My 2011 Watch List

• 30-san no Hoken Taiiku
• A Channel
• Beelzebub
• Fractale (maybe)
• Hanasaku Iroha
• Hourou Musuko
• Kampfer Season 2 (but that means I gotta finish season one!)
• Mahou Shoujo Madoka*Magica
• Sekaiichi Hatsukoi
• Shouwa Monogatari (maybe)
• Yumeki Merry
• Ga-Rei Zero
• Antique Bakery
• FINALLY finish Hayate the Combat Butler!
• Whatever else I find interesting later

Number 9: Sasameki Koto

I think we all know how painful it can be to love someone who doesn't love you back. I certainly do, and I don't think I've ever seen an anime series that depicted the loneliness--and very rarely the joy--of one-sided love as well as the shojou ai* romcom Sasameki Koto did.

I began watching Sasameki Koto at the very beginning of the year, around the same time I started Junjou Romantica. I could not have picked a better first shojou ai series. Although it is basicly about the love between two girls, it is way lighter and more fun then some of the more dramatic shojou ai series out there, making it a perfect introduction to the genre.

Sumika Murasame is an intelegent, tough as nails highschooler with a big problem: she has fallen in love with another female, her best friend, Ushio Kazama. The problem isn't that Ushio doesn't like girls--in fact, she's absoluely crazy about them--the problem is that Ushio only likes "cute" girls. Small, weak, shy girls that one would feel compelled to protect. Sumika, being unusually tall and a martial arts expert, does not at all meet this description.

Sasameki Koto presented a very simple story, and was able to do a lot with it. Something different happened every episode, and they managed to bring in very satisfying romantic scenes and wonderful comedy without being too unrealistic. The only problem was that some episodes had no real significance, and could have been skipped over in order to make room for a decent ending. Note before you watch Sasameki Koto that the ending is very abrupt, and will probably leave you unsatisfied and thinking 'That's it?'

The characters made this series what it was. Each character was unique and quirky, and you pretty much had to love every one of them. We start out with the two mains, Sumika and Ushio, and their friend, the happy-go-lucky Kiyori. Later, we are introduced to Akemiya, a dorky boy with a huge crush on Sumika, Tomoe and Miyako, a lesbian couple who hopelessly attempt to start a school club for lesbian girls, and Aoi, a passionate fan of a series of yuri novels. The characters are all very well developed, and it's very entertaining to watch them in their everyday lives.

The main reason I love Sasameki Koto is that you can feel the characters emotions as if they are your own. There are several scenes in this series that will make one think "I've felt that way before." The series manages to perfectly execute the drama of one sided love without being melodramatic, and seeing as this is a Highschool story, this is a major accomplishment.

Number 10: Junjou Romantica

How the hell did I get wrapped up in Junjou Romantica? I will never really know. But one way or another, this series managed to gain a lot of my interest. Heck, I even got emotional at certain parts. I couldn't bring myself not to put Junjou Romantica on this list.

I started watching Junjou at the very beginning of the year. It was actually my very first (and so far only) shonene ai* series. I'll admit, however, that this was not a very good series to start with because...well...err...there was sex in nearly every episode. (not graphic, mostly implied) However, once I got used to those scenes, I was able to enjoy this series through all of its ups and downs.

There's not really a main story for Junjou. The series centers around three odd gay couples and their relationships. The main couple is Misaki and Usami. Misaki is the little brother of Takahiro, a man Usami was madly in love with. When Takahiro gets engaged, it almost seems as though Misaki has become his replacement. Despite his internal struggle, he can't seem to deny the fact that he just might be falling under the seductive Usami's spell.

Hiroki has been in love with Usami for several years. Apon discovering that Usami will never feel the same way, heartbroken Hiroki runs to the park to be alone. There, he meets Nowaki, a kind young man who has fallen for Hiroki at first sight. Hiroki tries to remain cool and nonchalant, as he usually is, but something in Nowaki brings out a side of Hiroki that he doesn't recognize, and certainly doesn't like.

35 year old Miyagi is Hiroki's coworker. He is recently divorced, and is going through a lot in his life. Things get much more complicated when his ex-wife's brother, 16 year old Shinobu, (umm big age difference much?) claims to be madly in love with him, and ends up living with him in his apartment.

