Tag: Fantasy

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First Impressions Reviews

Spring 2019 First Impressions – Sarazanmai

One day, three second-year middle school students — Kazuki Yasaka, Toi Kuji, and Enta Jinai — meet a kappa-like creature named Keppi, who is the self-proclaimed heir to the throne of Kappa Kingdom. Keppi forcibly takes the students’ shirikodama (a mythical organ kappa steal through a person’s anus) and they are transformed into kappa. Keppi informs them, “If you want to return to your former selves, you need to connect in ‘that way’ and you must bring me the shirikodama of zombies.” At the same time, two policemen, Reo Niiboshi and Mabu Akutsu, try to do something at the police box where they are stationed. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 11

Source: Original

Episode Summary: In Asakusa, images of the Kappa yokai abound. But little did Kazuki, Toi, and later Enta suspect that the golden kappa statue within the local shrine housed inside it a real, live kappa. After running into Kazuki again by accident, Toi’s violent defense of his own illegal activities knocks the statue off its base; when they return to the scene of the crime later on, Prince Keppi of the Kappa Kingdom appears before them in a poof of purple smoke. When the boys mistakenly refer to Keppi as a frog, he punishes them by stealing their shirikodama (an organ in the anus housing human desires) and turning them (and later Enta) into kappa.

Their ticket back to humanity relies on their ability to team up and steal the shirikodama of zombies – poor humans consumed by their own artificially-augmented desires. The only catch is that, once doing so, the three boys’ own deep, dark secrets are revealed to one-another. As the trio completes the Sarazanmai, Kazuki’s secret is thrust out into the open. This is embarrassing, but could this be a way for him to seek the connections he desires?

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First Impressions Reviews

Spring 2019 First Impressions – NamuAmidaButsu! ~Utena~

The Thirteen Buddha, along with Taishakuten and Bonten, must confront the evil Māra. Māra seeks revenge against Shaka Nyorai, who had previously saved the world from suffering and conflict by achieving enlightenment. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Hidive

Episodes: 12

Source: Game

Episode Summary: It’s been centuries since Taishakuten and Bonten have visited the material world, so when they easily dispatch a manifestation of human vice and want something else to do afterward, they’re thwarted by all the modern conveniences (like washing machines and supermarkets) that have appeared in the meantime. The other Buddha tell them to relax and enjoy their time on Earth, but sitting around is boring and they’re both chomping at the bit to rid the world of other vices.

Shaka Nyorai takes the two out on an instructional journey, and points out that all humans suffer from some sort of vice, though most are small. The heavenly inclination would be to dispatch them before they grow larger, but that would take every hour of every day in perpetuity. Part of being human is learning to thwart these things on one’s own, and thus Taishakuten and Bonten need to learn when to leave well-enough alone. Just as they are settling into Earthly life, however, the peace is disturbed by the presence of an old enemy.

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Spring 2019 First Impressions – Fairy Gone

Fairies possess and reside within animals, granting them special powers. By surgically removing and transplanting the organs of a possessed animal into a human, humans can partially summon the fairy and use it as a weapon. Eventually, such individuals were used for war, and were called “Fairy Soldiers.” After a long war, these soldiers lost their purpose, and had to reintegrate into society. Nine years after the end of the war, Maria is a fresh recruit of “Dorothea,” an organization dedicated to the investigation and suppression of fairy-related crimes and incidents. Even in peacetime, the government is still unstable after the war. Many criminals still have lingering wounds from the previous conflict, and there are terrorist groups bent on revenge. – ANN

Streaming: Funimation and Hulu

Episodes: 24

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Several years ago, Marlya Noel witnessed the destruction of her home village and was one of only two survivors of the carnage. Nowadays she works as security, hoping to meet back up with Veronica, her fellow escapee. Backstage at an auction house, Marlya marvels at the fairy-related artifacts being bid-upon, though her distracting curiosity draws the ire of Free, the man running the security operation. As bidding commences on a page from a coveted underground tome, the action is interrupted by violence from the hand and heart of a beautiful blond woman. Marlya, as she defends the patrons, is shocked to discover that the woman is, in fact, Veronica.

There is no touching reunion, as Veronica seems uninterested in reminders of her former life. In the struggle, both Veronica and Free reveal their own powerful nature, battling one-another via their terrifying fairy avatars. What Marlya discovers is that, as a survivor of her village, she has this ability as well; she inadvertently joins with a fairy primordial when a fairy bottle breaks. As the violence dies down, Marlya learns that her very existence is illegal under the current government, but Free offers her an out; as an operative of “Dorothea,” he helps hunt down and regulate the use of this forbidden magic. Marlya chooses his outstretched hand – for the time being.

