Anime Fans Online

Crunchyroll is giving away free 1 month membership for watching Shugo Chara. There’s a bit more to it though…

Watch episodes on Crunchyroll and collect the badges. When you collect all the badges you can trade ‘em in for a month of free membership. That includes the HD streams and the simulcasts.

I already subscribe to the anime membership and I can tell you that I think it’s worth it. I get to watch the shows an hour after they air in Japan and I’m supporting a site that provides the streams legally. That’s a big deal to me.

The memberships don’t cost that much to begin with, but a free month of it is even better. Check it out. This forum post has all the details.

Plus you get the character badges. More stuff to clutter the profile page with. Everybody loves that, right?

Just wanted to point out this forum post to the AFO readers that might not frequent Crunchyroll.

The short version, for those that don’t want to click over to the post, is that NAMCO is putting some really cool Naruto toys in their crane machines (a.k.a. claw machines a.k.a. UFO catchers)

If you’re at all interested in Naruto, then you should check out the store locator. I found out that several stores in my area had these machines. So far I’ve only been able to get Kakashi, but I hope to fill out a full set.

I just came home empty handed though because the machine wasn’t working properly and there was no sign on it. I’ll have to keep my eye on that machine for later. It was pretty full and a lot of ‘em looked loose.

Story

Rock and Revy are caught in the middle of a gang war in Japan. It seems the negotiations between Hotel Moscow and the local yakuza have broken down. Things are getting very bad, very fast. The path that Rock is on continues to descend into a black and uncertain future. Can rock really keep the darkness from eating away at his soul when he sees the way it has consumed those around him?

Caught between his past and his present, Rock has to lose something. Will it be the life he gave up but still clings to, or will it be the life he’s trying to build? Which side will Rock choose? Will they stand by old business associates or new friends? Oh, one more question.

How many will Revy take out when things go bad?

My Opinion

I’m amazed at how depressing Black Lagoon can get, and how glad I am about it. Rock and friends really do seem to wind up in the worst possible situations. That’s part of what makes this manga so darn good. Conflict drives drama, and there is no shortage of conflict in Rei Hiroe’s manga.

I can’t help but wonder what Rock will be like at the end of the line. Will he be able to hang on to any human decency or will it be ripped from him bit by bit? I’m not even sure if he’ll survive the manga. I remain hopeful, but hope doesn’t count for a lot where Rock lives.

Is it worth it?

Black Lagoon 005 is worth it. This volume is action packed and full of drama. It makes me want to start on the next one as soon as possible.

Manga, Reviews, Action, Adventure, Pirates, Yakuza, Guns, Explosions, Viz Media, Rei Hiroe, Black Lagoon, Rated M, Mature Readers, Violence, Adult Themes, Adult Language

Story

Kai Eto is the newest investigator for the Greater Kanto Narcotics Control Division. Kai might seem naive, but his partner Hal Kurabayashi sure isn’t. The two are on the trail of a drug trafficking operation run by the Ryugen. The fashionable drug of the moment is Dragon Speed, an extremely dangerous stimulant.

Then there’s the police. Since Kai and Hal work for a special branch of law enforcement, they often find themselves in disagreement with the police. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, or how many moths you spent on a case, if the cops arrest ‘em first then you’re outta luck. It’s a turf war and the police have ‘em outnumbered. At least that seems to be the way most of the NCD look at it.

Kai and Hal have a lot of work to do.

My Opinion

Switch was better than I expected. Naked Ape, the creative duo of Saki Otoh and Nakamura Tomomi, did a very good job squeezing police drama, mystery, action and even a little humor into this manga. There was a bit more to this manga than I was expecting.

The art is good, with one exception. Something is off about Kai on the cover. His shoulder seems to be missing and his neck looks anatomically impossible. His body seems to conform to the alien geometry so prevalent in the work of H.P. Lovecraft. I don’t want to nitpick, but it jumps out at me every time I look at the manga… and it kinda creeps me out.

Is it worth it?

Switch Volume 1 is worth it. Good solid police action with a hint of interesting things in the characters’ pasts.

Just try not to look too closely at the cover. That way lies madness.

