Tag: Crunchyroll

Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Tsurune

Minato Narumiya is beginning his freshman year at the local Kazemai High School. Mr. Tommy, adviser to the Japanese archery Club, is keen to recruit Minato, as well as his childhood friends Seiya Takehaya and Ryohei Yamanouchi. Ryohei convinces the reluctant Minato to attend the Club’s orientation, where he also meets Kaito Onogi and Nanao Kisaragi. Singling Minato out, Mr. Tommy introduces him as a rare Japanese archery talent and asks him to demonstrate in front of everyone. However, Minato’s arrow fails to hit the mark because he is afflicted by a serious condition. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and HIDIVE

Episodes: TBA

Source: Novel

Episode Summary: With a new school year comes a fresh start, and Minato needs one; after the death of his mother, most of the household responsibilities have fallen on his shoulders. At a new school where he expects to know very few people, he thinks he might be able to fade into the background enough to go home rather than joining a club (which he doesn’t have time for anyway). This plan falls apart quickly as several factors come into focus. First, his neighbor Seiya is one of the few people from his previous school attending the same high school, so they end up having to interact as a matter of course. Secondly, the two boys reunite with Ryohei, a friend from their elementary-school days who transferred away in middle school. Thirdly, the high school is hoping to resurrect its Kyudo – traditional archery – program, and Minato may end up right in the middle of it.

Minato has some history with the martial art, though he’s adamant that his domestic responsibilities necessarily keep him from getting involved in the newly-re-established club. His friends, suspecting that his internal desire might win-out against his perceived familial obligations, manage to get him to come to the first club meeting. But it turns out that Minato is carrying some additional baggage and the resulting anxiety results in missed shots and a some subsequent bad feelings. As he mulls the situation, he finds himself drawn to a hilltop Kyudo practice field within a shrine as the moon glows above. There he meets a mysterious archer, one with beautiful form and perfect aim.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Tsurune”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Ulysses: Jeanne d’Arc and the Alchemist Knight

During France’s Hundred Years’ War with England, Montmorency, the son of a noble, immerses himself in the study of magic and alchemy at a school for knights. However, after France’s defeat at Agincourt, the school is disbanded and Montmorency is forced to flee. While on the run he meets a miraculous village girl named Jeanne. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Novels

Episode Summary: Montmorency, along with his friends Richemont, Charlotte, and Philip, attend a school for the children of nobles. The backdrop of their carefree school days is the Hundred Year War between France and England. Though they all realize that their friendship will likely come to an end as their families take their places within each faction of the conflict, right now they choose to cling to them as a last bastion of innocent joy. Montmorency has taken it upon himself to try to learn alchemy in order to protect the lives of his friends, but his “master,” a mysterious old alchemist named Nicholas Flamel, is unwilling to train him in this dark art.

Eventually Richemont is called away to join her family in fighting the English, while Philip returns to her father, who has allied with England. Montmorency, realizing that he cannot change things through his own physical power, chooses to enter into a pact with the devil. He summons a fairy named Astaroth, who instructs him in concocting the “Elixir.” Imbibing the elixir will allow him to join with the Philosopher’s Stone (a relic from his family) and gain immense power. He realizes, after what he believes is an unsuccessful attempt at distilling this concoction, that 7 years have now passed.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Ulysses: Jeanne d’Arc and the Alchemist Knight”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Anima Yell!

Kohane Hatoya is a girl who loves to be helpful to others. After she moves from middle school to high school, she becomes fascinated with cheerleading, and she starts a cheerleading club at her high school. Joining Kohane in her cheerleading activities is the experienced Hizume and Kohane’s childhood friend Uki.  – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Kohane has a formative experience one day when she happens to see a group of cheerleaders performing a routine outdoors. She decides to join her high school’s cheer squad in the upcoming school year, but the joke’s on her – there isn’t one. Not one to wither in defeat, Kohane decides to create her own club, but faces an uphill battle in both recruitment (not even her friend Uki seems interested in joining) and skill level (she’s a beginner who can’t even pronounce “cheer” correctly).

Kohane recognizes her classmate Hizume as one of the squad members who inspired her that fateful day, but Hizume’s a tough sell; she’s dealing with some emotional baggage that’s caused her to give up on the sport all together. Still, Kohane spends the next several days practicing her skills, including trying to overcome her fear of heights. When she jumps out of a tree to support Hizume in her emotional time of need, Hizume finally seems convinced. But they’ll still have to find three other people willing to give their new cheer club a chance.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Anima Yell!”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions: Radiant

Seth is a boy who seeks to become a great magician, and a group of witches who seek to travel to the Radiant. Radiant is a mythical land that spawns monsters called “Néméses” which fall to the world from the sky. While traveling, they are also hunted by The Inquisition – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 21

Source: French Comic

Episode Summary: The demonic “Nemesis” have mysterious origins; they might be Heaven’s punishment or they could be monsters ejected from Hell. Those who encounter these beasts, should they survive, are forever changed by the experience. Most become “cursed” by magical power, which they in turn use to defend the rest of Humanity against the Nemesis. Seth is one of these cursed sorcerers, or at least he aims to be one; currently he’s just an apprentice to Alma, an experienced magician and Nemesis-hunter. His enthusiasm for magic is not matched by his actual skill, and this tends to cause friction between Seth and the rest of the local town.

