Anime: Ga-Rei Zero

Ga-Rei Zero is one of the most shocking anime that I've seen this season because I thought that the characters in the first episode will be for the entire story. It turns out that they were all killed in an instant in just the first episode even though they looked so cool fighting the enemies... (Spoiler...) In any case, a new cast is determine on the 2nd episode which the story develops in...

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Ga-Rei Zero tells the story of a world infested with strange beings that threatens the human race. They are also invisible to the naked eye and kills with a vengeance. With that, a group of specially train people with supernatural abilities are called upon to destroy this monsters. Little did they know that one of them actually defected and joined these monsters in the rampage against the humans.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Ga-Rei Zero is one nice anime to watch especially the amazing artwork. But somehow the flashback about the past memories are pretty long so you'd need to sitback and wait patiently. In any case, Ga-Rei Zero is close to an end too so you'd need to watch it before it ends else you'd not have the time and mood to watch it anymore.

Visit the website at http://www.ga-rei.jp/top.html.

Anime: Toradora

Familiar voice for the main female lead? Yes it's the same voice actress for Zero No Tsukaima and Shakugan No Shana. Toradora is another anime which features the 'same kinda' atittude lolita girl who goes around saying the same old phrase 'Urusai Urusai Urusai' to the male protaganist. If you gonna like those 2 animes, you'll sure to like this too.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Toradora's story begins with the male protagonist Ryuji Takasu who enters his second year of high school. Despite his gentle personality, his eyes make him look like an intimidating delinquent, so he is utterly hopeless about his chances of getting a girlfriend or close friends anytime soon. After being greeted by his hungover mother in the morning, Ryuji goes to school and is happy to find that he gets to be in the same class with his best friend Yusaku Kitamura and a girl he has a crush on, Minori Kushieda. However, it is then that he unexpectedly knocks into Taiga Aisaka whose known to be a really bad person. Trouble begins then...

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

All I can say about Toradora is a must watch anime this season and if you're into such animes like Macademi Wasshoi or Kemeko DX then this may be the next big thing for you. Once again, this early season's anime is coming to an end so be sure to watch it before the next wave of anime arrives...

Visit the website at http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/toradora/.

Anime: Clannad After Story

Another one of the amazing pieces of anime around after Kanon. Clannad is truely one anime that has it all, cuteness, comedy, drama, happiness and tear-breaking moments. The After Story continues on from the previous season and explains the portions and story left out earlier. I seriously missed the first season but only till then I'd manage to get a glimpse of it and it turns out to be rather interesting.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

After Story is mainly a continuation of Nagisa's story and is set immediately after School Life when Nagisa and Tomoya are now living their lives as a couple, and extends into the next ten years. The anime then enters a tear-breaking downfall of the family with the death of Nagisa and the struggles involved. With that, a strange phenomenon appears and Tomoya has to deal with it on his own.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Clannad After Story is seriously an anime not for the faint heart especially towards relationships. I've been in a daze ever since Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien and would probably be so for this anime too. If you truely are a fan of Air or even Kanon for that matter then this is the next good thing by the same company that produces those anime. Not to be missed...

Visit the website at http://www.tbs.co.jp/clannad/clannad1/index-j.html

Anime: Ef A Tale Of Melodies

A popular anime which cames from an eroge named after it. Ef A tale of Melodies is the 2nd season for the previous anime known as Ef A Tale Of Memories. Though there's a connection between each seasons, they seem to have a short story of its own about a certain male protaganist and a girl he knows. (Pretty common in all animes)

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

The anime once again tells two stories. The first story takes place in the past. Himura Yuu meets a girl, Amamiya Yuuko who seems to know him, but he doesn't know her. However, he soon remembers that she was a girl whom he knew from long ago. Yuuko then tells him something which he never knew. He was her first love since then, and her first love has not ended yet. The second story takes place in the present, just after the events of ef - A Tale of Memories. Shuuichi Kuze meets the cousin of Aso Renji, Hayama Mizuki and spends a lot of time with her. Unknown to Mizuki, Kuze had contracted a fatal illness and has little time left to live. Kuze had decided to break all romantic ties, but things go bad when Mizuki tells him that she loves him.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

I have yet fully watched this anime because of the overwhelming animes I'm accumulating. But I do know that it's one good anime to watch as it spans over 2 seasons. (lol, normally animes spanning more than 1 are popular ones...) In any case, would need to reserve some time for this anime. If you'd love the current anime Clannad, then this may be nice for you too.

Visit the website at http://www.ef-melo.com/

Anime: Yozakura Quartet

Yozakura Quartet's animation style is somewhat similar to Getsumen To Heiki Mina and is currently airing this season. And again, Yozakura Quartet came from a manga before it's produced into an anime.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

The story revolves around 4 teenagers namely Akina, Hime, Ao, and Kotoha. Each of them having their own unique abilities. They run an office called Hiizumi Life Counseling Office, where their job is to help and protect the townspeople of Sakurashin, a town where humans and youkai co-exist with one another. The town is protected by a barrier created by the spiritual sakura known as The Seven Pillars. The Seven Pillars exist in both the human world and the youkai world and is the only thing that keeps both worlds connected to each other. However, recent bizarre incidents have occurred in their town and someone has threatened the safety of their town. It is up to the four of them to protect the town they love.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Yozakura Quartet is somewhat average kinda anime so you might wanna watch the popular ones first before watching this. Though it may be boring at times, it's only getting interesting during the middle part of the anime. Be sure to watch it now as it's currently in Episode 10 now.

