Open Thread: Top Ten Lists for 2024!

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Open Thread: Top Ten Lists for 2024! Well, that was certainly a year, wasn’t it? Before we step into the dreaded new year, let’s take a look back at what you, my faithful readers, looked at the most in 2024 Top Ten Posts in 2024 For the first time ever, books do not dominate the… Continue reading Open Thread: Top Ten Lists for 2024!

Anime Review: The Stories of Girls Who Couldn’t Be Magicians

The Magic Research Club members might be offputting, but they're not bad people.

Anime Review: The Stories of Girls Who Couldn’t Be Magicians When Kurumi Mirai was little, she met a mysterious woman in the woods. This woman was a magician, and showed off her power in a cool way. She said that anyone could become a magician, and Kurumi pledged that she too would be a magician… Continue reading Anime Review: The Stories of Girls Who Couldn’t Be Magicians

Anime Review: Saint Seiya: Hades Chapter

Persephone plays the harp while waiting for the main plot to begin.

Anime Review: Saint Seiya: Hades Chapter Quick recap: The Greek gods are real, in that they’re energy beings who periodically reincarnate in human bodies. Most of the gods are hostile to humanity, but Athena is its protector. Currently she inhabits the body of Saori Kiddo, an heiress who was raised in Japan. Saori/Athena is served… Continue reading Anime Review: Saint Seiya: Hades Chapter

Anime Review: Kengan Ashura

Ohma during an early fight.

Anime Review: Kengan Ashura Kazuo Yamashita is 56 years old, and it’s been a pretty miserable life. He works as a salaryman in the sales department at Nogi Publications with a manager who’s constantly bullying and belittling him. Kazuo’s wife left him years ago, and he’s estranged from his sons, shut-in Kenzo and delinquent Yasuo.… Continue reading Anime Review: Kengan Ashura

Anime Review: Time Patrol Bon

Bon and Ream deal with the realities of their job.

Anime Review: Time Patrol Bon (aka T.P. Bon) Bon Namihira is a fairly normal (his name would translate to something like “Joe Average” in English) middle schooler. His grades are in the middle of the pack, he’s not particularly athletic but no wimp, he’s not particularly popular but does have friends. But when time starts… Continue reading Anime Review: Time Patrol Bon

Anime Review: Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac: Sanctuary Arc

Hyouga faces an uncomfortable fact.

Anime Review: Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac: Sanctuary Arc Quick recap: The Greek gods are real, in that they are energy beings that periodically reincarnate inside human beings. Most of them appear to be hostile to regular humans, with the notable exception of Athena, who defends humanity against her more destructive brethren. This go-round,… Continue reading Anime Review: Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac: Sanctuary Arc

Book Review: The Horrors of Anime

Book Review: The Horrors of Anime by Mark McPherson As an anime fan myself, I can assure you that there is truly awesome Japanese animation out there that I would wholeheartedly recommend to nearly everyone. There are also good anime, okay anime, mediocre anime (quite a large chunk of the field if I’m being honest),… Continue reading Book Review: The Horrors of Anime

Anime Review: Bang Brave Bang Bravern!

Lewis Smith has always wanted to pilot a giant robot.

Anime Review: Bang Brave Bang Bravern! (Japanese title: Yuuki Bakuhatsu Bang Bravern!“) In the not so distant future, the latest weapons development is combat mecha. These “Titanostriders” are a lot like more agile tanks, with all the strengths and weaknesses that implies. On Oahu, there’s a joint military exercise with the Americans, Japanese and Germans… Continue reading Anime Review: Bang Brave Bang Bravern!

Movie Review: Negadon: The Monster from Mars

Negadon attacks!

Movie Review: Negadon: The Monster from Mars (2005) directed by Jun Awazu In the near future of 2025, Earth’s resources are running out, so the humans are terraforming Mars. While doing so, they discover a giant cocoon-like object and decide to take it home. Unfortunately for the crew of the Izanami and everyone else in Japan, the creature… Continue reading Movie Review: Negadon: The Monster from Mars

Anime Review: The Apothecary Diaries

Maomao hears about a terrifying rumor.

Anime Review: The Apothecary Diaries As with the manga volume previously reviewed, and the web and light novels the manga was based on, this anime is set in a country that is heavily based on ancient China. Maomao is a promising young apothecary who’s kidnapped and sold into servitude in the “rear palace”, the Emperor’s… Continue reading Anime Review: The Apothecary Diaries