L DK Vol. #1 Manga Review

There's a prince at my school -- a second year in Class B, Shusei Kugayama.

Creative Staff:

Art/Story: Ayu Watanabe

Translator: Christine Dashiell

Lettering: Sara Linsley

Editing: Ajani Oloye

What They Say:

Aoi Nishimori is a high school girl who lives alone in her own apartment, but to her surprise, she discovers that the prince of her school, Shusei Kugayama, has moved in next door! To add to this, a series of crazy happenings result in the two living together under a single roof! Shusei is known to be a heartless guy and Aoi particularly hates him after he coldly rejected her best friend, so a life of cohabitation seems like a recipe for disaster. And yet, Aoi somehow can't stop her heart from pounding when she's with Shusei...

The Review:

Content: (Please not that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

It's a story we've heard a thousand times over -- average high school girl meaninglessly falls in love with high school heartthrob who, in turn, reciprocates her love purely because she is the protagonist of a manga series. This type of story has become the staple to shoujo manga everywhere -- but that doesn't stop teenage girls (And myself...) from eating it up. When I first picked up L DK, I knew what I was getting myself into. I was ready for some huge hands, big eyes, at least one bathtub scene (Provided), and a bunch of extremely close-up panels of faces almost touching in moments of pure romantic intensity. I just expected those moments to make a little more sense.

Our story opens up with our protagonist, Aoi Nishimori, confronting the sex symbol of her high school, Shusei Kugayama, about why he rejected her friend's confession to him. His immediate response is cold and detached -- similar to the average shoujo manga "Mysterious, yet handsome" archetype that he obviously portrays right off the bat. Then, in an incredibly unpredictable and unique turn of events, Shusei winds up being Aoi's new next door neighbor. Who could have possibly imagined this scenario!? Needless to say, he brings over a customary "I'm your new neighbor and I live all by myself" gift and departs, leaving Aoi questioning exactly what he's doing renting out the apartment literally right next door to hers. So she does what anyone girl would do -- goes and talks about it to her best friend. (You know, the one that confessed to Shusei and was turned down because she is not the protagonist).

Needless to say, Aoi's best friend (Moe Shibuya) tells her that she is no longer interested in Shusei and subconsciously gives Aoi the green-light to start fantasizing about him in a totally platonic, non-sexual way. As if. Shusei shows up at her door literally the next day and actually falls on her, blaming his apparently inhuman hunger for the sudden loss of balance. So obviously the best course of action at this point in time is to invite him inside and make him dinner -- I mean, this is a totally normal scenario that happens all the time and whatnot. In another incredibly unpredictable and totally unprecedented turn of events, Shusei winds up having a childish side. THIS is when Aoi gets the second green-light and begins to fall into a deeper love with this man based purely on how attractive and hungry he is. If only he paid attention to her at school.

After literally fighting off groups of other sexually-driven girls around her age, Aoi decides that it's time to slow things down a bit. That's why she decides to allow Shusei to move into her apartment with her. Wait, what? (Yeah, the sprinkler system in his apartment went off and soaked everything and whatnot...but really? You're already living together? IN CHAPTER TWO?). I guess this is the point where the two protagonists try and keep distant from each other to avoid making the situation, even more, awkward. Wait, nope. Now they're in a bath together. I don't even know what's going on anymore.

In the third incredibly unpredictable, never-before-seen moment of Aoi's best friend showing up at the door while she and Shusei are innocently bathing together, things get even more out of hand. In fact, they get so crazy that Shusei needs to dive out of the window and run around the apartment complex naked in order to avoid making things even weirder. Eventually, Shusei decides to just handcuff himself to Aoi and allow her to drag him around everywhere because that's just how playful and considerate he is. For real though, that actually happened. And now you're thinking, "Oh, what if she has to go to the BATHROOM?" Don't worry, Shusei is totally cool with that. He straight up tells Aoi that it's cool if she just brings him in with her. Why do people even like this guy? I don't get it.

The volume ends with Shusei saying "Lol, jk, I have the key to the handcuffs right here. Lol I'm so playful," and then Aoi throws a temper-tantrum because that's just plain uncool. Oh, and now here comes a mysterious attractive woman. Wait, she knows Shusei? How is this even possible? Is she also a victim of his constant objectification of women which is totally acceptable because he is attractive? I'm not sure, to be honest. The book ends right there. She's probably either his sister or a classmate of his who is also platonically interested in "Getting to know" the prince of Aoi's high school.