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First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – Mysteria Friends

Mysteria Academy is a prestigious magic school that teaches magic without discrimination to the three factions (men, gods, demons), who usually are engaged in battle with each other. Two of the academy’s students are Anne, a princess and honor student, and Grea, a princess born from a dragon and a human. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 10

Source: Game (offshoot of Rage of Bahamut)

Episode Summary: Anne and Grea are two princesses who are as different as can be. Anne is confident and talented, with magical powers befitting her high status. Grea is the child of a human and a dragon and a quiet, sweet soul. Together the two form a bond of friendship that benefits from their differing personalities and makes their time at Mysteria Magic Academy much more fulfilling.

One day Anne is dragged away to aid in the quelling of an angry library spirit, and the aftermath keeps her there for some of the cleanup. Loyal Grea waits at their meeting place until the sun begins to set. Anne is surprised and touched that Grea waited, and the two go off to have their evening meal together.

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Winter 2019 First Impressions – Grimms Notes: The Animation

Set in a fairy tale world in which everyone receives a book when they are born. These books determine every little detail of that person’s life. Written by the mysterious storyteller, each book traps that individual into a preordained fate. The story, however, stars a hero without a story, someone free to decide his own fate. But since he has only blank pages he can only wander to find his purpose. Our hero travels to lands and meets characters straight out of the pages of some of the most famous fairy tales. He must work together with the characters he meets to fight to get back his story. – Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: TBA

Source: Mobile Game

Episode Summary: Every person is born with a book, its pages telling their life’s story and guiding their fate. What of those whose stories aren’t defined? Ex is one such individual, whose fate and destiny have been left blank. He joins a traveling band of individuals whose purpose is to battle “Chaos Tellers,” enemies who re-write reality and corrupt people’s stories until they become twisted and evil. He hopes to discover what his purpose is as he fights alongside his companions.

As Tao, Shane, Reina, and Ex arrive in Little Red Riding Hood’s world, they discover that she’s gone missing. Eventually they learn that her anxiety over her fate to be eaten by the wolf, as well as her apprehension over the prospect of the Woodsman marrying her mother, have left her open to a Chaos Teller’s corrupting influence. It’s up to this band of fighters, along with their magical fairy tale partners, to set this story straight once again.

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Winter 2019 First Impressions – Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastorale

Daily life for mermaids come with everyday issues. Follow the adventures of five young mermaids as they explore their town and the world around them in this delightful slice-of-life series that takes viewers to an enchanting world beneath the waves. – HIDIVE

Streaming: HIDIVE

Episodes: 12

Source: Original (spinoff of Cardfight!! Vanguard)

Episode Summary: Caro, Serena, Sonata, and Fina are mermaids who live in the quiet undersea town of Parrel. The town is known for its mill-ground coral sugar and fresh hijiki seaweed, but not much else; the people there live a slow-paced life away from the bustle of the big city.

One day the town leader receives a package, inside of which is an orb containing a young mermaid, Canon. Canon has come from the city to live in Parrel for a while, and the girls are happy to treat her like another one of their friends. After a natural phenomenon called the Grand Tide flows through town, taking with it dust and debris and overturning some plant life, the mermaids discover an old building they’d never noticed before. When they go inside, they find a projector and a cine-orb with a film of a mermaid dancing. They wonder what mysteries this forgotten place may hold.

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Winter 2019 First Impressions – Endro!

In the land of Naral Island, a land of magic and swords, humans and monsters live together. Once upon a time, there used to be a terrifying Demon Lord, but long, long ago the first Hero defeated the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord would revive again and again throughout the ages, but every time a Hero would appear to defeat it… Now these young girls attend an Adventurer’s Academy to prepare them to defeat the Demon Lord that will one day rise again. This is the beginning of a laid-back fantasy life with no sign of the Demon Lord for these four who hope to become a party of heroes. – Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Yulia, the hero, and her three companions soundly defeat the Demon Lord, sending them into a prison of time and space. The world is saved! … or so it seems. In truth, the magic spell that sealed the Demon Lord was a fluke with accidental consequences, sending the near-powerless enemy back in time several years before the final conflict.

The Demon Lord finds her way to Yulia-and-company’s hero school to nip the whole adventuring party thing in the bud before it becomes a problem for her. The issue is that, while the heroes aren’t very competent yet, they seem to have a talent for being lucky. That alone may be difficult for a very small Demon Lord to overcome.

