Anime Review: Kill la Kill In the indefinite future, Ryuko Matoi is the delinquent daughter of a mad scientist who arrives home after a long time away at school to find him murdered with one blade of a giant scissors. The killer, too far away to identify, has the other blade. Ryuko vows vengeance. In… Continue reading Anime Review: Kill la Kill
Tag: Japan
Movie Review: Kill Devil
Movie Review: Kill Devil (2004) A teenager wakes up on a deserted beach, sometime in autumn. He doesn’t remember who he is or how he got there, but the blanket he was under indicates he wasn’t on that beach by accident. He’s wearing a strange metal wristband with the name “Shougo” on it, so that’s… Continue reading Movie Review: Kill Devil
Movie Review: Chushingura (The 47 Loyal Ronin)
Movie Review: Chushingura (The 47 Loyal Ronin) (1962) As mentioned in my previous reviews of book and comic book versions, the tale of the forty-seven ronin is one of Japan’s great stories, based on true events. Briefly, in 1701, Lord Kira provokes Lord Asano into breaking the rules of the Shogun’s court, a crime that… Continue reading Movie Review: Chushingura (The 47 Loyal Ronin)
Manga Review: Weekly Shonen Jump (USA)
Manga Review: Weekly Shonen Jump (USA) It’s the first anniversary of my blog! To celebrate, I thought it would be nice to update the very first review that appeared here. http://www.skjam.com/2012/12/09/manga-review-shonen-jump-alpha/ Shounen Jump is still Japan’s number one best-selling manga anthology title. Although the primary market is still middle-school through high school boys, people of… Continue reading Manga Review: Weekly Shonen Jump (USA)
Anime Review: Servant X Service
Anime Review: Servant X Service Like America, Japan has had its economic woes in the last few years, with unemployment a serious problem for many people. One of the jobs considered “safe” and steady if not spectacular work, is being a civil servant. So it is that a certain city Health and Welfare Office comes… Continue reading Anime Review: Servant X Service
Anime Review: Mushibugyo
Anime Review: Mushibugyo It has been about a century since Japan was invaded by giant mushi (“insect” or “bug”, it’s a loose category) that rampage about, eating people and destroying buildings. In Edo, the capital, the shogunate government has established the office of the Mushibugyo (“Insect Magistrate”) to protect the city and its people. A new… Continue reading Anime Review: Mushibugyo
Book Review: Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific January 1942-April 1943
Book Review: Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific January 1942-April 1943 by Bruce Gamble Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. This is the second of three books about the Southwest Pacific campaign during World War Two. The first book covered the fate… Continue reading Book Review: Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific January 1942-April 1943
Comic Book Review: 47 Ronin
Comic Book Review: 47 Ronin by Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai The tale of the forty-seven ronin is one of the classics of Japanese culture. It’s based on actual events that occurred in 1701-2. Lord Asano was provoked into an offense that caused him to be sentenced to ritual suicide, his lands were confiscated, and… Continue reading Comic Book Review: 47 Ronin
Manga Review: Voice Over! Seiyu Academy #1
Manga Review: Voice Over! Seiyu Academy #1 by Maki Minami Hime Kino isn’t much like her name would imply (“Hime” means “Princess.”) She’s clumsy and tomboyish, and none too bright. Plus, she’s got a voice like a gravel pit, that only gets worse when she tries to sound cute. But she’s a huge fan of… Continue reading Manga Review: Voice Over! Seiyu Academy #1
Anime Review: [C] The Money of Soul and Possibility
Anime Review: [C] The Money of Soul and Possibility Kimimaro Yoga is an impoverished college student, bitter about the suicide of his father, which he sees as abandonment, and working hard to make sure he has a financially stable future. One day he is approached by a being called Masakaki and offered a deal. If… Continue reading Anime Review: [C] The Money of Soul and Possibility