In Summary:

If you're looking for a shoujo manga with an actual story and characters that seem like people who could possibly exist in real life, stay away from L DK. Go read Kimi Ni Todoke again or something. BUT, if you're looking for a simple read with minimal text and maximum attractive-dude, go ahead and pick this up. The art is bearable, there are some cheap comic moments thrown in, and I can totally see why some people would think this is good. It just..doesn't make sense. The relationships move way too fast, and honestly, I'll be surprised if Aoi and Shusei just get to it and make out next volume. L DK could be viewed as sort of a dictionary for shoujo manga tropes, where nothing happens for a reason and instead there is just a fictional movie-style romance that will never happen to any of us because we are all average and Shusei is the most handsome man on the face of the earth. I can't wait for volume 2.

Content Grade: C-

Art Grade: C-

Packaging Grade: B-

Text/Translation Grade: C+

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: October 20, 2015

MSRP: $10.99

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #12 Review (Finale)

From the moment we're born, we're all free.

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

If there is one thing in life that is important to man, it is the cheeseburger -- a creation so riddled with perfection that it can drive one to the brink of destruction all for its self-preservation. Eren Jaeger is one of the few people to recognize this power. At the end of last week's episode, the titans not only stole a cheeseburger from Eren but stole an entire cheeseburger stand -- a task so dark and twisted that it would land the perpetrator in the seventh ring of hell in itself. However, that punishment would not be enough to satiate Eren's thirst for revenge. This week, he takes on not only his enemies but himself as he and his classmates take the battle to the titans in an attempt to rescue their beloved cheeseburgers.

To Eren's dismay, the task at hand is not as easy as just running off and reclaiming his beloved. First, he must consult with the rest of the Wall Cleanup club. Levi and the others express their distaste for just running off and seeking revenge. But after a heated argument, Levi begs Eren to just do whatever he will regret the least, obviously resulting in Eren taking off with Mikasa, Armin, and the rest. Upon arrival at the titan sector of Attack Junior High, the gang is once again greeted by Hannes as well as their rivals from the Kamameshi food stand. Rico, being the head of the stand, joins forces with Eren and bestows unto him and his friends the 3D maneuver gear. Things are about to get easier. Hopefully.

After stumbling into one of the school offices, Eren and the gang are confronted by an interesting sight. There is an entire human-sized Wall Maria town replica right in the middle of the floor. And in the middle of said replica, there is a key. (Obviously a callback to the AoT episode where Eren had to go all titanic and bumrush the door to break it down). The plan is immediately created soon after that Eren will retrieve the key and bring it to the door while the rest of the cleanup crew will defend him and distract the titans. The scene then erupts into a dramatic and intense outbreak of music and emotional dialogue as Eren becomes empowered and slowly makes his way to the door. Honestly, even with this being Attack on Titan: Junior High, this was one of the most powerful scenes of the season. For just one moment, the show was devoid of all comedy as an AoT original was remade in a new light. You could say that just the fact that this scene happened is a parody in itself, but as you're watching it, it really doesn't feel that way. At least, it didn't for me.

In the end, Eren is able to open to door. But on the other side, there are just more titans. It's not a big deal, though, considering Levi and the upperclassmen show up just minutes after and...start playing a song? Since when do they have a band? Anyway, the titans are once again distracted as they fanboy at "Levi and the Scouts" (The name I have given to their band) and all is well. Until....(drumroll)...the colossal titan shows up! The titan grabs the cheeseburger stand from atop a pile of other stolen food carts and opens his mouth, desperate and eager. But there is one person more eager than the colossal titan, and that is...you guessed it, Eren Jaeger. Eren rockets onto the colossal titan's shoulder and dives for the cheeseburger stand in an attempt to save the day. The downside to all of this being...well, he was swallowed. But wait! The titan spits him back out for some reason, and Eren has a cheeseburger in his hand! The day is saved! Everyone rejoices as he comes back to the ground. That is, everyone except the staff of Attack Junior High, seeing as Eren and his friends are in direct violation of school policy. Looks like next season is going to be Attack on Titan: School Detention.

Best/Favorite Part:

The highlight of this episode, maybe even the whole show, was the "Key" scene that I mentioned before. AoT Junior High once again shows that it can be serious when it wants to. And, oh man, these few minutes were overflowing with awesomeness. From the still frames of the characters' exasperated faces to the background music pumping into your ears, everything about this scene was right on target and easily dwarfed the rest of the already great episode.

In Summary:

Attack on Titan: Junior High is a show that, on its own, seems nothing more than average at best. But when you consider the demographic that this show is being marketed to (Diehard AoT fans), it becomes something more. There are so many callbacks to the original series that it's almost impossible to go through an episode without noticing one. The comedy is extremely well done with both subtle and unobscured moments of hilarity. The art and the soundtrack both add to this hilarity as well, constantly beckoning you to remember that this show is still just a parody. It's there to be fun and nothing more. And in that aspect, it accomplishes its job almost flawlessly. But having a few episodes thrown into the mixture that underwhelm the rest can sometimes be rather disappointing. Even with this in mind, AoT Junior High is great fun and I would easily recommend it to all fans of the original series that aren't too single-minded to deviate from Attack on Titan's ultra-seriousness.