Visit the website at http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/yozakura/.

Anime: Gundam 00 S2

Gundam 00 is the next best thing in the Gundam Series ever since Gundam Seed Destiny. With an all new gundams to boot for this series, fans will surely jump for joy and so are sales of the gundam model kits. Gundam 00 had begun airing it's 2nd season this season and continues on with the 1st. I haven't watched the 1st season yet so am really a bit way behind. Gonna start catching up on my animes.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

The series is set in AD2307. As a result of the depletion of fossil fuels, humanity had to search for a new source of power. The power was found in the form of massive arrays of solar power collectors orbiting the Earth, and supported by three orbital elevators, each one serving one of the three 'power blocs' on the planet. With this nearly inexhaustible source of energy benefiting only the major powers and their allies, constant warfare erupts around the globe among minor countries for fuels and energy. Countries that once economically relied on fossil fuels have plunged into poverty. Some even believe that solar energy threatened the 'promised land of God'. This chaos led to the formation of a private military organization, called Celestial Being, dedicated to eradicating war and uniting humanity through the use of four humanoid machines called Gundams

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Gundam 00 is an anime not to be missed. (Yet I missed it...) If you like Gundam Seed Destiny then all the more this new series is a must watch. Though it may not link in anyway, Gundam 00 features an all new unique cast that will bound you to them. I too will be watching it soon starting from the first season before coming to season 2.

Visit the website at http://www.gundam00.net/story/index.html

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Anime: Kemeko DX

Similar to the popular anime To Love-Ru, Kemeko DX features almost the same type of Harem anime that many fans love. Seriously enough, these animes are addictively nice and just as funny. Such animes are unusually nice because of the story plot and presentation which draws people like us to watch because it's rather entertaining, especially to boys. (You know what I mean...) But in any case, such are also popular among everyone. Take a look at previous seasons anime and you'd know why.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

M.M., an extra terrestrial being from a planet who knows where, pilots a mech known as Kemeko to protect her fiance named Sanpeita from the efforts of the elusive Mishima Corporation who are deeply interested in a mysterious power that is hidden within his body. Along the way, Sanpeita met up with various troubles and unique characters that's sure to amaze you.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Kemeko DX is just as nice as the manga so it will still be best to read the manga to know more about it. All in all, Kemeko DX is a really nice anime that rivals To Love-Ru or Zero No Tsukaima so if you love those, probability of loving this is just as high. Kemeko DX is still currently on going and can be watch at streaming sites like crunchyroll.com.

Visit the website at http://www.kemeko.jp/

What makes anime...anime?!

I had an argument once with one of my friends (who is also an anime fan) about what it is that makes anime stand out from other forms of animation and whether there is a so called “anime style”. I then decided to write a post about this issue since it is of great interest to me (and possibly to other fans as well).

Let's try and break the problem down to various subsets and deal with each one individually.

Any anime show has the following elements: story; art and animation; music; characters and voice acting. In the case of manga; the elements would be story, art and characters. Let's examine each element below:



1) Story (Narrative Style)

Any seasoned anime and manga fan knows all too well that there isn't a single topic (both real and fictional) that was not covered in anime or manga in one form or another. All story genres known to man have multiple anime or manga manifestations. The stories can range from something as light as “having fun with your friends at school” (see School Rumble) to something as serious as “raising an autistic child” (see Hikari to Tomo ni) and from something as simple as “making curry” (see Curry naru Shokutaku) to something as complex as “understanding human nature” (see Monster). Yes, anime and manga have it all.

I would like to point out something important at this stage. Many people who are not truly familiar with anime and manga (I.e. lay people) tend to associate them with “giant robots and ninjas”. This is of course a sad result of how the media tends to portray anime and manga. The trend has started to change only recently but in the past, most TV stations would only screen shows that belong to the mecha or samurai genres and video shops would only stock titles that belong to these genres as well (in addition to hentai titles) (-_-;;). This general climate has helped create the impression that anime and manga are only stories about fighting ninjas and giant robots. A lot of the blame falls on anime and manga fans themselves. Most of the time, people who become anime and manga fans, become so because they are exposed to these two genres during their childhood and, as a result, tend to focus entirely on titles that belong to these two genres until they leave high school. It's only when they grow older that they start to discover the huge variety of genres and storylines that anime and manga has to offer. Naruto, for example, is not popular because it has a better story than say Monster but because there are a lot of teenagers out there who think that it is the coolest thing in the world and, as such, are willing to follow and buy the manga religiously. It will take quite some time to change public opinion about the nature of anime and manga and it will also take a lot of effort from seasoned anime and manga fans around the world.

Returning to our original topic and on the basis of the wide variety of storylines that anime and manga titles offer; I can't really say that there is a definite narrative style that distinguishes anime and manga from other cultural media. If I had to say anything, I would say that narrative style of anime and manga is “to have no fixed narrative style”. In other words; everything is fair game in anime and manga stories and no stone is left unturned.