Manga, Reviews, Viz, Older Teen, Drama, Police, Drugs, Naked Ape, Saki Otoh, Nakamura Tomomi, Switch, Volume 1

Story

The small country of Uddiyana is torn apart by civil war with no hope in sight until one photographer captures the image of a lifetime. A local spiritual leader can be seen praying for peace, her image silhouetted through a flag.

This image captures the attention of the world and gives hope to those living in the turbulent land. The powerful image becomes a symbol of peace to the people on both sides. The flag in the photograph is to be used at the peace negotiations, until it is stolen by those that want the war to continue.

A special UNF force is given the job of retrieving the missing flag. Joining them is the photographer that captured flag on film.

My Opinion

Flag is a pretty interesting dramatic anime that explores the influence of imagery on world events. Iconic photographs that have changed the world, or our perceptions of it.

Most of this anime is told from the point of view of a camera lenses, usually the lenses of 2 photographers. The main characters aren’t even seen unless someone else takes their picture, or the camera is pointed at something reflective like the glass in a window. That takes a bit of getting used to, but becomes less of an annoyance after a few episodes.

Extras

Very few extras are included on this DVD. Only a couple of previews and a clean opening sequence. Toss in some DVD credits and that’s it.

What’s happening to DVD extras?

Is it worth it?

Flag Volume 1 is worth checking out if you enjoy serious dramatic anime.

Anime, Reviews, Bandai, Aniplex, Drama, War, Mech, Flag

Story

Keeping a demonic dog on a leash has it’s share of problems. One of them being the damage the master can take by approving too much magic. There is a possible fix for that issue, but it also comes with it’s own set of problems. The Dark Liege sends Kazuma something that might protect him for the magical damage, but it could also offer Nora a way to escape his pact.

Kazuma is taking the pact seriously now, that means finding as much information as he can. He needs info on Nora, and what kind of demon a cerberus is and what they’re capable of. He also needs to find out that the differences are between the Dark Liege’s Army and the Resistance.

Time to start asking questions.

My Opinion

Volume 2 of Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom has plenty of action, but the pacing it’s quite as good as the first. It’s understandable though, since this is where the story seems to really get started. The first book introduced the most important characters and explained the concept, now it’s time to start advancing the story.

The art hasn’t skipped a beat. Clean and expressive with a good sense of movement. Nora is a character with a lot of energy, and it really comes out in the artwork.

All in all, I’d say this is starting to look like a pretty good series.

Is it worth it?

The second volume of NORA: The Last Chronicle of Devildom is worth it. Even though there are a couple of breaks in the action, the manga is a good follow up to the first volume.

Manga, Reviews, Supernatural, Demons, Devils, Cerberus, Comedy, Action, Magic, Older Teen, Viz, Shonen Jump Advanced, Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom

In my previous posts about Bleach casting I usually went with Jason Statham for Ikkaku. He’s an actor who can do some physically demanding stuff on screen. Something about it made sense.

I’ve changed my mind.

I don’t remember what happened in my brain to make this connection. My new choice may seem a bit odd. Doesn’t matter though. Odd or not, I think I’ve found the perfect guy to cast as Division 11’s third seat Ikkaku Madarame.

Jo Koy

Comedian Jo Koy is my new #1 choice for a live action version of Ikkaku Madarame. Check out the Official Jo Koy Web Site if you’re not familiar with him. Check it out even if you are familiar with him, the guy is funny.

My Reasons

I do have a couple of reasons why I’d put him in that role. Not that I need any, it’s not like Hollywood is gonna be reading this blog looking for casting advice. (But they should.)

He’s Funny. Outside of the fight scenes, and the occasional serious flashback, Ikkaku is used as comedy relief. Jo Koy is funny. He does comedy for a living. I think he’d be able to do justice to the lighter side of Ikkaku.

He Looks Right. This is completely superficial, but it’s pretty important. There may not be a perfect resemblance between Ikkaku Madarame and Jo Koy, but they’re a lot more similar than Ikkaku and Jason Statham.

The Fights Don’t Matter. Whoa! Calm down. Let me explain.

In a live action movie of Bleach there are likely to be a few big fight scenes and several smaller ones. For the smaller fights that he’s involved in, choreography and some training will take care of everything. The larger fights are likely to be crammed with CGI anyway, so his physical prowess doesn’t matter.

What do you think?