Episode Grade: A

Series Grade: B

Streamed By: Funimation

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #11 Review

Give them back! Give back our cheeseburgers!

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

There comes a time in every man's life where he must prove himself in a test of both physical and mental ability. For Eren Jaeger, that day is today. The school festival has rolled around, and while the rest of class 1-4 debates about what they want to do for it, Eren sits in his seat, waiting to erupt -- for he is the one that truly knows what his class must do in order to compete with the others. And that is...a cheeseburger stand.

Turns out that making a food stand is going to be a bit rough, though, seeing as Eren's Cheeseburger Pavilion (Disclaimer: That is not the actual name of the stand) is situated right next to Rico's food stand, which is the most popular one from last year's school festival. Even with this, Eren's determination leaks through to his classmates and they embark on a cheese-filled journey to greatness as their line expands past the horizon. However, so does Rico's. The thing is, class 1-4 has a special weapon -- a super cute salesperson dressed in a bunny suit. And that salesperson is...Armin?

The cheeseburger stand isn't the only point of interest in this episode, seeing as some of other students are off doing things of their own. Christa and Ymir are working at a maid/butler cafe, and, of course, that means that Reiner is an eager customer there. Jean, on the other hand, is harnessing his charismatic prowess to be the lead in the school play. The only thing is that nearly everyone is out at the food stands and barely anyone is there to watch him and the rest of the students perform. Oh, and Annie is off playing with cats. (Omg she's so cute).

As the heated battle continues between Eren and Rico's teams, things take a dramatic turn when a loud bang is heard off in the distance. Titans -- just what class 1-4 needs as they try to prove themselves. These undying demons of hunger run rampant through the school festival, tearing the food stands out of the ground and the dreams of the students as an accompaniment.

Best/Part:

You know, I really wanted to cite the section with Annie and the cats as my favorite, but it was just too short in an action-packed episode to be able to do that. Instead, I'd say the highlight of the episode was when things were looking tough for Eren's cheeseburger stand, but Armin gets them back into gear with the idea of a timed-exclusive sale. In the midst of this, Mikasa wields her spatulas like daggers and erupts in an intense whirlwind of culinary arts that Gordon Ramsay himself would envy.

In Summary:

In terms of actual episode value, this is one of the highest of the season so far. The pacing is fantastic, but also slightly sporadic in a positive manner. You won't be viewing just one intense cooking scene for the entire thing as it sways back and forth between the main plot and what the side-characters are up to, creating a truly interesting viewing experience. The one thing about this episode that really contrasts with the rest of the series is the comedy, which hit a lot softer and a lot less frequent in this installment. It might have just been me still trying to wake up while watching the episode, but none of it seemed up to the par that Attack on Titan: Junior High has created for itself thus far.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Funimation

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #10 Review

And the winner is...

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

With the third-years nearing graduation, the time has come for Attack Junior High to elect a new student council president. The only issue is that none of the candidates are really fit for the job. In fact, two of the candidates are only running so they can get girls! (Yes, Jean is one of them). Needless to say, this year's election is going to be quite a hurdle for almost everyone involved.

We start off with just another Jean/Eren dispute as they both announce their candidacy for the upcoming election. Eren's political base is that he wants to destroy all the titans (Shocker). Jean's standpoint is that being student council president makes girls fall for you. Right off the bat, these two start butting heads about how the other is unfit to be president. Shortly after several heated arguments, the opinion polls are pinned to the bulletin board and, what do you know, all of the candidates have under a 10% approval rating. If only there was some way for them to find out why their ratings were so low...oh wait, there is.

Remember Ilse Langnar from the original Attack On Titan? Probably not, she didn't really matter and only made an appearance in one of the OVAs for the series. But she was that one girl that took down notes for Levi and the rest of the humans shortly after her entire squadron was annihilated by titans during an expedition. This time, things are different. She is now a newspaper reporter for Attack Junior High, and she has notes on the election! Queue intense chase scene involving all of the candidates attempting to steal her notebook. Eventually, the notes are recovered. They are just instructions on how to clean.

Heh.

In the end, we finally get to hear the candidates give their electoral speeches. It's just...none of them really went well at all. Eren's speech was received well once Armin took the stage and spoke for him, but that all went to hell once Eren spoke again. Jean's speech also started off terribly, but then became great once Marco took the microphone from him. (Why didn't Armin and Marco just run?). After Marco speaks, Ilse shows up once again -- this time from a catwalk -- and shouts at everyone, telling them that Marco should be student council president.