2) Art and Animation (Visual Style)

Does anime and manga have a distinctive visual style?

There are many aspects that need to be considered here. The first aspect are the character designs. Many people think that there is one unique character design style used throughout anime and manga which is what I would like to call the cute style. While this style is evident in many anime and manga titles; my previous post has proven that it is not the only style used and that some of the finest titles in anime and manga prefer to use more realistic designs. It also doesn't really help when the character designs used in Shounen titles differ significantly from the designs used in Shoujo titles and both in turn differ significantly from the ones you see in Seinen and Josei titles.

The second aspect concerns the visual conventions in anime and manga. These are conventions that were originally developed and used by manga artists to convey the emotions of the various characters in a story or to portray the atmosphere in a particular scene. All these conventions are visual in nature and are quite simple but very effective in conveying the intentions of the author through to the reader. Examples include the sweatdrop, the zooming panels, the twinkling eyes and the keyhole sigh cloud and the falling crown. Naturally, all these conventions found their way into anime later on. All these conventions are unique to anime and manga and, if they are present, can be used to tell a certain anime or manga title apart from other animation or comic titles. The only problem is that most of these conventions feature heavily in comedy titles but are rarely found in serious titles.

The third aspect involves the animation style. While there are many anime titles with poor animation quality, there are also many others with highly fluid animation. I don't think I'm being unfair by saying that the best animation titles outside Japan have yet to rival many of today's anime titles in terms of animation.

So, in conclusion, relying on a single visual aspect to identify anime and manga titles will prove useless since that aspect may or may not be present in the title in question but using a combination of visual aspects will prove more successful.

3) Music (Audio Style)

The music element is an interesting one. Unlike music used in other forms of animation, the music used in anime covers the full spectrum of music genres from Hip Hop to Classical and from Jazz to Traditional. I suppose that is to be expected since this huge variety of music reflects the huge variety of storylines one sees in anime (remember that the producers of any animated work often choose music that best complements the story).

It doesn't only stop at that. Many anime music singles and albums have reached very high positions in the Japanese Official Music Charts (Oricon) over the years. I was also told that many famous Japanese bands started their careers by composing and singing anime songs before going mainstream. If you also add in the fact that some of the most famous Japanese singers also work as anime voice actors (Nana Mizuki for example) then you truly have an element that can be used to distinguish anime from other types of animation.

4) Characters and Voice Acting (Characterization Style)

While it's true that there are certain character stereotypes that appear in some types of anime and manga, looking at the anime and manga landscape as a whole, it's quite hard to find a common pattern. The only general thing I can say about the characters in a good anime or manga title is that they are interesting and you tend to sympathize with them or absolutely hate them as the story unfolds. It's even common to sympathize with the bad guy in an anime or manga story because he or she are far more convincing than the good guys. This viewer or reader polarization is quite a common phenomenon in anime and manga fandom and is solid proof to how interesting many of the characters in anime and manga are.

The characters also come from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds and need not be Japanese. This international aspect in anime and manga characterization has increased significantly in recent years and it's probably a response to the increase in anime and manga popularity outside Japan.

The voice acting in anime is generally well planned and well performed. By that I mean that the producers tend to pick the right voice for each character and the chosen voice actor manages to convey the true personality of his/her character in a highly professional manner (which is more than I can say for the English dubbing effort of anime).

There is another important aspect to voice acting in anime. Voice acting in Japan is a well respected job that is on par with regular acting. Many of the voice actors in Japan are well known personalities. That, however, cannot be said about voice actors in other countries.

On a side note, I generally find the voices of Japanese voice actors easy on the ears except for a couple of actors whose voice acting causes ear bleeding like Haruko Momoi, Rei Kugimiya and Kappie Yamaguchi. But even those annoying actors manage to pull off an amazing performance every once in a while.

I'd like to add another element that pertains to the identity of anime debate and that is:

5) Origin of Anime and Manga

It's no hidden fact that anime and manga originate from and are created in Japan. The references to Japanese culture in anime and manga are more than can be counted. In fact, one could say that anime and manga are a mirror that reflects the mentality of the Japanese people as it evolved over the past century or so.

The question is: are there really international anime and manga titles?

This question is motivated by the increase in graphic novel titles over the past few years that are collectively termed “International Manga”. These are titles written by non Japanese authors who claim their work was influenced by Japanese manga.

I had a look at many of these titles and I have to admit that many seem like cheap imitations but I also have to admit that a few of those titles were well written and drawn that it's actually quite hard to tell the author is non Japanese. There were even international authors who won the privilege of publishing their works in well established Japanese manga magazines (like this artist for example). Even the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is encouraging international artist to draw so called “International Manga”.

It's still a controversial question because, as we have shown above, manga and anime have a myriad of narrative, visual and characterization styles and you can't always associate one of them with anime and manga alone. Does that mean that if you imitate one of those styles; you actually created International Manga? Or should the term Manga only apply to graphic novels created in Japan?

I don't really have a definitive answer to this question but I do have an opinion. My opinion was actually expressed very well in a famous scene in episode 8 of Code Geass R2. In that scene, Zero asks Suzaku about what makes a person Japanese and Suzaku replies saying its what's in his heart that determines that. Zero then says that he agrees.

