Tag: Crunchyroll

Categories
Halloween Seasonal Special Features

It’s Spooky Season! – Day 7: The Girl From the Other Side

We human beings consider ourselves to be intellectually and culturally advanced. We’ve conquered the world and wield technology and innovation the likes of which would be unimaginable to our cave-dwelling ancestors. But in reality I believe we’re not really as divorced from our ancient selves as we like to think we are. Many of us have visceral reactions to strange noises, or being alone in the dark when it’s a little too quiet. There are reasons why elements of body horror in a piece of media are so effective.

Continue reading “It’s Spooky Season! – Day 7: The Girl From the Other Side”
Categories
Halloween Seasonal Special Features

It’s Spooky Season! – Day 1: Healer Girl Episode 10

While it may be the case that, for some of us, our anticipation of Halloween never really wanes, once the calendar flips to the month of October it finally feels reasonable to get hyped up over pumpkins and skeletons. And though Halloween isn’t a holiday native to Japan, judging by its presence as a background motif in media ranging from Cowboy Bebop: The Movie to Odd Taxi, it’s certainly cemented its unique place in the country’s culture. There are several anime that deal directly with the holiday, and many more that make for good watching for those of us who enjoy getting into the mood while indulging in our favorite hobby.

I’ll be spending the month (or at least as many days as I can manage) giving out some of my personal recommendations for spooky anime (and perhaps some manga if I happen to be so motivated). Most of these are just fun and mildly seasonally-appropriate, but there are some genuine spooks sprinkled throughout. While there might be some familiar entries in the list, I’m trying my best to dig a little bit for some surprises, so hopefully folks will find a few new things they weren’t aware of previously. Note: most of these should be fairly easy to find on streaming or disc, and I’ll make note of where to watch them if that’s the case. If they’re not legally available in the US, however, I’ll leave it to you to find them on your own.

Continue reading “It’s Spooky Season! – Day 1: Healer Girl Episode 10”
Categories
Favorites Special Features

Five Anime to Watch if You’re Short on Time – Round 1

I used to think that I was too busy, and then I went and had a kid. Now I truly know the meaning of not having the time I want to indulge in my various extracurriculars (right now my spouse is out with the baby so I can have some time to myself, and I still spent the first hour of this precious time taking care of house chores instead of settling down to write – I have problems). Along those same lines, the thought of trying to keep up with several seasonal anime series like I’ve done in the past is truly laughable, and I haven’t been current with very many anime series over the last several seasons at least. I’m sure some of you out there reading can share in my frustration.

Luckily, there’s good anime out there for people in our situation. While I definitely won’t be digging into anything of the magnitude of One Piece any time soon (or ever), I know of plenty of bite-sized anime treats to enjoy while carving out some precious free time in between other obligations. I’ll be sharing some of my favorites over several upcoming posts, to hopefully provide something of a lifeline for others just looking for a quick fix rather than something that would take half a lifetime to watch.

Please note: while I encourage folks to seek out official sources for these titles (I’ll be listing availability as appropriate) not everything may have an official US release. Unfortunately, this is simply the nature of being a long-time anime fan who’s watched various series become more and less available over time.

Continue reading “Five Anime to Watch if You’re Short on Time – Round 1”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impressions – Fuuto PI

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: The city of Fuuto is a mysterious place where it’s very easy for magic to become reality. Shotaro Hidari considers himself a hard-boiled detective (though some would beg to differ) who knows the city like the back of his own hand. However, when a supposed “witch” begins mugging people, Shotaro finds that despite meeting her in person one night and being struck by her beauty, she’s especially difficult to track down. When a victim approaches him to help find her (along with his stolen items) it takes the extent of Shotaro’s information network to simply figure out where she might appear next.

When it becomes apparent that this witch may also have had her hand in the murder of the member of a local crime organization, Shotaro considers leaving the matter to the city’s police. However, the insistence of the client, as well as the nature of his own pride as a private investigator, keeps driving him toward answers. When he and his client are drawn into an alternate version of Fuuto and find themselves under attack, Shotaro finds himself in a pinch. The only thing that can save them is the intervention of Phillip – Shotaro’s literal other half as part of Kamen Rider W.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impressions – Fuuto PI”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impressions – The Maid I Hired Recently Is Mysterious

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 11

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: After Yuuri’s parents pass away tragically in an accident, he decides to let the servants at his small mansion go to help preserve some of his inheritance. Unfortunately, for a kid with very little experience cooking and cleaning, living life entirely on his own has a steep learning curve. It’s at his moment of greatest need that Lilith, a maid, shows up on Yuuri’s doorstep and offers to work for him in exchange for nothing more than room and board. Though Yuuri finds this suspicious, the alternative isn’t appealing.