Do you think Jo Koy has what it takes to be in Squad 11? Leave a comment with your thoughts. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Fun Stuff, Opinion, Casting, Bleach, Division 11, Ikkaku Madarame, Jason Statham, Jo Koy

Story

The theme of this volume seems to be “old friends unexpectedly return”. All three stories in this volume are based on that element.

One of Sachie’s childhood friends comes back into her life. It seems like they remember their past together a bit differently. The helpless young boy she remembers has grown to be a very capable young man.

In the second story line, an old member of the Asagi Clan returns to ask Raizo for help. He’s having trouble keeping his business open after this wife passes away. Sachie listens to her heart and agrees to help him. Unfortunately, she doesn’t bother to find out the details first. This time Sachie may have gotten them all in over their heads.

In the third story Jin shows up with a stray cat. He’s no good with pets, so he decides to drop it off with Sachie. Who knew one little kitten could cause so much confusion?

My Opinion

While I enjoyed the stories in Wild Ones Volume 6, it didn’t do much to advance the overall plot. Azuma’s resolve may have firmed up a bit, but that’s about it. Still very little progress between Rakuto and Sachie.

I am interested to see what effect the introduction of Kennosuke Chigusa, Sachie’s childhood friend, has on the story. Looks luke Chi-Chan could have a very disruptive effect if he decides to forgive and forget the more painful parts of their shared past.

Is it worth it?

Wild Ones Volume 6 is worth it. Even thought the main plot doesn’t advance much, we do get to see the characters is some pretty good stories.

This introduction of Chi-Chan could have a big effect later on. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Manga, Reviews, Shojo, Comedy, Romance, Yakuza, Wild Ones, Volume 6, Shojo Beat, Kiyo Fujiwara, Kennosuke Chigusa, Chi-Chan

Story

Ral and grad are in trouble when Ganette comes along and buts in. You could even say that Ral was saved, but it was against his will. Thanks to the unwanted help from Ganette, Ral becomes even more determined to be the one to defeat Opsquria and send the shadows back to Le Noir.

Ral also finds out more information about the other Special Fusion types. There are 5 in all, including Ral/Grad the Blue Dragon and Ganette/Gaila the White Tiger.

My Opinion

Ral Grad Volume 3 picks up where the second volume left off. It waste no time getting to the action. Right from the beginning Ral, Grad and their companions are in trouble. As they get closer to finding Opsquria they’re in constant danger.

This volume has plenty of fighting, but a little less in the way of boobs. That’s fine with me, since the last book seemed to have more boobs than fighting. Thus is balance achieved.

There seems to be a lot of progress made so far. That makes me wonder how long the series is going to be. I’m really starting to like this story, it’d be kind of disappointing to see it end quickly. It’s better that it end soon than being dragged out far longer than the story can support.

Is it worth it?

Ral Grad Volume 3 is worth it. Fewer boobs, but more fighting. Tsuneo Takano and Takeshi Obata are doing a good job with this one. Cool story and awesome art combine to make Ral Grad a pretty darn good manga.

Even with fewer boobs, it’s still for mature readers.

Manga, Reviews, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mature Content, Ral Grad, Volume 3, Tsuneo Takano, Takeshi Obata, Boobs, Fan Service

Story

Son Goku was found as a child by one of the world’s greatest martial artists, Son Gohan, who raised him as his own grandchild. Goku grew up learning martial arts in a mountain wilderness with only his “grandpa” for company.

Before Gohan died he left Goku 2 things, a strong staff that can grow or shrink on command, and a glowing ball with 4 stars inside. After Gohan’s passing Goku lived by himself on the mountain, seeing no one else until one day a girl showed up. She was looking for something she called a Dragonball, a shining orb containing stars.

Bulma told Goku the legend of the Dragonballs. If all seven dragonballs were collected from around the world and all brought together, Shenlong the dragon god would appear and grant one wish, any wish.

Goku wanted to see a real dragon, so he agreed to accompany her on her quest.

My Opinion

I’ve talked about the multi volume books before when I reviewed the three in one version of Sgt Frog. I love these. I get to pick up 3 manga at the same time, and save a little money. This one is a bit oversized for a manga, but that’s a good thing. The detailed backgrounds are easy to see and the quality of the book is very nice.