So what's so special about these stories? To be honest, not very much. Every episode seemed to be basicly the same thing. There wasn't really anything original; anything we hadn't seen before. However, the way the stories are delivered somehow pulls you in. You don't really think about the lack of originality while you're watching Junjou Romantica. I give this series major props for so cleverly hiding these uninteresting storylines behind amazing delivery.

I felt like Hiroki, Nowaki, and Miyagi were the only three characters with any real depth. The rest of the cast, though entertaining, seemed rather generic and flat. Usagi was the steryotypical seme, Misaki, the classic uke*, and Shinobu...some kid trying to force himself onto a middle aged man. It's not that I really disliked any of the characters in this series--they were all very diverse and interesting--I just wish I had gotten to know them a little better. In the course of 26 episodes, (2 seasons, 13 episodes per season) I think they could have done much better.

The art was probably the weakest part of the series. I can honestly say nothing good about the art style. I constantly found myself confusing characters with other characters. There were literally only 3 hairstyles for male characters in this series, and 2 hairstyles for female characters. It felt like they picked a few hairstyles and faces, and tried some different combinations to come up with their characters. I know, it could be a lot worse, but the art was still pretty lame.

Now about the sexual content...like I said, it's mostly implied. You only see faces, hands, and sometimes upper bodies. The sex scenes in Junjou Romantica were actually very tasteful. You don't really see "sex" here. You see two men in love giving themselves to each other. The only problem I had with the sex scenes was that, although they were pretty at first, they got old very quickly. The sex was just excessive. As I said, they put one at the end of nearly every episode. Had they put only one every five or so episodes, it would have been easier to appreciate the beauty of these scenes.

So why did I like Junjou Romantica? Because, despite its many flaws, it has been the most passionate shonen ai series I have seen to date. I've realized that the reason I haven't had the desire to continue any of the other shonen ai series I have tried is because, on episode one, I always find myself thinking "Junjou Romantica was much better." So, for making me adore it for reason's I don't even understand, Junjou Romantica has stolen the number 10 spot on my list.

*Shonen Ai - centers around the love between two men

* In a Shonen Ai or Yaoi couple, the seme is the more dominant and seductive one, while the uke is the one who is seduced

Intro to My Top Ten of 2010

With the year coming to an end, I thought I'd reflect on all of the fantastic anime that I have seen in the past 365 days. Therefore, I give you my Top 10 of 2010. Here's how this is gonna work: starting with my number ten, I will post a review once a day (or rather whenever I get the chance) of an anime that I thought deserved a spot on my list.


Please note that not all of these series were released this year. 2010 is just the year I watched them. Also, some of these series are very difficult to properly review. I apologize in advance for any rambling or confusing content.

One more thing. I WANT YOU TO COMMENT! I'd really like to hear you guys' input on the subjects I write about. Do you disagree? Tell me why. Agree? Tell me what with. I really want to hear what you have to say.

Without further ado, I'm going to start working on my review for number ten. Stay tuned!

Anime Awards 2010 (For reals this time!)

Hello! So I kind of chickened out on this last time, but now that the new year is just around the corner, I'm gonna give it another shot. We are currently in the nominating stage of the 2010 anime awards. Please follow the rules below, and nominate your favorites for the ten listed categories. Thank you!

RULES:

- The anime must have been released in 2010. We will not be accepting OVAs, new seasons, or series that had been continued into 2010 from other years.

- You may nominate as much as you like for each category, but do not nominate two from the same series in the same category. For example, you could not nominate both Panty and Stocking for best leading female, as they are both from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt.

- Be specific with openings and endings. When nominating one, please state the anime, the name of the song, and the author

Categories

Best Male Protagonist

Best Female Protagonist

Best Supporting Character

Best Couple

Best Comedy

Best Drama

Best Opening

Best Ending

Worst Series

Best series nominees will be determined based on the nominations from the other categories, and possibly what me and my group of critic friends decide (if they're willing to help out). Please vote now!

TOP 5: Most Annoying Anime Girls

Number 5

Now all you mega-fans of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya are probably cussing me out through your computer monitor and wondering what I was thinking when I put Haruhi Suzumiya on this list. I hate to tell you this, but you've been blinded by your fandom. This girl may be the main heroine of the series, but that doesn't excuse the fact that she's a stubborn bitch. She drags people around by their collars, she forces crying girls to dress up as prostitutes, and no matter how much you try to convince her that the things she does are completely unreasonable, she will always come back at you with an arguement that is ten times less reasonable. Face it, guys. Haruhi Suzumiya is pretty much a huge problem for anyone she comes in contact with.

Number 4

This bitch is the reason I stopped reading Peach Girl. For no particular reason, Sae Kashiwagi's only goal in life seems to be to destroy that of her "best friend." Why? I have no freaking idea! She's a manipulative, evil, stuck up man stealer. She basicly goes around playing innocent and convincing people that her best friend is no good, and that she's a slut that cheat's on her boyfriend. This manga was actually pretty good until she decided to come in and make it a "look how much this person's life sucks" series.





Number 3
I'm not gonna waste my time writing about this ditz. Just look at the picture for my explanation.

Number 2

I have nothing but pure hatred for the protagonist of Kobato, Kobato Hanato. Not only is she the most bubbly, idiotic girl I've ever seen in anime, she couldn't be more annoyingly perfect! From the singing that draws huge crowds of people to the outfits to that gorgeous rosy-cheek smile to the insane ability to make everyone she meets completely adore her. Yeah. She's one of those people. I guess she and Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket are kind of in the same category, but at least Tohru had a decent back story. The worst part is her modesty. "Oh nooo I'm not anything special! I'm just sweet and innocent and pretty and talented!" You understand my immense hatred toward this kind of person.

Number 1

Air Master seems like a pretty good series at first. Lots of action, strong protagonist, and a cool setting. Then, all of a sudden, you hear:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

This is none other than Renge Inue, the high school girl who acts and looks like a five year old. Her voice will peirce through your skull like a knife or a drill or something else that can penetrate bone. She spits when she talks, she cries like a baby, she won't stop COMMENTING on everything, and...well she's just a pain in the ass. If you've seen the series, you know what I'm talking about. If not, brace yourself.

Announcing, the winner of Moe, Moe, Moe!

Thank you all for voting in the 2010 Moe Moe Moe competition! The results are in! Dim the lights! Here we go...

And the winner of Moe Moe Moe 2010 is...

Kotomi Ichinose!

Congrats, Kotomi! You will be rewarded with the very first Lovely Ladies of Anime post. Everyone, please look forward to it. Again, thank you for voting!

Fall 2010 Evaluation

I do express most of the following opinions in my podcast with Freddy and Eric, but unfortunately I'm not as good with speaking as I am with writing. Therefore, I have listed below my true opinions of the Fall animes I've seen so far.

Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge

Why I was Interested : I absolutely loved Arakawa Under the Bridge season one, and was extremely excited when I heard about season 2.

Expectations: Very High

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: The jokes were as solid as ever. This is one of the very few animes that can make me laugh out loud. (most of the time I only laugh on the inside and smile)

Cons: I was expecting them to step it up a bit since season 1 was so great, but there were bits that left me unsatisfied. There were also a few things that went completely unexplained.

Starting Rating: 7 (good)

Following?: Yes

Bakuman


Why I was interested: I had read the first couple of chapters of the manga and absolutely adored it

Expectations: Pretty high

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: Very true to the manga. Develops its characters well.
Witty dialogue and original story. LOVE the main protagonist. A lot of people will be able to relate to him.

Cons: Although most scenes were pretty realistic, some were a bit forced. The leading female needs to be developed more. I don't get her. Art style on the characters was a bit strange

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Yes

Kuragehime

Why I was interested: I'm a josei enthusiast. Only about eleven Josei series have been animated to date, so a new one is always exciting

Expectations: Very high

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: These characters are fugly, but still extremely likeable. The opening is now easily my favorite. You do see that more realistic element that makes josei unique.

Cons: Where are they going to go with this? There's not that much to the story, and I'm curious to see how they're going to stretch this to eleven episodes.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Absolutely

MM!