Applying that answer to our question, we can say that International Manga is manga that stems from the cultural background of the author but uses the conventions and various styles found in Japanese Manga (i.e it has a Japanese heart). By stressing the cultural background of the author, the manga can then truly be called international instead of being just a cheap imitation.

The analysis leads us to the following definition:

Anime is a form of animation that originated in Japan which is characterized by narrative approach that does not shy from tackling any subject known to man, a visual style that is as varied as its narrative style but often adheres to certain visual conventions and stresses fluid animation, an audio style that spans all genres of music and a characterization style where characters are unique, interesting (most of the time) and instrumental in moving the story forward.

A similar definition can be applied to manga:

Manga is a form of printed graphical storytelling that originated in Japan which is characterized by narrative approach that does not shy from tackling any subject known to man, a visual style that is as varied as its narrative style but often adheres to certain visual conventions, and a characterization style where characters are unique, interesting (most of the time) and instrumental in moving the story forward.

Well, this is it. I hope you found this post useful and insightful (and hopefully not too boring).

Anime: Skip Beat

Skip Beat! is an anime rather similar to Special A from last season whereby childhood friends battle it out seeking revenge from each other but ends up in a awkward situation. What's so amazing is that a live action is confirmed to be in the making too. Have yet to watch this anime though but by the looks of it, it's kinda entertaining. Sure to catch up some time to watch this.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

The story of Skip Beat! is about a girl named Kyoko Mogami who loves her childhood friend, Shotaro. She was cruelly betrayed and thus seeks revenge against him. Not wishing to take over his parents' inn, Shotaro decides to move to Tokyo to pursue a career in music. Kyoko was asked to tag along. Shotaro made it big but Kyoko was enraged when she found out that Shotaro mistreated her again and thus vows revenge by becoming a bigger star than him. She changed her appearance and started to enter the entertainment business. Skip Beat follows Kyoko's journey to climb the showbiz ladder as she meets interesting people along the way, all in the hopes of revenge and finding herself in the end.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Skip Beat! initially begans as a manga and thus the anime. I suggest reading the manga too just for kicks and to know more about it but not forgetting the anime. (The manga's drawing is kinda different so don't be surprise it doesn't tally with the anime. If you're a fan of Special A, then this might be a cue for you to watch as it's pretty popular with the girls too. (Something like Nana and sort) In any case, Skip Beat! is currently on air this season so don't miss it.

Visit the website at http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/s-beat/

Anime: Macademi Wasshoi!

Macademi Wasshoi! or preferably know as Magician's Academy, adapts from a popular game that's released on the Playstation 2 console. Whether is it a Galge or whatever am not pretty sure as have not really heard of it until the release of the anime. In any case, Macademi Wasshoi! is a shock to me as it's extremely funny. Though it may look a bit childish or exaggerated at times, this anime is sure to keep you entertained. Am currently waiting impatiently for the next episode too.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Magician's Academy revolves around Takuto Hasegawa, who attends a magic academy that is not marked on any map. During a summoning spell exam, he accidentally creates a girl named Tanarot, who happens to hold enough magical power to destroy his country, but fortunately Tanarot professes undying loyalty to her 'creator.' Along the way, Takuto meets up with other unique characters that will add more spice into this comedic anime.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

I recommend all to watch this anime as it sure livens up your day with a smile. Macademi Wasshoi! might not be as hardcore as Gundam to Code Geass but it's funny presentation makes you wanting for more as it's amazingly entertaining and fun to watch. If you're still not convince, go watch episode 6 for a start to keep the ball rolling.

Visit the website at http://www.macademi.tv/

Anime: Tales Of The Abyss

Taken from the popular PS2 game by Bandai Namco, an anime version for the series has been made for the fans. A lot has been cut short as the anime spans about 12 episodes only thus only most of the important scenes are shown in the anime. The artwork of the anime is just as nice as the game and the transitions between scenes are somewhat acceptable.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

A world ruled by Yulia's prophecy, known as the Score is believed by people that 'unprecedented prosperity' has been promised to them. Thus they followed the path set forth in the Score which will lead them to that prosperity. Yulia's Score tells of a young man who is necessary in order to bring 'unprecedented prosperity.' His name is Luke fon Fabre. An heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear. He was kidnapped as a child by the kingdom's enemy, the Malkuth Empire. Since his return he has been confined to his family's manor for his own safety. He has no idea of the evil that now draws close.

(Pictures to be uploaded soon)

Overall, I'd say that Tales of the Abyss is worth the watch to recap your memories about the game. Or For those who just got to know it, it's worth watching too. Episodes are still currently available at streaming sites like Crunchyroll to Veoh so watch it while it's still there.

Visit the website at http://www.tv-toa.jp/.

Anime: Sister Of Wellber Zwei

And finally the next season of Sisters of Wellber has aired but with a Zwei at the back of the title. Watched the 1st season and now it's just about time to watch the next to find out the real fate of the princess. This particular anime takes place in the castle age where warriors wearing armors and wielding swords live.


Rita, the princess of the Kingdom of Wellber, stabs her sadist betrothed, prince Gernia of Sangatras and flees the city together with Tina, a feisty cat burglar who has given her refuge and offered to hire on as her bodyguard. Rita must travel on a secret diplomatic mission to the remote Kingdom of Greedom in a last ditch attempt to prevent a full-scale war between Wellber and Sangatras. On the second season, Sisters of Wellber Zwei, the gang arrived at Greedom just in time to prevent a war between Wellber and Sangatras. After this is resolved, Tina is looking for information about her parents' murderer, the man with the wasp tattoo.


Sister of Wellber has a nice tune to it's storyline. In Zwei, the story has dramatically change from the hunted to being the hunter for a murderer instead. Once again I've yet to watch the second season yet because of the many animes upcoming around this time of year. Sister of Wellber Zwei is currently still airing and I just might find the time to start watching this nice anime I've long forgotten.

Visit the website at http://www.production-ig.co.jp/contents/works_sp/1630_/index.html.

Anime: Birdy The Mighty Decode

A weird title for a weird anime, Birdy The Mighty Decode came from the same author Masami Yuki who also wrote the long running Patlabor series and in turn becomes an amazing anime too. This particular series has a continuation story which will be aired in January 2009 and that very well explains it's 12 episodes without a variable conclusion...


Birdy Cephon Altera is a Federation agent chasing interplanetary criminals to the planet Earth. While in pursuit of one, she accidentally kills a high school boy named Tsutomu Senkawa. Fortunately for Tsutomu, there is a way to keep him alive, although he ends up merged into Birdy's body and must remain so until the repair of his body is complete. So Tsutomu is stuck sharing a body with an attractive, strong space police agent, while trying to keep his family and friends from finding out about about Birdy. In the meantime, Birdy continues her investigation. Together, they take on a secretive group of evil aliens planning to perform experiments on the unsuspecting inhabitants of planet Earth.


The old switch-a-roo has become another series but with a bit of futuristic twist of fighting aliens and extra-terrestrial beings becomes one is what I would describe about this anime. Yet to fully watch this anime yet so I'm still in the daze of whats to come... In any case, if you do like Patlabor, you'll bound to like this next new series by Masami Yuki.

Visit the website at http://www.youngsunday.com/rensai/comics/birdy.html

Anime: Strike Witches Magical Girl

I collected gashapon models of Mecha Musume about a few months back and it so resembles this particular anime's characters. Strike Witches Magical Girl is an anime almost similar to Sky Girls that it sure brings back memories. But for some reasons, wearing bloomers and wielding big guns to fight a war just seems a bit too outrageous. But as entertaining as it seems, this is still a nice anime to watch...


Set in a world similar to Earth in the mid 2oth Century, Strike Witches tells the story of a battle to protect that world using a combination of magic and technology. The titular Strike Witches, a group of young women with high magical potential, have been gathered together from various nations in a task force to fight against the enigmatic Neuroi. This puzzling enemy force has appeared frequently and without warning in many areas across the world. In order to bring out their potential for use in battle, each Witch equips a unique machine onto their legs: the Striker Unit. With the Striker Unit equipped, they gain the ability to fly and their tapped magical potential provides the strength to utilize weapons far too heavy and powerful for a normal person. The franchise's main media focuses on the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, spearheading the counterattack in war-torn Europe.


If you'd like a mixture of both Sky Girls (Aerial Dogfights) and Gunslinger Girls (Big Guns), then this may be an anime just for you. I've yet to finish watching it so have yet to know the ending for this particular anime. You can watch it at crunchyroll or other websites available.

Visit the website at http://s-witch.cute.or.jp/

Asian or Caucasian?!

I've heard a lot of people who don't know much about anime and manga say that you never see any oriental (or East Asian) character designs in anime and manga and this issue is often used by many as a pretext to look down on the arts of anime and manga.

I have to admit that this issue is thought provoking. One cannot deny that there a ton of anime titles out there that use the so called “moe” character designs (large eyes, small mouth and nose...etc) but there are also many titles that don't use such designs at all. The question is: among the titles that don't use any “moe” character designs; are there any that use oriental designs?

This quetsion got me thinking so I decided to do some research in order to settle this issue once and for all with concrete proof. My research led me to compile a list of titles that have used oriental character designs in the past. The list is shown below:

1) Monster

2) Kurau Phantom Memory

3) Paprika

4) Otogizoushi

5) Happy (manga by Urasawa Naoki)

6) 20^th Century Boys (manga by Urasawa Naoki)

7) Zipang

8) A Spirit of the Sun (manga by Kawaguchi Kaiji)

9) Planetes

10) Like the Clouds, Like the Wind

11) Seirie no Moribito (it is set in a fantasy world but I will include it nonetheless)

12) Paranoia Agent

13) Texhnolyze

14) The Gokusen

15) Old Boy (manga by Nobuaki Minegishi)

16) Cromartie High School

17) Jin-Roh

18) WXIII: Patlabor The Movie 3

19) FLAG

20) Solanin (manga by Asano Inio)

21) Ciguatera (manga by Furuya Minoru)

22) Summer Holiday with Coo

23) Only Yesterday

24) Windy Tales (albeit the style is abstract)

25) Millennium Actress

26) Iryuu - Team Medical Dragon (manga by Tarou Nogizaka)

I believe that is a fair amount of titles that covers a large range of genres. There may be more titles that I don’t know about or I forgot to include so if you know of any such titles, by all means tell me in the comments section or via email and I will update the list.

The interesting thing is that all the titles listed above are not only examples of Far Eastern character designs but all of them represent some of the finest titles that anime and manga has to offer (and I’m talking about top quality here!). What's more fascinating is that all the people who use the character design issue to attack anime and manga haven't even watched or read any of the titles above despite the fact that all these titles are critically acclaimed. Of course all the serious anime and manga fans out there know that the main reason those people make such accusations is because they never bothered to look for such titles in the first place. It's always easier to make false accusations than to search for the truth.

There is another interesting issue I want to raise regarding character designs in anime. I’ve heard many people say that the widely used cute character designs that feature large eyes, small noses and small mouths are actually Caucasian character designs. I completely disagree. There are no Caucasian people with these facial features because if they did exist, they would be all over the news by now because they are different from the norm. Those widely used designs in anime were applied to Caucasian, Mongolian and Black races without exception. A famous example of this (though not something that I would call a quality example) is Plastic Little. That single episode OAV featured characters who belong to all the major human races but all of them were drawn using the same character design format mentioned above.

Now that I laid out all the facts, it’s time to tell you what I think and what I hope for. I believe that realistic character designs (Far Eastern designs if the story setting is Japan / Far East or other appropriate designs if the setting is outside the Far East) are best suited for serious titles while the cute design format is suitable for comedies. The number of anime and manga titles that feature Far Eastern designs have increased over the years and my guess is that it will continue to grow in the future. I don’t agree with other people who say that the cute character designs should be abolished because those designs are beautiful in their own way but I believe that their proper place should be in comedy and light titles. All in all, I think this cocktail of styles helps to enrich anime and manga and make them the captivating arts that we all know and love.

Edit: There is an interesting video on YouTube that actually sheds more light on this topic. You can see it here.

Anime: Nogizaka Haruka No Himitsu

One of my favourite animes this season. Nogizaka Haruka No Himitsu is just so Otaku style anime that it so keeps you to the edge of your seat... Particularly similar to animes that have harems and stuff, this anime would be well-liked by you too if you'd love Zero No Tsukaima to To Love-Ru.


Nogizaka Haruka No Himitsu is set at the private high school Hakujō Academy in Japan and centers around the male protagonist Yūto Ayase and his classmate Haruka Nogizaka. While Yūto is rather ordinary, Haruka is very attractive, intelligent, and rich. Due to this, she is the school's most unattainable girl and is so idolized. One day, Yūto's good friend Nobunaga Asakura asks him to return a book to the school library, and when he goes to return it, Yūto stumbles across Haruka and her darkest secret—she is a diehard fan of anime, manga, and the otaku culture. Yūto promises to keep her secret hidden and the duo become close friends. Yūto does his best to help Haruka with her secret hobby while developing his relationship with her.


And so there you have it... watching something you like best is good after all. I just love a girl who likes my hobbies and if there's one out there, I'd immediately ask her out. lol. In any case, this anime is something extra ordinary from the rest but still there are some parts in which are boring at times or may be a repetition of other animes storyboard. Still, this is an anime worthwhile to watch... I love the intorduction too.

Visit the website at http://www.nogizaka-haruka.com/.

Anime: Natsume Yuujinchou

I have yet to seriously watch this anime but then again due to time contraints and stuff, I didn't really have the time to watch it... After fast forwarding the bits and chunks of this anime, I realize that it kinda interesting in some ways. Demons came popping out of nowhere and started befriending the main character. Well, you won't see this everyday but then again I guess I would keep this aside till I've finished up all my other animes first before proceeding on...


Natsume's just an ordinary kid, except he can see spirits, just like his grandma Reiko could. Reiko, though, used to bully the spirits, and bound them to her will in the "Book of Friends". Now that Natsume has inherited this book, a never-ending stream of spirits is coming after him. With the help of a spirit "cat" (who really just wants Natsume to die so he can have the book), Natsume spends his days dissolving the contracts that bind the spirits and trying not to get killed.


Natsume Yuujinchou is a nice anime for all to watch. Though it may be boring at times, it has certain sections which are most entertaining. If you like Amatsuki, then this may be a similar anime to it. You just gotta watch to know what it's about.

Visit the website at http://www.natsume-anime.jp/

Anime: Mission E

From a glimpse of it, Mission E seems like a classic anime but it airs in July this year. Mission E somehow continues from its previous predecessor named Code E but with the introduction of a new heroine into this group... Seriously, I too didn't have the time to watch this anime so am too gonna put this on hold till I finish watching Shagukan No Shana 2... With many animes started piling up in my to-watch lists, I think I gonna just save them all in a portable hard drive for future viewing purposes...


In the near future, there are people with TYPE-E capabilities who spend their lives normally, without noticing their capabilities. Miharu is an office worker. She worries because every electrical instrument near her breaks. One day, several men appear. They say that a crisis is approaching her and begin to take her away. Then two women in shining rainbow bodysuits appear. They have superb physical abilities and defeat the men easily to help Miharu. They begin to talk about the people who have TYPE-E capabilities and according to them, there are actually two conflicting power blocs namely OZ, the organization they belong to, which was founded to help TYPE-E-capable people adapt to society and the other one is Foundation, for which the aforementioned men work. They advocate the isolation and control of TYPE-E individuals.