And then he is.

Best/Favorite Part:

At the end of Eren's speech, we get another glorious flashback moment when Levi shows up and kicks him right in the face. What a kick. Eren is sent flying and Mikasa actually gets some life in her eyes, screaming as her brother/boyfriend/childhood-friend is sent flying through the air. Oh man, I forgot how great it was seeing the look on Eren's face as his role model kicked him in the mouth. Good job, Levi.

In Summary:

For fans of Ilse from the OVA, this might be a rather enjoyable episode. Though the comedy is a bit weaker in this episode than previous installments in the series, there are still some fun moments and enough shared screen-time to make it at least "Pretty good". Still, it was nice seeing the creators of AoT Junior High give some love to a lesser known character, even if she didn't have a lot of time to really do anything. I'd lump this episode in with the "Less good" ones so far this season, but that doesn't mean you should skip it.

Grade: C

Streamed By: Funimation

Top 10 Cutest Girls Of Fall 2015

Here we are, ladies and gentlemen. A new anime season once again brings a new chance for me to enlighten you all about the cutest girls of the season and why you should rearrange your "Favorite Characters" section on Myanimelist. This definitive collection of the Top 10 Girls of Fall 2015 is the final countdown of the year in the category, and may be succeeded by a championship of some sort if I feel like throwing that together. So grab your dakimakura, throw on some easy-listening music, and let's do this thing.

The rules are simple. There are none.

Girls are graded by their personality, their voice, and of course, their appearance.

LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN.

10) Shiki Magata

Anime: The Perfect Insider

CV: Ibuki Kido

Okay, so there may or may not be a part of me that deep down...is infatuated with serial killers. Especially the ones that are 14-year-old super-geniuses. I mean, it all started with Samara/Sawa from The Ring/Ringu respectively. From that point on...I don't know man. I can't help it. Either way, Shiki is basically what Samara would have been if she spent less time crawling out of televisions and more time programming computers or something. Her dead, lifeless...voice...only adds to the mixture.

9) Mikasa Ackerman: Junior High Edition

Anime: Attack On Titan: Junior High

CV: Yui Ishikawa

First, there was Mikasa Ackerman. Then, there was another Mikasa Ackerman. The second one, however, wound up being a less ripped, schoolgirl version of her. Accentuating her emotionless eyes and unrequited love for her semi-brother instead of her abs, AoT Junior High's Mikasa is equal parts hilarious and adorable. She has had like three expressions (And that's being generous) through an entire season so far and each one is the perfect image of a girl fit for a spot in the top 10 this time around.

8) Julis-Alexia von Riessfelt

Anime: Asterisk Wars

CV: Ai Kakuma

Ahh, the tsundere -- Japan's true gift to the world. Equipped with pink hair and a weird sci-fi headpiece thing, Julis is one of the most true-blue tsundere of the year. (Plus, you totally get to see her in her underwear IN JUST THE FIRST EPISODE OF ASTERISK WARS). *Clears throat*. Anyway, Julis is the only female in Asterisk Wars that really stands out to me, and it's for good reason. She is constantly at war with her dere side, only letting it out in moments of intense...intensity. But when the dere escapes, it's like a cuteness overload and you just want to pat her head along with her weird sci-fi headband thing.

7) Annie Leonhardt: Junior High Version

Anime: Attack On Titan: Junior High

CV: Yuu Shimamura

Our seventh place slot goes to my personal favorite AoT character (Apart from Levi), Annie Leonhardt. The great thing about the junior high remix of Annie is that we've already seen her in a Yukata AND a cheerleading outfit. These cute get-ups contrast with her angsty "I hate the world" side so well that it turns her into a character even cuter than she was in the original AoT. I didn't even know that was possible. Needless to say, I am looking forward to whatever outfit Attack On Titan: Junior High dresses Annie up in next. (Please be a swimsuit).

6) Ouka Ootori

Anime: Anti-Magic Academy 35th Test Platoon
CV: Reina Ueda

You know, I'm normally not into girls like Ootori. At least not on the surface. There are moments though when her dere escapes (Much like Julis) and it's literally too much to handle. PLUS, she has red hair and blue eyes and those are both extreme pluses in my book. She can also handle a gun very well. *Clears throat again*. Ootori is my favorite badass of the season. She isn't just there as eye-candy either. She actually has a story -- and a good one at that. For these reasons, she deserves to be where I have placed her.

5) Kujou Sakurako

Anime: Beautiful Bones

CV: Shizuka Itou

And so another unlikely candidate makes her way into my top 10. The great thing about Sakurako is that even though she is a grown woman, she is a complete child at heart. Who cares if she has an unhealthy obsession with dead things? Not me -- we already went over that. Despite her childish tendencies, Sakurako is another super-genius that also happens to be a detective AND an osteologist. What a strange combination of careers. I just wish that I was the one who had to look after her instead of Shoutarou.

4) Karen Jinryou

Anime: Shomin Sample

CV: Chitose Morinaga

There is nothing quite like those characters who appear super-badass on the outside, but wind up being completely adorable and cutesy when you actually get to know them. The first time we see Karen, she attacks the protagonist of Shomin Sample with her secret Jinryou family sword technique. But in the obligatory harem turn of events, she just winds up cutting the clothing off of everyone. Thanks, Karen! The great thing about her is that at her core, she just wants to love and be loved. It's unfortunate for her that the girl in the #3 spot is also from her anime.

3) Aika Tenkuubashi

Anime: Shomin Sample

CV: Yuu Serizawa

Speak of the devil. Though Aika couldn't nail the cutest spot in this countdown, she easily takes the #1 spot for "Most fun." Aika just wants to be popular and is willing to do whatever it takes in order to get that way -- as long as that doesn't include talking to other girls. Right from the start of Shomin Sample, Aika is seen as this super-lovable, super-gullible bundle of energy just waiting to burst. As she uncovers the mysteries of the commoner, she only becomes more fun while, at the same time, busting out of her shell a bit. Aika truly is one of the cutest characters to emerge from a harem this year.

2) Mari Nikaidou

Anime: Anti-Magic Academy 35th Test Platoon

CV: Kanae Itou

The runner-up medal goes to the fiery "Witch of Aurora," Mari Nikaidou. Originally an enemy but converted to a good-guy through amnesia, Mari is an excitingly fun and entirely adorable.  She even wears a scarf. I love scarves! I also love long brown hair and half-tsundere (Yet super dere) snaggletoothed side characters! She really hits all the marks that my favorite girls wind up hitting. Plus, she has the most adorable voice of the season, so that's a plus in itself. I know she won't, but I really hope that Mari winds up being the inevitable love interest in Anti-Magic Academy...or my own.

Fall 2015 Champion: 1) Shinoa Hiiragi

Anime: Owari No Seraph

CV: Saori Hayami

She's back! The previous runner-up of my Spring 2015 countdown has returned to claim victory over all of the other contestants to grace my television this season. This was an easy victory for Shinoa, who lost inevitably to Rin Tohsaka just two seasons ago. I have loved Shinoa since Owari No Seraph started. Hell, she was the only reason I carried on with the first season (Which eventually became good -- it just took a while). Honestly, every time she even gets to speak I'm just overcome with joy. Every single mannerism she has is literally perfect. I remember making a statement a few months ago about how I wish every female character was Shinoa Hiiragi. Well, I stand by that statement now more than ever. If I do decide to do a championship countdown, you can bet she'll be a contender.

And there you have it, everyone, the 10 cutest girls from the past three months. Feel free to change your desktops, wallpapers, etc.

See you again at the end of next season for another "Cutest Girls"

Feel free to read the rest of my stuff until then!

Horimiya Vol. #1 Manga Review

Everybody has a side they don't show anyone else.

Creative Staff:

Art: Daisuke Hagiwara

Story: Hero

Translation: Taylor Engel

Lettering: Alexis Eckerman

What They Say:

At first glance, the ultra-popular Hori-san seems like a frivolous high school girl, but in reality, she's plain, pragmatic, and family-oriented. On the other hand, the bespectacled Miyamura-kun comes across as an average, gloomy high school fanboy, but he's actually an attractive young man who has a bad-boy streak and is covered in piercings and tattoos. When these two unexpectedly similar classmates have a random run-in outside of the classroom, a bubbly, sweet tale of school life begins!

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

It's been quite a while since I've ventured into the romance genre, which is rather upsetting considering that when it's done correctly it might be my favorite genre overall. That being said, picking up Horimiya was a must in order for me to bust my way back into the world of cute, bidimensional love. The catch is that this time around that love doesn't involve carbon copies of characters from typical shoujo literature that we (Or at least I) have come to expect out of anything even remotely close to shoujo. I mean, if we're going to get technical, this is a seinen series, but come on. Seinen romance manga is just shoujo manga without the word "Girl" tied to it. They both feel the same and contain many of the same contents. I'm rambling. Let's actually go over some stuff now.