I love Dragonball, but until now I’ve only loved the anime. I hadn’t read any of the manga. I decided to fix that when I saw the first volume of the Three in One version, a.k.a. the VizBig Edition, of the manga at the book store.

Other than getting used to a few translation differences between the manga and the anime, it was easy to slip back into the incredible world created by Akira Toriyama. I’m glad I did. I’ve missed it without even knowing it.

Even though this manga was originally made in the mid to late eighties, the story and art still work beautifully. The detailed backgrounds and the character design work together to help tell the story in a way that’s as pure of heart as Goku is himself. Even the dirty bits.

Is it worth it?

Volume 1 of the Three in One Dragon Ball manga, is awesome. Every manga fan should at least try this one.

I would encourage even those that aren’t fans of the anime to check out the manga version. It’s just that good.

Manga, Reviews, Viz, Shonen Jump, Akira Toriyama, Dragonball, Goku, Gohan, Bulma, Shenlong, Three in One, VizBig

Story

When you have nowhere else to turn to, there is a special site that only appears at midnight. Write the name of the person you hate, and Hell Girl will come to take them to hell.

Be careful. If you agree, then Hell Girl will take the person you named, but in payment your soul will go to hell when you die.

My Opinion

The first volume of the Hell Girl manga follows the Hell Girl anime pretty closely. The same story structure from the anime is used in the manga, for example. The differences between the anime and manga versions aren’t hard to spot though.

The art is probably the biggest difference between the anime and manga. The manga version has more of a girly-manga shojo style. If you were to strip the words out of the book and ask someone what they thought it was about, they’d probably think it was a school drama until the monsters showed up. The art is good, but it seems a bit out of place to me. There’s a mention at the end of the book that the art might change in the next one, so it might take on a more stylized spooky feel next time. I got my fingers crossed.

Is it worth it?

Hell Girl Volume 1 manga is worth checking out. If you found the Hell Girl anime too creepy, then the sparkly shojo art in the manga may be a plus.

It’s still a horror story. Hell Girl is not for the little ones, it’s rated for ages 16 and up.

Manga, Reviews, Del Rey, Kodansha, Horror, Supernatural, Shojo, Hell Girl

Story

Cacao Sardonyx is a personal maid to Prince, soon to be Crowned King, Alex Arbansbool II. Cacao is just one of the many beautiful, if oddly named, maids the Prince surrounds himself with. Prince Alex is young and… full of energy. He spends most of his energy in trying to grope the many beautiful maids that surround him.

One day, while Cacao was out doing some of the royal shopping before the prince’s coronation, the kingdom of Arbansbool was overthrown. Rushing back to the palace Cacao found the Prince and the other maids and they escaped.

They made their way to the old Shrine where legends say Holy weapons were stored. The prince found the weapons, but all of his knights were gone. That’s when the order of the maid was formed.

Together Prince Alex Arbansbool and his Warrior Maids seek to reclaim his kingdom.

My Opinion

Maid War Chronicle has a decent beginning. The setup for the story is perfectly reasonable. It doesn’t stretch belief that a quick escape would leave the prince with his maids as his only escort. After that, things seem a bit muddled.

Maid War’s biggest problem seems to be a bit of confusion about how the story should be handled. Sometimes it comes across as a action fantasy, sometimes it’s a harem comedy. That’s a tough balance.

There are some good parts to Maid War Chronicle. It has moments of real charm. If it can bring out more of those moments and decide which direction it wants to follow, Maid War Chronicle could be a good series.

The rating on the back of this book says 16+. I’m inclined to agree, due to some brief nudity and the Prince’s constant lechery. There’s also a little blood, but nothing gratuitous. They’re fighting to take back a kingdom with magic weapons, there’s bound to be a bit of violence.

Oh, one more thing that bugs me. Fruity character names. Not specifically fruit, but theme names. You see it sometimes in anime and manga, sometimes it’s even used well. This is one of the manga that uses ‘em. The names of the maids are Cacao, Bana, Liquer, Cogna and Mint.

Is it worth it?

Maid War Chronicle Volume 1 is ok. If you’re looking for a light fantasy story with maids and a little pervyness, this one might be worth checking out.

I’m on the fence about this one. I’ll have to read some of the later volumes to decide if I want to keep following this story.