One day, Seth and his friend Tommy witness something horrific streaking across the sky – Seth recognizes it as a Nemesis egg and he sends Tommy to evacuate the townspeople. Seth decides to take on the challenge of defeating the Nemesis on his own since Alma is off fighting elsewhere. The task soon proves overwhelming as the monster rebukes every one of Seth’s tricks and weapons. Just as he’s about to be crushed, the monster is blasted away by a group of 4 wandering sorcerers who’ve arrived just in the nick of time.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions: Radiant”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – SSSS.Gridman

Yuta Hibiki awakens with amnesia and the ability see things that others cannot. He first encounters a Gridman in the reflection of his friend Rikka Takarada’s computer and it tells him to “Remember his calling,” but Yuta doesn’t understand what this means. Later, in the distance, he sees an extremely large monster but it doesn’t move. It’s only when Yuta gets to school that the two sightings make sense: a monster attacks and the hero Yuta saw in the computer screen pulls him within the computer and transforms Yuta into a giant hero named Gridman. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Yuta Hibiki wakes up in his classmate Rikka’s living room remembering nothing about who he is or why he’s there; he learns that Rikka discovered him collapsed on the street outside her home, and is a bit irritated by his continued presence. What’s more worrisome is that Yuta has started to hallucinate; he sees an image of a costumed hero called “Gridman” on a monitor of one of Rikka’s mother’s old computers. No one else can see the mysterious Gridman, so Yuta decides to play it off as well as he can. After Rikka does some detective work to find out where he lives, she walks Yuta home.

Yuta learns that his parents are out of the country, so tries to take care of himself as best he can. His friend Utsumi picks him up the next morning and makes sure he gets to school. All seems relatively well considering the circumstances. But Yuta senses the shadow of a beast lurking around the town’s horizon; yet another image that no one else sees or acknowledges. As the day turns to evening, though, the beast awakens and begins to tear into the city. Yuta hears a voice in his head and he makes his way back to the old computer in Rikka’s home where he sees Gridman. Yuta is pulled into the computer and joins with Gridman to fight the kaiju, ultimately tearing the robotic creature apart. This unorthodox way of defending the city appears to be Yuta’s destiny, but the workings of this partnership, as well as the roles Rikka and Utsumi might play, are still a mystery to all.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – SSSS.Gridman”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Bakumatsu

The Bakumatsu was an era in which the souls of young men burned with anxiety for their country’s future. Takasugi Shinsaku, a soldier of fortune from Choshu, sneaks aboard a government ship with his comrade Katsura Kogorou in search of a mysterious “timepiece” with the power to manipulate time that he fears the government wishes to keep for themselves. Rather than allow such power to fall into the wrong hands, Takasugi plans to destroy the artifact, but having obtained it, the artifact is quickly stolen, forcing the pair to follow the mysterious thief to the seat of government in Kyoto. – MAL

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Game

Episode Summary: Shinsaku and Katsura are out on the night sea to obtain a treasure sought by the Tokugawa Shogunate. This treasure is said to grant its owner power over time and space, but Shinsaku wants to destroy it so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands and create a power imbalance. Though their stealth skills leave something to be desired, they do eventually abscond with the treasure. That is, they nearly make a clean getaway until a mysterious female ninja grabs the item from under their noses, using it to escape into the time stream right before the men are discovered and targeted by cannon fire. Undeterred, they make a second pass at bungling the shogunate’s plans, but after walking in on a mysterious sleeping man trapped in the basement of the enemy fortress, it feels as though something about their world has changed.

The horizon is now dominated by a strange conglomeration of threatening architecture, and Shinsaku and Katsura’s clothing has undergone a transformation as well. They quickly discover that they’re in an alternate time stream from their own, in which the Tokugawa fell and the subsequent power vacuum was filled by someone with decidedly sinister motive. Shinsaku’s first inclination is to go on the offensive, but he soon discovers that his opponents possess the power of various figures from throughout Japanese history.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Bakumatsu”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Ms. Vampire Who Lives in my Neighborhood

Due to a strange incident, Akari Amano is rescued by a vampire girl named Sophie Twilight, and Akari becomes interested in her. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Akari Amano is really into dolls, so when she catches wind of a mysterious girl who, according to legend, lives in the forest and never ages, she assumes this person must be some sort of living doll. The truth is even more amazing – the girl’s name is Sophie Twilight, and she’s actually a vampire. Sophie lives alone in her large house, and Akari takes it upon herself to keep Sophie from feeling lonely. The thing is, Sophie enjoys her loner night-owl existence, and Akari’s budding obsession is starting to get in the way.