Why I was Interested: The plot is so unique. I thought this would be pretty funny.

Expectations: Higher than low, but not super high

Episodes Seen: 2

Pros: The jokes hit, the characters are likeable, and the little plot twists here and there are very clever and unique. This series will give its viewers exactly what they watch it for.

Cons: In episode 2, they start getting more romantic and sentimental. This was a nice break from all the slapstick, but they can't push that envelope too often or this series will go downhill.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Absolutely

Ore Imo

Why I was Interested: I honestly have no idea...

Expectations: Low

Episodes Seen: First half of 1

Pros: His little sister is, indeed, cute. I like the relationship between the two, and the animation is pretty good.

Cons: I...just...freaking hate this series. There is nothing interesting to the story. It's a cliche'd peice of turd.

Final Rating: 4 (bad)

Following?: When hell freezes over...

Otome Yokai Zakuro

Why I was Interested: I thougt it would suck and wanted to laugh at it.

Expectations: Very low

Episodes Seen: most of 1

Pros: The blonde guy is pretty interesting. That's all.

Cons: When I saw the first seen, I thought this would be an action packed thriller. Then it turned into Ouran High School Host Club with soldiers and demons. This is one of the most generic peices of crap I have ever seen. Near the end, I was thinking, "If something interesting doesn't happen in the next ten seconds, I'm shutting thia off." Needless to say, I didn't finish the episode.

Starting Rating: 3 (very bad)

Following?: See answer for Ore Imo

Shinrei Tantei Yakumo

Why I was Interested: I saw the trailer, and I thought it would be a very good thriller.

Expectations: High

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: I'm very interested in the characters, and I want to see where this story goes. Also...honestly...I find the leading female attractive...teehee

Cons: I think this series, or at least this episode, is a bit rushed. They're trying so hard to create this horror mystery that they leave out some very important elements. They need more detail.

Starting Rating: 6 (decent)

Following?: For now

SoreMachi

Why I was Interested: I watched the trailer, and the animation looked incredible. Also, it's a SHAFT comedy.

Expectations: Fairly high

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: Fun characters, nice setting, and wonderful animation. Although not nearly as good as Arakawa Under the Bridge or Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei, this is definitely a work of comedic genius.

Cons: This series has potential to get boring if they don't step it up with each episode.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Yes

The World God Only Knows

Why I was interested: I had heard nothing but praise for the series.

Expectations: High

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: A lighthearted comedy with a unique storyline. This series is pure fun, and the two mains are extremely likeable.

Cons: This series is leaning toward the generic shojou zone. They need to keep away from there if they want viewers to be satisfied.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Maybe

REVIEW: True Tears (13 episodes)

"The you within me is always crying. I have always wanted to wipe away your tears, but I cannot imagine the tenderness of wiping the tears from your face.” – Shinichiro Nakagami

I’ve actually just watched True Tears for the third time, (I have the DVDs) and my opinion on the series has varied with each viewing. The first time I saw it, I thought it was breathtaking and heartwarming. The second time, cheesy and forced. After watching it a third time, I realize that although this series is definitely not for everyone, it displays a very interesting mixture of dream and reality that you don’t find in a lot of anime.

Unfortunately, in the actual series, you only get to see Hiromi in a kimono

The story centers around high school student Shinichiro Nakagami, an aspiring artist who lives with his mother, his father, and the love of his life, Hiromi Yuasa, (left) who hasn’t shown much happiness since she came to live with Shinichiro and his family. Loving Hiromi, chasing his dream, and being pressured by his family is tearing Shinichiro apart inside. Everything changes when he meets Isurugi Noe, (center) a very odd girl who claims that she has “given her tears away.” She tells Shinichiro that she must collect someone else’s tears in order to be able to cry again, and he is, unfortunately, the prime candidate.

I feel like the entire storyline is a ton of metaphors thrown together. This is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is it a good thing. If anything, this series adds originality to every cliché you would expect from a romantic harem drama. There are certain things that go unexplained, and certain things that seem to be tossed into the story in hopes of intensifying the mood. But overall, the way it was presented worked very nicely.