Horimiya begins with Kyouko Hori conversing with her friends at school. On the surface, she seems to be this super-popular, beautiful girl with no social problems whatsoever. Enter Izumi Miyamura, the outcast. Miyamura is overlooked by nearly everyone in his class who all just presume him to be a closet otaku or something. Some of them even take bets on what he's into outside of school. In an exciting turn of events, Hori drops her eraser (As is a must for any romantic comedy) and Miyamura-kun is right there to give it back to her before somberly walking back to his seat and instilling his image in Hori's adolescent mind for the rest of eternity. Hooray!

Shortly after returning home, Hori's younger brother [Souta] shows up accompanied by some guy with long hair, piercings, tattoos, etc. And, don't you know it, that guy is Miyamura. He isn't boring and dull like he is in school at all! Turns out, Souta was attacked by a dog and fell down, leaving Miyamura to escort him home to make sure no other dogs attacked him on his way back. Souta becomes attached to this male figure rather quickly and insists that he continue to come over and play with him. And so he does. And so begins a new after-school ritual for the three of them.

Kyouko Hori is apparently not all that interesting at her core. She spends her free time grocery shopping for her home, seeing as she is normally the only one there to take care of Souta. At home, she is no longer this princess that everyone admires, but instead a normal human girl who does things like put her hair up or wear aprons. You know, stuff girls do. She's a little embarrassed by this at first but eventually comes to terms with showing that side to Miyamura. It's kind of like he's another little brother or something. But like, a little brother that she's totally going to fall in love with in a totally not creepy way. Totally.

As their after-school rituals progress and continue for quite some time, several of their other friends are dragged into the fray. The thing is, none of those friends really know that Kyouko and Miyamura hang out nearly every day. At least not at first. Another boy, Tooru Ishikawa, goes on to profess his love for Hori-san but is ultimately turned down because he is not the protagonist of the story. Following Tooru's confession, he and Miyamura start to become pals of some sort whose friendship is initially built upon the fact that Miyamura and Hori are...friends? I'm not sure what you're even supposed to consider them at this point in the manga.

Eventually, one of Hori's friends (Yuki Yoshikawa) shows up at her house while Miyamura is there. In an effort to hide who he is from her, Hori tells her that Miyamura (Who's new placeholder name is Konoha) is her cousin. So now there's an entire subplot of Hori's friend having a crush on this boy who is actually in her class and she doesn't even know it. Oh man, things are getting convoluted. But just when they couldn't get any more convoluted, Hori's mom walks back into the picture, just in time to meet with Miyamura while Hori is out shopping. This poor guy, he has to deal with so much.

In Summary:

Horimiya displays excellent pacing, strong character development, and an interesting story right from the get-go without ever feeling forced or unnatural. The characters quickly become entities of their own with different feelings and outlooks that readers will be able to empathize with almost immediately. The comedy is well-written and never comes off as awkward or out of place. With the help of hilarious subtexts and outlandish situations, nearly every page in Horimiya is memorable. This first volume sets the stage for something that I consider to be (At this point in time) one of the best romantic manga series out there and is easily accessible by both males and females. I'm extremely excited for the next volume of this series and am looking forward to watching these characters (And their relationships) progress.

Content Grade: A

Art Grade: A-

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A+

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: October 27, 2015

MSRP: $12.99

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #9 Review

You did it, Bertholdt!

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

There's nothing quite like the dead, emotionless eyes of a young, antisocial girl wearing a yukata. When you pair that with a rivalry between another girl with the same emotionless, yet strong properties and a boy who has been lurking in the dark up until now, the result is obviously going to be something that we have longed for. Or...at least I have longed for. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that episode #9 is just another chance for Annie to be cute and Bertholdt to be...awkwardly brave? I'm not really sure how to describe that guy.

Our episode starts off with Reiner telling Bertholdt that he is going to ask Christa to the summer festival. The thing is, he's too embarrassed to go alone. So, Reiner coerces Bertholdt into asking Annie (Who he obviously has a crush on) to come as well. Initially, Annie rejects the offer. But, after seeing Eren excited about the festival, she decides to [reluctantly] tag along. This, of course, spirals into her competing against Mikasa to determine who is the best shooter while Bertholdt sits back and fends off methods of getting closer to Annie. In a predictable turn of events, Bertholdt backs down from Reiner's outlandish ideas and instead states that it shouldn't be up to him to make things happen between them. But...he has to anyway when Ymir launches a shaved-ice cup toward Annie while he is the only one capable of blocking it.

Annie, feeling bad about the whole situation, chases after Bertholdt who had run off to clean himself up. The two wind up having a small heart-to-heart which basically ends with Annie saying Bertholdt is convenient to have around -- like air. Oof. Eventually, everyone meets up again and they all go die-cutting under the fireworks. Reiner and Ymir are the only ones at this point to be upset, perhaps even feeling bad about attempting to move Annie and Bertholdt closer together. Oh well, kids will be kids, right?