Almost immediately, Yuuri finds Lilith’s behavior questionable. She teases him with a familiarity that seems counter to the fact that they barely know one-another. Yuuri often finds her up late at night reading books or cooking up concoctions in the kitchen. He’s sure that she must be some kind of sorceress out to get him. It’s true that her motives run deeper than they may seem to at first, but despite her seemingly playful nature, Lilith wants to wait for the right time to let the young master know more about herself.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impressions – The Maid I Hired Recently Is Mysterious”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impressions – Parallel World Pharmacy

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: A pharmacology researcher works obsessive hours as a response to the loss of his sister from cancer in their childhood. Unfortunately the endless work and little rest catch up to him one night and he collapses in his office. When he awakens, he finds himself not only in another world, but in the body of young Farma – a noble whose family is well-renowned for their talent in the medical arts. Farma was recently struck by lightning, and his maid Charlotte notices some strange marks on his arms which she believes indicate that he was saved from certain death by the god of pharmacology.

Farma soon begins to understand the implications of the situation he’s been dropped into, and starts attempting to re-learn the skills that he knew prior to being struck by lightning. As he becomes reacquainted with his abilities, it becomes apparent that he has the potential to wield a great deal of power. When his tutor Elen begins to sense something different in Farma, including the fact that he has access to powers that, as a human, he probably shouldn’t, she becomes terrified of him. Could Farma possibly be a god incarnate – or might he be a demon?

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impressions – Parallel World Pharmacy”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impressions – Shine On! Bakumatsu Bad Boys

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: In the Bakumatsu era, the Shinsengumi were nearly wiped out by a mysterious group of masked foes. In order to help defend the local populace against these enemies who seem to have some connection to the Shogunate, Todo Heisuke, the one Shinsengumi member left standing, kidnaps a group of death row inmates and provides them with a choice – either join the ailing Shinsengumi by “becoming” its lost members, or be executed immediately.

Most of the criminals choose to take on these new roles. Among them is Ichibanboshi, a brawler with a laser-focused desire for revenge. When he discovers that his personal goals align with that of the Shinsengumi, his decision to join them is an easy one. Unfortunately his brash attitude and unique fighting style leave something to be desired within an organization that prides itself on its swordplay. Yet, when he encounters one of the masked Ronin about to raise his sword against an innocent family, Ichibanboshi is able to draw from the power of the Shinsengumi he now embodies to dispel the strange, malignant forces controlling the Ronin.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impressions – Shine On! Bakumatsu Bad Boys”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impression – Extreme Hearts

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Hiyori’s idol career has stalled-out before it even truly began. Though she has musical talent and a desire for her songs to be heard, she just hasn’t gained the fandom that her managers would have wanted. Her one true fan, Saki, listens to Hiyori sing after school every day, but one fan does not a career make, no matter how passionate that person may be. Eventually Hiyori’s management terminates her contract, but they leave her with a piece of advice – she may be able to give her budding career the jump-start it needs by entering into one of the many Hyper Sports competitions that are all the rage.

Hyper sports players employ a wide selection of enhancement gear during their matches, which adds an additional element of excitement to the games. The best teams also tend to become famous, which is something Hiyori wants. When she starts training, however, this causes Saki to remember some painful moments from her own soccer-playing past. It isn’t until Hiyori is actually out on the field attempting to make her dream a reality that Saki truly comes to terms with her own failures, and she and her friend Sumika rush onto the field to support Hiyori.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impression – Extreme Hearts”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impressions – Black Summoner

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: TBA

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: Summoner Kelvin doesn’t remember anything about his former life. In exchange for better starting stats, he offered up his memories to Melfina, the goddess of reincarnation. Now he’s one of very few summoners in his new world, although his former self seems to have been a bit of a romantic – having fallen in love with Melfina, he somehow convinced her to tag along with him in his new life in the form of a talking stat menu. At least that’s helped him get up to speed with the customs and peculiarities of his new world.

When he registers at the local adventurers’ guild, he disguises his true skills to avoid attracting too much attention. However, he chooses his first task – defeating three blue slimes – with the extra goal of forming a summoning contract with one of the monsters. After some initial issues with underestimating the strength of blue slimes, Kelvin manages to contract with one and then complete his task. It seems that his new adventure is now underway, although the city seems to have a bit of a dark underbelly that Kelvin has only just started to uncover.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impressions – Black Summoner”
Categories
Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Summer 2022 First Impressions – Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: TBA

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Yuuhi Amamiya is a busy college student with a lot on his mind, so when he’s initially approached by a talking lizard he feels as though it must be a product of his stress and overwork. Eventually, after many attempts at getting rid of the vocalizing reptile (who’s literally attached to him at all times) and then learning he now has access to a type of forcefield power via a magic ring, he begins to accept the fact that he may truly, for some reason, have been designated the “Lizard Knight.” Being chosen and being willing are two different things entirely, however.

After facing off against a frightening golem and also being forced to recall the harsh words of his grandfather, Yuuhi is done with this whole “saving the world” thing. But the power is really not his to give up. After learning that his neighbor, Samidare, is the princess that his lizard friend keeps referring to, and that the world is under threat from a giant looming object called the “Biscuit Hammer,” Yuuhi starts to feel trapped in his role. Samidare is also not entirely benevolent herself; she hopes to defeat the Biscuit Hammer so that she can then destroy the world via her own two hands.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 First Impressions – Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer”