Manga Review: Beast Complex I

Manga Review: Beast Complex I by Paru Itagaki As it happens, Paru Itagaki has loved drawing animals and animal-people since she was a child. So it’s no surprise that when she started professional manga creation, she chose to write about a world where various animal people lived together and tried to have a civilization. Before… Continue reading Manga Review: Beast Complex I

Movie Review: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

"Aunt Witch" is fast on the uptake.

Movie Review: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) directed by Mamoru Hosoda Makoto thinks of herself as an ordinary high school girl, neither brainy or stupid, neither athletic or clumsy, usually good luck slightly outweighing the bad. She also enjoys hanging out with her buddies Koutaro (a serious lad who wants to be a doctor… Continue reading Movie Review: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Movie Review: Legend of the Red Dragon

Hung and Ting share a father-son moment.

Movie Review: Legend of the Red Dragon (1994) directed by Jing Wong Hung Hei Kwun (Jet Li) and his fellow villagers oppose the oppressive Manchu government. One night, Hung returns from a journey to find that the village has been massacred. As it happens, the only survivor is his toddler son Ting (Miu Tse). Hung allows… Continue reading Movie Review: Legend of the Red Dragon

Magazine Review: Strange Fantasy Spring 1970

The stories illustrated on the cover are, from left, "The Shrine of Temptation", "Sword of Flowers" and "Planet of Change".

Magazine Review: Strange Fantasy Spring 1970 “Strange Fantasy” was a short-lived reprint digest-sized magazine from Ultimate Publishing. This issue’s stories were originally published between 1959 and 1964, which somewhat belies the cover text. “The Shrine of Temptation” by Judith Merril starts us off with an anthropologist’s tale of a mysterious shrine on an isolated island.… Continue reading Magazine Review: Strange Fantasy Spring 1970

Comic Book Review: Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade

Comic Book Review: Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade written by Landry Q. Walker, art by Eric Jones Lex Luthor has finally developed the ultimate anti-Superman robot, which is immune to all his Kryptonian powers! Only a rocket from another dimension could possibly harm it. This being a comic book, a rocket from another… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade

Manga Review: Yuzu the Pet Vet 1

Manga Review: Yuzu the Pet Vet 1 by Mingo Ito Yuzu Morino’s mother is very sick and will have to spend a lot of time in the hospital. Since her father passed away some years ago, her maternal uncle Akihito has agreed to take her into his home. Yuzu knew that he was a veterinarian,… Continue reading Manga Review: Yuzu the Pet Vet 1

Manga Review: Psycho Busters 2

Manga Review: Psycho Busters 2 art by Akinari Nao, story by Yuya Aoki Kakeru Hase was enjoying being left alone on summer break (father overseas on business, mother and sisters on a contest trip to Hawaii), but a little bored after a couple of days lazing about the house. Just as he’d convinced himself that… Continue reading Manga Review: Psycho Busters 2

Anime Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

The main cast takes a bow.

Anime Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! “Monkey Girl” was an ordinary seventeen-year-old fan of otome computer games (basically choose your own adventure stories aimed at girls where you try to snare one of a set of romantic options by choosing the right actions and dialogue options.) That is,… Continue reading Anime Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

Movie Review: Let the Right One In

Oskar meets Eli.

Movie Review: Let the Right One In (2008) directed by Tomas Alfredson Oskar, like a lot of twelve year olds, has problems. His parents are divorced (and Dad has a drinking problem), and he’s being bullied at school. Having a strong interest in serial killers, Oskar has taken to carrying a knife and fantasizing about solving… Continue reading Movie Review: Let the Right One In

Book Review: Toughest in the Legion: The Complete Adventures of Thibault Corday and the Foreign Legion Volume 2

Book Review: Toughest in the Legion: The Complete Adventures of Thibault Corday and the Foreign Legion Volume 2 by Theodore Roscoe Thibault Corday is in his eighties now, and enjoying his retirement in Northern Africa, but his beard is still cinnamon-colored, and his memory is sharp. If you come to the cafe and he likes you, Monsieur Corday will spin you a tale of his days in the French Foreign Legion. This volume… Continue reading Book Review: Toughest in the Legion: The Complete Adventures of Thibault Corday and the Foreign Legion Volume 2