Mission E could be the next thing in sci-fi action animes this season... Well there isn't much this time round other than Code Geass or Gundam... There are currently just 3 episodes on crunchyroll so you may wanna take your time to watch this without worry... Try watching some other exciting and popular ones that are zooming pass us even as we speak now...

Visit the website at http://avexmovie.jp/lineup/mission-e/

Anime: Mahou Tsukai Ni Taisetsu Na Koto - Natsu No Sora

A fantastic and almost realistic anime for a very long anime title... Known in english as 'Things That Are Precious To a Mage - Summer Skies', this anime is seriously different from any other anime I had encountered ever since Hoshi No Koe or Byousoku 5cm Story. It's pretty peaceful and gentle for an anime like this and very often, they would show amazingly realistic backgrounds for this anime... Well... A little too much but then it looks really amazing nonetheless. You can say that it's kinda similar to Initial D whereby the author focuses more detail in the cars than the characters but this time, this anime focuses more on the background details...


The story is set in present day Tokyo. Much of the setting is based upon real areas like Shibuya Crossing and Tokyo Tower. In Tokyo is the Bureau of Magic, which employs Mage Labour for certain special requests by everyday people. However, the mages must only use their magic with special permission, and any unlicensed use results in a penalty. The story is very gentle and centres around the protagonist, a witch named Yume Kikuchi, a 2nd year senior high school student from Tono in Iwate prefecture. In order to train as a magic user, she travels to Tokyo during her summer break to apprentice under the charming Masami Oyamada. It tells the tale of Yume's trials and tribulations as she works toward her eventual graduation as a full-fledged magic user licensed by the Bureau of Magic...


If you gonna like peaceful animes or to take a break from those action pack ones, then you may just wanna that a look at this anime... It simply blows your mind away... If you're not that kinda person who likes this genre I suggest you pass on this as it gets rather boring overtime as this anime is too peaceful... You'll know it when you visit the website...

Visit the website at http://www.somedaysdreamers.com/

Anime: Slayers Revolution

Slayers is finally back with a new season called Revolution. Slayers is one of the oldest classic animes around that's popular since the 1990s. I was about in secondary school when i first saw the first episode of Slayers, and its becoming nostalgic ever since and popping out like this all of a sudden makes me wanna watch it but didn't even start watching it because of work as am rather busy this few months...


Having lost the Sword of Light in the previous battle, Lina and Gourry continue their journey in search of a replacement weapon. On the way, the two of them meet up with Amelia and Zelgadis in the kingdom of Luvinagard while taunting some pirates. Lina is happy to reunite with her old friends, but appearing before her is Luvinagard's Inspector of the Special Investigative Unit; a man called Wizer. However, Lina is amazed at his unusual behavior...


I seriously need to spare myself sometime to watch Slayers as I've already missed a couple of the episodes already... But not to worry, you can always watch it too at crunchyroll.com for free or simply go find some tracker to download it...lol.

Visit the website at http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/slayers_revolution/

Anime: Zero No Tsukaima Princess No Rondo

It's finally back again with Season 3 of Zero No Tsukaima Princess No Rondo... A much awaited anime because it's fairly interesting and funny. Guess it must be rather popular for it to run to season 3 but nevertheless the wait is worth all the while. Zero No Tsukaima Princess No Rondo introduces a new character into the group named Tiffania. For those who do watch Season 2, you'd catch a glimpse of her in the final episode. Then again a new enemy has appeared seeking another wizard who's able to use the power of void just like Louise. For who or for what is still unknown so it's best to keep watching on...


Season 3 tells the story of how Saito got back home unharmed thanks to his sword that warp him out of the battlefield. He was found badly injured by the half elf Tiffania who uses her power to revived him. But the revival causes him to lose the contract with Louise as a Familiar as his mark of Gandalf disappears, causing him to lose his powers too. Louise and Saito then decided to travel in search of Tiffania but was ambushed by a new enemy in search of another void user, reasons unknown...


Zero No tsukaima 3 is a definite must watch if you do like other animes like Nagasarete Airanto, Amaenaideyo, Sekirei, etc... Seriously, ecchi animes are becoming more common these days... Well in any case, go watch them before its too late. Available at crunchyroll...

Visit the website at http://www.zero-tsukaima.com/.

Anime: School Rumble Sangakki

Rumble Rumble Sangakki will finally be released on the 27 July 2008 but to my horror, the company has only decided to come up with the last 2 episodes of it instead as an OVA. That's no wonder why the story just doesn't match at all and quite far away from the previous... Hope that they will make the first 24 episodes for Sangakki as I believe fans will definitely be overjoyed. And if you think this is not enough, you can alway read the manga which is also just as interesting...


School Rumble Sangakki story should revolves more on Harima Kenji's side as he tried to win Tsukamoto Tenma's heart or so it seems to be but under many unforeseen circumstances, he seems to be hitting well with Yakumo and the other girls instead. With episode 20+ and beyond stating that Karasuma needed to go to America for an operation, Tenma began to get a little worried not being able to express her feelings to him but was somehow abruptly turned down. Harima decides to take things into his own hands and help them...


