VoodooMage’s Anime Blog

Sora no Woto – Haunting Mystery

Some pretty interesting things going on in Sora No Woto. Just thought I’d point them out for those who missed them. If you see any more, please let me know and I’ll add them!

These happen during the lightning flashes in episode 2.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Cross Game

Cross Game is 35+ episodes in to the series and it shows no signs of being any less awesome as the very first episode. This show is perpetually good. There is humor, excitement, love polygons and bittersweet memories all rolled into one very good show. For a show about baseball, there is very little baseball involved. It is just a backdrop that this masterpiece is being painted on. The characters all have strong personalities that often clash in realistic ways and have to be seen to be enjoyed. What I’m trying to say here is, this is a great show and you should be watching it. It’s as simple as that!

Bakemonogatari

Bakemonogatari is just straight up pure awesome win! Intellectually funny, crude and plain hillarious, if you like any of these then give it an honest try. The verbal abuse by Senjougahara is very addicting and probably not good for your health, but who cares when it’s this much fun! There may be on 30 farmes of animation in each episode but who care when the dialog is this darn good. If you don’t watch this, how will you ever know how a stapler is the next big thing(K-ON helped a little, Senjougahara stole it all to herself).

K-ON! Rocks!!!

I don’t know why I ever doubted KyoAni… K-ON turned out to be the best anime this season. If you have not given it a look, I strongly suggest you do. Right now! Mio is moe. Ui is waifu material. Yui is just plain fantastic and despite what some may say about her, she is the heart and soul of K-ON! The only problem is, 13 episodes are not nearly enough. More please!

Saki 3 – Blushing Moe!

We start with Nodoka getting chastised by her father for staying up too late playing mahjong. Could it be that her father doesn’t really care for her playing the game? The student council president (or whatever) Hisa and Mako ditch student council to go sign up the club for the high school trials. There we meet what is sure to be the teams that the club will face. Each one seems ripe with personality. Back at the club, while watching Nodoka get really fired up in trying to win, Saki struts her stuff and wins the hand. Because she looks discouraged at losing so badly, Saki throws the next hand so Yuuki can win and have fun. This angers Nodoka – who storms out of the club! It’s funny how Kyoutarou, the only male in the club, is completely oblivious to any of the girls current feelings. They always take him by surprise. Welcome my friend to real life, it funny because it is so true. We guys have as much luck in reading women as we do reading instructions in an unknown language, it’s just impossible!  Anyway… Saki gives chase to Nodoka, explaining to her about her family situation. Nodoka sure is a tsundere, always harsh on Saki, but blushing at her any chance she gets. Of course I’m probably misreading everything because I am a guy! Oh,well… Saki is still good fun. We end with a promise made by Saki and Nodoka to get to the nationals, and we also get the appearance of a mystery girl who seems to pack some elite mahjong skills of her own!

Episode grade: 9.2/10

Saki 1 – 2

Saki is an ordinary school girl with extraordinary luck when it comes to mahjong. Only problem is, she hates mahjong. Her family used to force her to play and would get mad when she would win, so she trained herself to get ±0 each and every time. The first two episodes deal with her joining the mahjong club at her school. At first she does it to get a book that she wants from them, but in doing so, she finds out that it is fun to play with them. Most of all, Nodoka, who is the reigning mahjong champ and busty to boot. There are very strong yuri vibes going on in these two episodes, I wonder if that’s just wishful thinking or is there more to it than that? We’ll find out. For such a boring sounding game as mahjong, they sure now how to drama it up , making these two episodes really fun and interesting to watch. Here’s hoping they can keep it up.

Episode 01 Grade: 9.5/10

Episode 02 Grade: 9/10

So far, I like it!

Minami-ke Okaeri 13 – Wow!

Unbelievable, it has been 3 seasons and a whole lot of episodes, and they finally show Kana some real appreciation here. Instead of just being the butt of the joke, Kana is shown to be really loved by her sisters. Both Haruka and Chiaki express their real felling for Kana when they think she is gone. I think the best sketch in all of the Minami-ke’s 3 series was done when Chiaki has a bad dream that Kana went missing going to the store. She clings to Kana desperatly after that. Not something you do if you really don’t like and respect the person. Chiaki hides her feelings behind violent actions and verbal abuse. Haruka is not much better at showing her emotions to the other two, confussing the heck out of them. Through out the whole 3 series of Minami-ke you are led to believe that Kana is the crazy and unreliable one of the three sisters. Reality is, she may be the most grounded, open and dependable one of the the three. She takes care of Chiaki and knows Haruka’s true self more than anyone, keeping her honest. More so than Chiaki who just puts Haruka on a pedastal. I’ve said it all along, Kana is the star of Minami-ke, and the show would fail completely without her. You would be left with two boring sisters and no real reason to watch. It’s good to final see them treat Kana as a real person, not just a punch-line.

Episode Grade: 10/10

Series Grade: 8.5/10

XXXHolic Shunmuki 1 – Domeki and Watanuki tripping.

Kohane is helping Watanuki cook. There with the help of the old lady, Watanuki is able to understand that he has changed by all the events that proceeded. He has changed enough, that he was able to tell Domeki “Thank You!”. Back at Yuuko’s place, it seems that Domeki’s grandfather needs 5 things from his storage to be gathered by Watanuki and Domeki. When they find the first, a book with a bird on it, they are instantly transported into the world contained within the book. With rain coming down around them during a fishing trip, the boys seek shelter at a nearby inn. The inn is full of good looking girls. They turn out to be something else all together. The boys awake from a dreamlike state back in the real world to realize what they just experienced was in the book. Where it goes from here is anybody’s guess, but I for one am glad to have new XXXHolic episodes!

Episode Grade: 9/10

Toradora! 25 – Great Series, Predictable Ending.

Toradora as whole series has been great, at least until the last 2 episodes. Why can’t they just have ended it with them going through and getting married. Would that have been a crime? Instead we are left with Taiga running away to prove some crap to herself and trusting Ryuuji would wait for her to come back. I mean it, what total bull we were just fed with this. If anyone liked how this thing just ended, I will whole heartedly say you are so far removed from real life you don’t know what’s good or not anymore. Oh, but that’s true love you tell me… again, you are even farther into your own little dream world than I though. Wake up! It was a horrible ending and I stand by that!

Episode Grade: 5/10

Series Grade: 8/10 (That ending brought it down)