was, it has it’s moments. If you can overlook a few pages of flakey behavior and Nenene Sumiregawa dropping in for no reason, then I think you’ll enjoy Read or Die volume 2.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Action, Read or Die, Read or Die Volume 2, Volume 2, R.O.D., Yomiko Readman, Paper Master, Nenene Sumiregawa, Donnie Nakajima, Hideyuki Kurata, Shutaro Yamada, Viz Media

Writing this review is kinda weird. I could have sworn that I already wrote it. I just can’t find it anywhere. I was going to review Read or Die volume 2. I went to check a couple of things in the first one and here I am.

Story

Yumiko Readman loves books. Her love goes beyond that of a normal bibliophile. Yumiko loves them so much that the books love her back. Because of this love Yumiko has developed special abilities with paper. These abilities have earned her the name “The Paper”. Yumiko Readman is a paper master.

Working as an agent of the Library of England she travels the world taking on special operations.

In this volume Yumiko gets a chance to meet one of her favorite authors, high school prodigy Nenene Sumiregawa. Things don’t go quite as she expected.

My Opinion

I wanted to read Read or Die after getting hooked on the anime, Read or Die: The TV. It’s about three other paper masters and an older Nenene Sumiregawa. I then saw the OVA featuring Yumiko. Basically I watched ‘em backwards. In spite of that I fell in love with the anime. So I had to check out the manga.

The manga really lived up to all the expectations I had. The art and writing work beautifully together. The personalities of the characters are expressed very well.

I was concerned that the action sequences in the manga wouldn’t be as good as the anime version. Yumiko’s abilities as a paper master allow her to do amazing things with paper. From deadly projectiles to stopping bullets. I thought that might be tough to pull off. I had nothing to worry about. The action is awesome.

Is it worth it?

The first volume of the Read or Die manga is definitely worth buying. It’s great. Cool characters, awesome action and a love of books. I highly recommend this manga.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Action, Read or Die, R.O.D., Yomiko Readman, Paper Master, Nenene Sumiregawa, Hideyuki Kurata, Shutaro Yamada, Viz Media

Story

The gang at Cromartie High School are back with the same weirdness. This time around they meet Mechazawa’s little brother, start a baseball team and get lost in the forest.

My Opinion

Cromartie High is weird, there’s no other way to say it. If it weren’t so darn fun it would almost be frightening. Good thing for me that I like weird anime.

You’d think that most of the characters would be pretty much the same, since they’re tough guy types. They are similar, but after watching a few episodes you start getting to know them. Of course it helps that there are so many strange characters in Cromartie High.

All in all, I like Cromartie High. I’ll probably be adding the rest of the DVDs to my rental list.

DVD Stuff

The stuff included on the DVD really isn’t worth mentioning again. It’s pretty much the same as the first DVD. Previews for other anime, clean opening/closing and cultural notes. The cultural notes are still my favorite special feature.

Is it worth it?

I still think it depends on your preferences. If you like parody, or just plain weird anime then you’ll probably enjoy the second volume of the Cromartie High anime.

I’d also like to say that if you watched the first one and thought it was just ok, you might want to rent the second one. Most of the first volume was taken up with character introductions. Volume 2 is where things really start to happen.

If you really disliked the first volume, pass on this one. It’s more of the same, maybe even a bit more weird.

Anime, Reviews, Comedy, Parody, DVD, ADV, ADV Films, Cromartie High, Cromartie High School, Volume 2