When Akari leaves for a time, however, the difference is noticeable to Sophie. Though she appreciates the quiet, she realizes that Akari’s presence brought a fun atmosphere to her home. Without the constant chatter and questioning of her vampire lifestyle, Sophie feels as though something is missing. Akari is way ahead of the game, having decided to pack up her things (including several of her dolls) and move into Sophie’s home. Though the logistics might need some hammering-out, this could turn out to be a fun adventure for both girls.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Ms. Vampire Who Lives in my Neighborhood”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Zombie Land Saga

The usual mornings. The usual music. The usual self. For seven girls, a peaceful life was all of a sudden destroyed. All at the hands of zombies, dead things that somehow remained moving. Now they step into a new world, whether they liked it or not. A “zombieworld” that represented both the best and the worst. The seven girls had only one wish: “We want to live.” – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation (Simuldub premieres Oct. 28th)

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Sakura loves watching idol performances and is looking forward to submitting her application to become an idol. Unfortunately, on her way out the door to mail it in, she’s hit by a truck. She wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings during a raging thunderstorm, and is soon pursued by other frightening figures in the darkness. Sakura escapes the house and encounters a police officer, but his reaction to her appearance isn’t encouraging. When she sees her own reflection, it becomes clear; she’s in the same state as the zombie-like creatures who chased her away.

Sakura is collected by Tatsumi, a flamboyant and eccentric man who claims to be putting together an idol group. The other threatening creatures are undead women from throughout idol history, brought back to life for this very purpose. Aside from Sakura, all the others behave as typical zombies would, mindlessly shuffling throughout the room and occasionally biting one-another. Considering these unusual circumstances, Sakura believes this whole “idol” business to be complete folly. Nevertheless, Tatsumi has signed them all up for a live performance at a local death metal festival. Having never practiced any songs or routines the performance is still an unlikely success; it seems that the zombies still retain some inherent sense of rhythm, and their horrifying death screams fit right into the atmosphere. The performance also seems to have had another benefit – the mental stimulation has “awakened” most of the other girls, who are now able to function like Sakura.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Zombie Land Saga”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Goblin Slayer

“I’m not saving the world. I just kill goblins.” Rumor has it that, in a certain guild in the middle of nowhere, there is an extraordinary man who has climbed all the way to the Silver rank just by killing goblins. At the same guild, a priestess who’s just become a new adventurer has formed her first party… and the man who ends up rescuing that party when they get into trouble is none other than the Goblin Slayer. – Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: A Priestess, having just become an adult at 15, elects to become an adventurer and to serve as a healer for adventuring parties. No sooner does she join a local guild than she’s hired by a group of greenhorn adventurers on a quest to exterminate a nest of goblins. Though the popular opinion is that such a quest is too much for beginners, the enthusiastic bunch isn’t deterred. The Priestess joins them.

As they enter the goblins’ cave, it becomes apparent just how woefully under-prepared they are. The swordsman’s sword is too long for such an enclosed space, and no one has brought any healing items with them. When the Priestess and mage fall behind they’re soon surrounding by a swarm of goblins who, despite their small size, are vicious and cruel. Things quickly take a downturn and the Priestess soon finds herself alone and in a very vulnerable position. It is likely only due to insanely good luck that she is saved by the Goblin Slayer, a high-ranking member of the guild who makes quick work of the goblin horde. She then elects to join the Goblin Slayer on his quest to kill goblins.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Goblin Slayer”
Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Hinomaru Sumo

A “small” new student, Ushio Hinomaru, appears before the weak little sumo club of Oodachi High School. The words “big” and “heavy” are the rules to this sport, which does not fit this newbie one bit, but Ushio surprises everyone. Ushio and the small sumo club climbs its way to the top with a goal to reach the highest rank, Hinoshita Kaisan. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 24

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Ushio Hinomaru is a small guy with a big dream – to achieve the rank of Yokozuna, the highest honor in sumo wresting. He takes a day to scout a high school with a famous sumo program, but gets off at the wrong train stop and finds his way to Oodachi High School instead. He meets Ozeki Shinya, practicing his sumo techniques outside. Though he’s lovingly constructed a sumo ring outdoors, Ushio wonders why he doesn’t make use of the perfectly good dojo on the school grounds. Unfortunately, it’s been overrun by delinquents and Ozeki is too timid to kick them out.

Ushio’s love of sumo is such that, when the ringleader of the delinquents makes a mess of Ozeki’s wrestling area, Ushio challenges him to a duel. Ozeki offers to give up sumo to protect him, but Ushio will have none of it. In order to win this rigged contest, he’ll have to endure 10 minutes worth of punches without defending himself, something that his fine-tuned muscular body seems to do effortlessly (even when an extra 5 minutes is added in secret). Ozeki gets his dojo back, and Ushio goes to find the high school he was actually looking for. When Spring arrives, Ozeki receives a big surprise; Ushio decided to transfer to Oodachi High after all, because he was so wow-ed by Ozeki’s dedication to sumo wrestling.

Continue reading “Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Hinomaru Sumo”