The art, especially the scenery, was probably the best part of this entire series. It was wonderfully animated, and most of the facial expressions of the characters were quite realistic for an animated series. I can vividly remember almost all of the background art in this anime. The scenery was so detailed and well-drawn that it’s kind of hard to forget. The only problem I had as far as the art and animation was the excessive use of certain elements. There was a lot of fan service, (mostly from Hiromi) as well as an overuse of colored pencil freeze-frames and extreme close ups on people’s lips. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it was just kind of distracting.

My favorite peice of background art in the series. This bamboo forest is so hauntingly beautiful

The characters in the series were very unrealistic, but in a way that makes you love every one of them. These are the kinds of people you only wish existed in real life, in that their emotions are more powerful than most people’s, and these emotions are outwardly expressed through their actions. Sometimes, however, the characters personalities did seem a bit forced. It often seemed like the writers were trying too hard to make us feel sympathy for the characters.

(left to right) Shinichiro, Noe, Hiromi, Aiko, and Miyokichi

The most well-done character by far was Isurugi Noe. Noe has a very childlike, free-spirited personality that’s pretty much irresistible. Not only is she a very likeable character, but she is probably one of the only characters, other than the protagonist, that we actually get to watch grow from the beginning of the series to the end.

Not gonna lie...I find her attractive

I think you have to be a certain type of person to really enjoy this series. The main flaw in this series overall is that it was very, very cheesy. Therefore, in order to enjoy this series, you must be able to overcome the cheese. You have to be the kind of person who can relate to the characters, understand the metaphors, and apply the messages the anime portrays to your own life. If you’re not the kind of person who connects to the shows you watch, this series is not for you.

True Tears is definitely something special. It's a lovely drama about about the struggles that a lot of teenagers have to face. This series can either be viewed as a powerful love story, or a melodramatic high school series. If you look past the all its flaws, True Tears can be viewed as one of the most unique dramatic harems to date.

Story: 6 (decent)
Art: 8 (great)
Characters: 8 (great)
Enjoyment: 7 (good)

Opening - Reflectia by Eufonius: 7 (good)

Ending - Sekai no Namida by Aira Yuki: 6 (decent)

Overall Rating: 7 (good)

Moe Moe Moe!: Your Finalists

First off, I would like to apoligize that these results were about 2 or 3 weeks late. My school's computer had blocked blogger and I just haven't found the time to blog until now.

But FINALLY, the results are in! These are your three finalists! The girl with the most votes byyt the end of the week will be our winner, and will be the subject of the first "Lovely Ladies of Anime" bit. Please vote for the one girl you want to win. Thank you all for participating!

Alice Carrol

Kotomi Ichinose

Misaki Nakahara

MOE MOE MOE!!! - Semi Finals

I've decided to do something just a little bit different this time. Based on your previous votes, I have chosen the 5 girls with the most potential to win. These are your semi-finalists! The two (or more if tied) girls with the highest number of votes by Monday will be your finalists. Please vote for two now!

Alice Carrol (Aria the Animation)

Chiaki Minami (Minami-Ke)

Kotomi Ichinose (Clannad)

Misaki Nakahara (Welcome to the NHK!)

Moka Akashiya (Rosario + Vampire)

MOE MOE MOE! (Top 8)

Erm...unfortunately the lowest number of votes was a tie between Koume and Azmaria Hendric. Therefore, we had to eliminate them both. There was supposed to be a top nine this week, but we had to skip straight to top eight. Please pick your three favorites from the list below.

Alice Carrol

Chiaki Minami

Isumi Saginomiya

Kagura

Kotomi Ichinose

Koyomi Morishita

Misaki Nakahara

Moka Akashiya

MOE MOE MOE! (Top Ten)

Wow! That was fast. The results are in! Thanks to everyone for voting. Here are your top ten. Please vote for four girls. Voting ends Tuesday of next week. Thank you! ^_^

Alice Carrol

Azmaria Hendric

Chiaki Minami

Isumi Saginomiya

Kagura

Kotomi Ichinose

Koyomi Morishita

Misaki Nakahara

Moka Akashiya

Koume