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First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – The Rising of the Shield Hero

Naofumi Iwatani, an uncharismatic otaku who spends his days on games and manga, suddenly finds himself summoned to a parallel universe. He discovers he is one of four heroes equipped with legendary weapons and tasked with saving the world from its prophesied destruction. As the Shield Hero, the weakest of the heroes, all is not as it seems. Naofumi is soon alone, penniless, and betrayed. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to run, he is left with only his shield. Now, Naofumi must rise to become the legendary Shield Hero and save the world. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 2-cour (22-26 episodes)

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: Note – the first episode is double-length (45 minutes).

Naofumi leads a relatively comfortable life, which he lives while indulging his otaku habits. One of his favorite activities (after spending all his money, that is) is checking out light novels from the library. On a particular day he discovers a book he’s never seen before, which describes 4 legendary weapon-wielding heroes. As he’s paging through it, a glowing light envelopes him and he finds himself drawn into another world. He’s joined by three other young men and discovers that they have taken on the mantle of the 4 Cardinal Heroes described in the novel. They learn from the local king that they were summoned to stop the prophesied “waves” of malevolent attacks that have already begun.

The four Cardinal Heroes enter the picture. Screencap from Crunchyroll.

Naofumi’s three companions seem to have familiarity with this scenario whereas he does not, and he soon discovers that they hail from alternate versions of Japan in which this story is part of a video game environment. Another bit of bad news is that the shield hero, which Naofumi represents, is generally reserved for poor and inexperienced players, since all the character class is good for is defense. Worse yet, word of Naofumi’s naivete has quickly spread, and no experienced adventurers want to join with him to form a party. After some protests he’s eventually joined by Myne, an attractive young woman. She shows him the ropes, helps him kill some low-level monsters, and even eats dinner with him. But the relationship turns out to be a set-up; Myne uses Naofumi’s trusting nature to rob him blind and frame him for a terrible crime.

Left without resources and essentially exiled without aid, Naofumi begins to learn more about the specific power of his legendary shield while contemplating his revenge. The experience has hardened him and he stops trying to make nice with anyone, including vendors to whom he sells his meager earnings. Without a partner on the offensive, leveling-up his powers is essentially out-of-the-question. Learning of his plight, a mysterious man offers him a way to gain a party companion, though it’s a particularly distasteful method of doing so.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Conception

Itsuki Yūge is a high school student who finds out on the day of his graduation ceremony that his cousin and childhood friend Mahiru is pregnant. Immediately afterward, Itsuki and Mahiru are taken to a magical world called Granvania, which is currently being invaded by monsters. The only people who can fight and exorcise the monsters are the “Star Children,” and the Star Children can only be produced by the 12 “Star Maidens.” In order to defeat the monsters and return to his own world, Itsuki must father the Star Children with the Maidens. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Game

Episode Summary: Itsuki’s cousin Mahiru has some news for him, and it’s a surprise to them both: Mahiru is pregnant, though having never had intercourse the mechanism is truly a mystery. As she reveals the news, both the teens are drawn unwillingly into a magic porthole that connects to another world. After battling with a demon, they’re met by someone from the royal court who escorts them them to the castle.

As the King himself explains, Itsuki was brought to their world to be its savior, and Mahiru is one of twelve zodiac priestesses who play an important role in the world’s survival. It’s not Itsuki himself that’s destined to purify the world, but instead the offspring he creates with each of the priestesses have the power to save them all. As a relatively innocent guy, this weighty task seems somewhat daunting though perhaps a little fun, too. When his potential coupling with Mahiru is set to become a reality, it’s then that Itsuki is under the gun to prove what kind of man he is.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – As Miss Beelzebub Likes it.

Mullin lands his dream job with the demon king he’s always held in awe, but when his tenure begins, it turns out the demon king isn’t quite what he expected. Beelzebub is a hardworking female demon but her dedication to her job is only rivaled by her love for everything fluffy. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Though human beings have many myths about Hell, in truth it’s a very pleasant place, populated by demons who don’t appear as sinister as expected. In fact, they’re actually fallen angels who still (in some ways) serve God, and they’re led by the intelligent, powerful, and cuteness-obsessed demon Beelzebub. Beelzebub’s assistant, Mullin, has always looked up to his leader (and might even have feelings for her), but can’t reconcile the image he had of her with the reality of her personality. In truth, Beelzebub is very capable, but her comfort around Mullin manifests as laziness and continued expression of her love of soft and fluffy things.

Their relationship is a bit of a tug-of-war, which blows up when Beelzebub wanders off in Hell Ginza and gets lost. Mullin worries that, in spite of her battle prowess, she’ll end up getting mugged – or worse. When he finds her, he lets his emotions show, and Beelzebub doesn’t know how to react. The real problem is that she’s started to feel feelings she doesn’t have the experience or the vocabulary to define, and it seems to be Mullin’s fault.

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