Manga, Reviews, Del Rey, Kodansha, Harem, Maids, Fantasy, Maid War Chronicle

Story

Vincent Law’s search has brought him back to Romdeau, but things are not as they were when he left. The Cogito virus has spread and society has begun to breakdown without it’s android workforce. Even worse, some of those infected by the Cogito virus have become destructive.

Will Vincent find the answers he’s looking for? Will those answers stop the degeneration spreading throughout Romdeau, or will it tip the balance forever towards destruction?

My Opinion

Volume 6 is the last DVD in the Ergo Proxy anime series. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this anime and I’m sad to see it end.

The ending does answer a few questions, though not all of them. You may not be satisfied with the answers you get, but they do fit well in the story. The entire show was a little confusing and a bit unsettling, so why should the ending be any different? All things considered, I thought the finale worked very well.

With only 3 episodes it seemed a bit short, even though the other discs didn’t have much more than that. Oh well, with all that room they’re sure to have lots of extras this time around right? Nope, the extras are still just a few previews. That sucks, but it’s no real surprise.

My reviews are of the Geneon release. FUNimation, who picked it up from Geneon, has an official Ergo Proxy series page. It’s worth lookin’ at, they’ve got some extras online.

Is it worth it?

Yep, Ergo Proxy Volume 6 is worth it. If you’ve seen the first 5 you’ll want to see this one too. If you haven’t seen the first 5 volumes, stop wasting time. Go check ‘em out.

Anime, Reviews, DVD, FUNimation, Geneon, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Sci-Fi, Vincent Law

Story

In the wilds of Canada there is a martial arts school that takes in problem children. The school’s best student is a young man named Logan.

Logan was found outside the school as a young child, with no memory of who he was or where he came from. That’s not all that separates Logan, nicknamed Wolverine, from the other students. Logan has an accelerated healing ability that allows him to regenerate at an astounding rate. Even serious wound will heal quickly and leave no scar.

What other secrets could young Logan be hiding, or hiding from?

My Opinion

This looks like an attempt to cash in on Wolverine’s growing popularity. That’s a darn shame too.

There is so much that can be done with this character that it saddens me to see how generic this story is. You could take away the few elements that make this guy seem like Wolverine and you’d have a bland and semi-imaginative story. of course, that’s all you really have now, that and the name of one of Marvel’s greatest characters plastered on the cover.

Wolverine has some history in Japan, and a lot of it is still a mystery. Any number of stories about Logan’s past, or present, would make an incredible manga. It’s an extreme disappointment to see all of those possibilities ignored in favor of a formulaic young ninja story.

Is it worth it?

Wolverine Volume 1: Prodigal Son falls far short of being a story worthy of Wolverine. I can’t recommend this manga. It’s not worth it.

The sad part is that die hard Wolverine fans will probably pick this one up anyway, and they’re the ones that will be the most disappointed.

I was.

Manga, Reviews, Del Rey, Marvel, Wolverine, Ninjas

Give Peace Gundams A Chance

I have to admit that I’ve never been a huge fan of the Gundam franchise. Very few mech anime hold my interest. Gundam 00 caught my attention thanks to a few different reasons.

Someone recommended the show to me, when it was on the air in Japan I believe. It sounded good, but it was a Gundam show and I don’t watch Gundam shows. A bit later it was on the Ani-Mondays block on the SciFi Channel. I figured I could give it a shot, since it was on TV, and I caught an episode.

I enjoyed what I saw on Ani-Mondays, but not enough to rush out and buy, or even rent, the full series. That was due to catching a later ep. Gundam shows usually have a pretty involved story that you need to keep up with. When you catch a later episode, like I did, it can be hard to figure out who is doing what to whom and why.

Now that the entire series is on Crunchyroll I’ve had a chance to see the whole thing. I spent last weekend watching episode after episode of Gundam 00, in English since they have the dub. Sub episodes are being added, but are incomplete as of now.

If you haven’t seen this Gundam anime, do yourself a favor and go check out a few episodes. You don’t even need to be a paying member to watch it.

Code Geass Next?

CODE GEASS Lelouch of the Rebellion is another one that I passed on after missing a couple of episodes. It’s also on Crunchyroll. Maybe I’ll give it another chance too.

Anime, Online, Crunchyroll, Mech, Gundam, Gundam 00, CODE GEASS Lelouch of the Rebellion