Best/Favorite Part:

Apart from the shaved ice landing on Bertholdt's head and causing him to look like the colossal titan, this episode was all around balanced and lighthearted, leaving no highlights in particular. So, I'm going to go ahead and label my favorite part of this episode as Annie wearing a yukata -- a moment I have longed for.

In Summary:

We get more of our typical Junior High flavor of comedy, this time accompanied by impressing visuals and festival lighting effects. We get a slight increase in plot and allow a normally sidelined character to become the focal point, which provided an excitingly fun time in the end. Despite some awkwardly forced conflict stemming from Reiner and Ymir pushing Bertholdt to be aggressive, episode 9 follows in the footsteps of the last few airings, allowing Attack On Titan: Junior High to move along briskly while staying interesting.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Funimation

No Game No Life Complete Collection Blu-ray Review

There is no such thing as "Luck" in this world.

What They Say:

On the internet, they're legends: the tag-team duo known as BLANK, famed for their incredible game-playing skills. In the real world, however, the lives of 18-year-old Sora and his 11-year-old stepsister Shiro have been spiraling out of control. Now existing as shut-ins, they rarely leave their house and are unable to be separated without suffering panic attacks. Games, for them, are the safest retreat from reality. Until they win a chess match against a mysterious opponent known as Tet and find themselves pulled into a game bigger than any they could have ever imagined.

Now, in a world where the outcome of games determines the fates of both civilizations and species, they must defend Humanity in the ultimate challenge, vying against a host of otherworldly competitors for the right to rule them all! But if they fail, it means slavery or destruction for all mankind. No pressure, of course! Can two misfits who can barely handle their own lives somehow rise to the occasion and save the human race?

The Review:
Audio:
Both the English and Japanese audio tracks for this release are presented in DTS-HD 2.0. So, suffice it to say, the audio quality is top notch for anime release and even supports surround sound. No drop outs or moments of lower quality were experienced across both discs. Volume equalization was perfect and even the fight scenes (Which there are a lot of) didn't "Ride the red" at any moment. As far as audio goes, you aren't going to get much better than what's packed in here.

Video:
Madhouse Studios' latest visual spectacle is presented this time in an obvious 1080p with a 16x9 aspect ratio. Even though this may be the brightest show you ever watch (In terms of color), colors have been balanced in a way that allows you to watch all 12 episodes without your eyes burning out of their sockets. The framerate remained steady for the entire series and even the OP/ED sequences were fluid and seamless. The overall aesthetic of No Game No Life might take an episode to get used to, but the second your eyes figure out what they're taking it, this becomes one of the most attractive shows out there.

Packaging:
Being the standard edition, there isn't much to report in terms of packaging. There is no slipcover for this release. The front of the box has a vibrant portrait of BLANK surrounded by depictions of several other characters while sporting two floral-esque corner designs that oppose each other on the top and bottom portions of the cover. The back of the case gives a brief synopsis of the show, accompanied by additional attention-grabbing text presented in the video-gamey font that NGNL loves oh so much. There are several thumbails containing screen grabs from the series. Out of the eight thumbnails, seven contain a cute girl.

Menu:
We get more of the standard Sentai Filmworks menu screen here with the episodes displayed on one side and a character portrait displayed on the next. Highlighting an episode easily sets it apart from the others and shouldn't give you the need to strain your eyes at any point. The menu is simplistic, which makes it easier to navigate to what you desire within a moments notice. There is none of that, "How do I get to settings?" struggle that we have all witnessed at least one person fight at some point in life.

Extras:
Special features on this disc include Japanese commentary/commercial/promos, as well as the No Game No Life shorts and previews of some of their upcoming titles. In addition to that, there are clean versions of both the opening and ending. All special features are contained on the second disc, seeing as disc 1 is occupied of 75% of the series itself, making it easier to watch all the special features at once without having to switch discs.

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)
If there is anything out there that I have been infatuated with longer than anime, it's video games. So when you crossbreed those with anime itself and throw in a loli imouto as well as a panicky girl with red hair, the result seems like it will come out in my favor. The only issue being that I have already watched this show before in Problem Children Are Coming From Another World. With its own twist on a world where everything is solved through gaming, No Game No Life follows the brother/sister duo of Sora and Shiro, as well as their counterpart (And best-girl), Stephanie Dola, as they play games to determine the fate of humanity...err, Imanity...