Though this may be a short OVA for the School Rumble Series, it somehow acts as a preview for things to come. Well I can't say its a good thing or not but then again I guess time will tell whether they will come up with Sangakki's first 24 episodes soon. School Rumble is definitely a nice series to watch and a must too, so start heading to crunchyroll now to view it asap.

Visit the website at http://sr.kc.kodansha.co.jp/.

Anime: Sekirei

As coincidence as it is, I've only finished reading the manga a day ago and the anime debuts the folowing day... Got hooked on immediately because of it's interesting content and story. Sekirei originates from the manga and aired only recently so fans can go catch it asap before the next episode comes out... Of course, it will be better if you read the manga as there's more in which the anime did not show because of time and budget constraints... Plus, there's more ecchi-ness in the manga than the anime...

Sekirei tells the story of Minato Sahashi who has failed the college entrance exam twiceand still unattached. One day, Minato meets a girl named Musubi, who literally falls from the sky. Minato soon learns that he is an 'Ashikabi', humans with special genes that allows them to partner with 'Sekirei'. The Sekirei are 108 super-powered beings created by the mysterious MBI corporation. Made up of cute girls, buxom women, the Sekirei fight in a dangerous and sometimes deadly competition called the 'Sekirei Plan'. With the entire city of Tokyo as the battlefield, the Sekirei seek out those humans who are destined to become their Ashikabi partner and fight to attain their most desired wishes...


There's probably a high chance that Sekirei will be like Rosario Vampire in which ends with a 12 episode season. IN the end it all boils down to reading the manga as its already pretty far away from the beginning as the Sekirei Plan has reached phase 3... Whoops, I talked too much... Read the manga to find out more... Check out the links in the 'Manga Section'.

Visit the website at http://www.sekirei-tv.com/.

Anime: Koihime Musou

A surprise release this season is this new anime titled Koihime Musou. It's released a year after the Eroge titled Koihime Musou became really popular in the eroge industry in Japan. It's no wonder an anime version came out for fans out there. The storyline for the game and the anime is totally different thus fans will expect to see a different end too to the story. Koihime Musou is not really a copy to Ikkitousen but one is never sure once the anime continues on...


Koihime Musou revolves around a girl named Kanu... Yep, just like Ikkitousen... who's journeying across China and found out the many troubles villagers have along the way from bandits to political issues... She's determine to help the people in distress and build up her empire along with her most trusted allies...Umm...just like in the romance of the 3 kingdoms... She met Chouhi and sworn to become sisters... And both journey on in search for more allies...


Koihime Musou is a good game not to be missed but also a nice anime to watch... If you're in, I suggest you play that game too for a better perspective of it... The anime might seem a bit different but it does have its appeal to attract its fans from the eroge...

Visit the website at http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/koihime/.

Anime: Ikkitousen Great Guardians

Ikkitousen Great Guardians had finally aired this summer 2008. But this time, the anime has become more ecchi than ever... Instead of its usual panchira shots, a lot more skin has been revealed and thus become more like fan-service rather than an action packed anime... Well, it's inevitable as this season's the Ecchi period whereby almost all of the popular animes like To Love-Ru, Kanokon, etc are airing...


The story now revolves more around Sonsaku and a new character named Sonken was introduced to the group. A couple of fan service episodes are aired featuring Kanu and an unexpected character from the first season of Ikkitousen named Ryofu entered the stage. The past once again haunt Ryomo as Ryofu is back again with Saji as the main...


For Ikkitousen fans this could be a bit of a disappointment as the story does strayed kinda far as more and more fan-service episodes are introduced with Ecchi-ness in almost every episode of this anime. Regardless, Ikkitousen Great Guardians is still a good anime to watch as popular heroines from the pervious episodes are back and kicking ass like never before... with torn clothes and perverted monks to make your day...

Visit the website at http://www.ikkitousen.com/.

Anime: World Destruction

No wonder this anime seems so familiar... World Destruction is actually a Nintendo DS game created by SEGA in 2008. It's amazing that it has made it as an anime just like any other. World Destruction is a new anime that will be aired on July 8, 2008. A manga will also be created for this in July... World Destruction defers from any action pack hardcore animes because it introduces 'cute' characters and enemies like cats to a kuma kuma bear... reminds me of Final Fantasy 8...


World Destruction tells the story of a girl named Morute Āshera who vows to destroy the corrupted world she's in. She's a wanted member of the World Destruction Committee and took Kirie as a hostage to flee from the enemies. She carries a orb called the Destruct Code, which is said that it could destroy the world. Kirie is one who could activate the orb and thus got into various troubles and had no other way but to join Morute on the journey to destruction... Or so it seems...


World Destruction is unique in a way whereby enemies doesn't really seem like those you might imagine it would looked like... In fact, they look like innocent animals wielding weapons and piloting machineries you've never guess. The first episode is out on Crunchyroll so interested fans can go watch it asap. While at it, visit the anime website for more details... Gonna love the opening theme...

Visit the website at http://wd.sega.jp/anime/