I think its safe to say that Madhouse Studios is one of the most underrated companies in the industry. Being the main force behind animating this series, Madhouse delivers a quality product that highly exceeds expectations. With an extremely bright and unique color palate, No Game No Life looks like nothing you've ever seen before. In a good way, I promise. The title adds to the recently impressive list of series directed by Atsuko Ishizuka (The Pet Girl Of Sakurasou/Hanayamata) and plays a huge role in terms of future projects for the young director. Based on the light novel series by Yuu Kamiya, the No Game No Life anime series breathes life into yet another popular Japanese series that Americans hadn't had to fortune of experiencing yet.

In the beginning of NGNL, we are introduced to the dynamic sibling duo of Sora and Shiro (Also known as BLANK) as they hide away in the depths of their bedroom, playing video games and eating junk food. These two NEETs have devoted so much of their time to the craft of gaming that they are literally unmatchable for anyone on Earth. So, when they receive a mysterious email asking them if they want to leave their world and go somewhere else, they jump on it right away. After a brief falling-down/getting sucked into another world sequence, the two are greeted by the god of their new world, Tet. Apparently, in this new world, physical fighting has been outlawed. Instead, the remaining 16 kingdoms must compete for land through various games. BLANK might have been the best gaming team on Earth, but how exactly is that supposed to measure up to a society that literally lives off of gaming? And that's without even mentioning that the people they'll be going up against can use magic.

Dropped into this world, BLANK must first find a means of survival -- shelter of some sort. That comes easy though in meeting their soon to be dog-slave-squire, Stephanie Dola. Steph [reluctantly] takes the two into her home before revealing that she is the granddaughter of the previous king of Imanity (Which is just what humans are called in this new world). Sora and Shiro, being challenge-driven and game-thirsty, tell Steph that they will make humans the strongest race in the world, just like they were in the past. As you can figure, this is a lot easier said than done.

From that point on, it's a tale of conquest as BLANK and Steph move from location to location, cunningly playing games along the way. The group encounters new friends (And enemies) and slowly starts building up their civilization once again. Who would have thought that two random humans from another world would just swoop in one day and repair an entire civilization? Not me, but that doesn't matter. What does matter, however, is just how these repairs are done.

Perhaps the most interesting asset No Game No Life has to offer are the intricate and unique games that these civilizations wind up playing. Each one seems to have a gigantic twist on a game that would typically be played in real human society. In addition, each one winds up getting harder and harder and challenging these two characters who are thought to be immortal in terms of games. Each game is laced with a nonstop, suspenseful sensation that highly exceeds what I expected going into this. On top of that, the comedy is some of the best that I've seen in recent years. Thanks to how overly-attached our two protagonists are to each other, we get to witness tons of moments of sheer hilarity and adorableness packed together. This alongside Steph (Who is the comedic highlight of this show as far as I'm concerned), there is really never a dull moment in this show. And just when things are getting too fun, NGNL is able to pull a complete 180 and become something emotional and intense. Its a contrast that is done so well that it turns the show into something more than just laughs.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this show is going to change the way you look at life or hit you with some lesson you've been dying to learn for years. This isn't like that. Yes, there are some "Feels" moments, but at its core, No Game No Life is more comedy than anything. Good comedy, at that. Each character has their own quirks and various things that make them interesting; each one is memorable in their own way. Every single nation has a specific feel to it, and there aren't any that seem to outweigh the rest in terms of how important or unique they are. All together, the world of NGNL is extremely balanced. The pacing is basically perfect as well and gives viewers the appropriate time to learn about each race that is encountered. I applaud the writers of this adaptation for not attempting to cram the entire series into 12 episodes and instead leaving room for more seasons (Which I can't imagine them not airing due to the increasing popularity of this series).

In Summary:
No Game No Life is more accessible and newcomer-friendly than similar shows (Like the aforementioned Problem Children Are Coming From Another World). The pacing is phenomenal, the characters are memorable, and the English dub is actually pretty spectacular. Comedy in this series is top-tier and ridden with a plethora of memorable scenes that resonate within the genre. And even though this show is a comedy at its heart, it does not mean that there won't be times where you reach for the tissues. Overall, No Game No Life is not only extremely well-balanced, but well-produced, well-acted, and perfect for binge-viewing.

Features:
Japanese DTS-HD Surround Sound Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Surround Sound Audio 2.0, English Subtitles, Clean OP/ED Songs, Japanese Commentary, No Game No Life Shorts, Japanese Promos, Sentai Filmworks Previews

Content Grade: A
Audio Grade: A+
Video Grade: A-
Packaging Grade: B-
Menu Grade: B-
Extras Grade: B+

Released By: Sentai Filmworks
Release Date: July 28, 2015
MSRP: $69.98
Running Time: 300 Minutes
Video Encoding: 1080p Native HD
Aspect Ratio: 16x9