Mayoiga: The Lost Village Episode #8 Review

I didn't expect to believe anything...But I did believe in the existence of a place where I could forget everything I hated.

What They Say:

A shady bus tour of young men and women are headed to an elusive village called Nanakimura. A destination where people can partake in a utopian existence, free of the world's obstacles... or so goes the rumor. Heading deep into the mountains, the bus is carrying 30 different individuals, each harboring their own expectations and troubled hearts. What they had arrived to was an uninhabited village with lingering, faint scents of life. It was falling apart. Just what is the secret of Nanakimura?

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

When we last left off, Masaki was tied to a pole as the rest of the group (Apart from like three people) questioned her status as an actual human instead of some weird apparition that can still bleed or whatever. This week, Masaki is still tied to a pole -- which I guess is cool if you're into that sort of thing. Anyway, as the episode begins, Masaki finally reveals the secrets of her past. Turns out, she has actually been to Nanakimura before -- alongside her cousin, Reiji. Though, that Nanakimura was relatively different from the one we see now. In fact, the architecture of the village she visited with Reiji was completely modern. It wasn't even remotely similar to the old-fashioned place the group showed up at in this series.

Of course, nothing comes easy in Mayoiga and none of the villagers seem to believe Masaki. In fact, Mikage is able to poke several holes in her story and ultimately expose that she was, in fact, lying about something (Or even several things. I don't know what to believe anymore). Just as the group is getting a little too riled up and is about to pounce on Masaki for the tenth time, the bus driver shows up...in the bus? Hey, wait, I thought the bus wasn't movable? How did the bus driver get it working and unstuck all be himself? Anyway, after the bus driver crashes through the entrance to Nanakimura, he throws Mitsumune and Masaki into said bus and drives off with Hayato's shirt stuck in the door. Thankfully, Hayato doesn't get ripped to shreds by being dragged by a full sized bus and winds up okay when it finally comes to a stop. Then, in the saddest moment of the episode, the bus driver (Who is still under the impression that Masaki is a ghost) pleads with Masaki to allow him to see his daughter again. Poor guy.

Back in the village, several people begin plotting a way to catch up to the bus driver and temporarily disable the vehicle in order for them to use it in the future. Meanwhile, Valkana and Koharun start scheming something of their own. After Koharun comes clean about her desire to help Masaki (Seeing as she was the original scapegoat before the group turned against Masaki), Valkana decides to go along with her and help as well. Apparently, Valkana doesn't necessarily trust Koharun but instead distrusts everyone equally (Which is actually the most rational thing I've heard since everyone showed up here). Eventually, the two sneak off to look for the bus in the middle of the night -- that is before they are bombarded by arrows sent flying from the cliffs. As the two make an effort to escape, it becomes clear that the one firing upon them is...Hyouketsu no Judgeness? Wait, didn't he die? What.

In Summary:

The eighth episode of Mayoiga continues to build upon the mysterious story of the title while still having time to shed light on the backgrounds of its varied character roster. It's becoming harder and harder to make assumptions about what is true and what isn't -- and frankly, that's the most important part of the series. Just like the villagers in the show, viewers are tested in their beliefs and left to fend for themselves in terms of choosing sides. I expect the final few episodes of Mayoiga to become relatively faster in terms of pacing, considering the amount of loose ends that need to be tied up before the series reaches a conclusion. Regardless, Mayoiga remains as consistent as always.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Project Itoh: Harmony Movie Review

Day by day the world becomes a healthier, safer, more beautiful and wholesome place.

What They Say:

In a future ruled by an unwavering dedication to good health, three high school girls led by the defiant Miach Mihie attempt suicide as the ultimate act of rebellion. Tuan Kirie survives, but can’t shake the hatred she has for the “perfect world” she lives in.

Years later, a simultaneous mass suicide rocks the globe and sends society into a state of shock. A small group stands up to take credit for the event, claiming they’ve hijacked the consciousness of every person on the planet. Everything about the terrorists’ message sounds too familiar to Tuan. She suspects her old friend Miach might be involved, but how could that be when she’d supposedly killed herself years earlier? Desperate for answers, Tuan launches an investigation that takes her across the globe chasing the ghost of her old friend. But what is Miach’s end game? Will she finally wake the world from its monotonous slumber? Or, end it all for good?

The Review:

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

I honestly don't know how to even start this. Harmony is the second in a series of [unrelated] films based on the works of Japanese science-fiction writer, Satoshi Itoh (Also known as Project Itoh). This particular piece hones in on the life of Tuan Kirie several years after she attempts suicide alongside two of her friends, Miach and Cian. Harmony is set in a world ruled by technology -- where nanomachines are implanted in children at birth in order to "preserve" their lives under the pretenses of health and safety. Miach is one of the very few who detests this world. So much so that she manages to coerce Tuan and Cian into taking their lives alongside her in an effort to demonstrate true free-will. However, Tuan and Cian ultimately fail the attempt and time continues to tick forward without Miach.

But not for long.

After being dismissed from active duty as a peacekeeper/investigator for the new government, Tuan returns home to Japan -- a nation she has grown to despise since the passing of her best friend. Upon her arrival back at home, she meets up with Cian, who seems to have made a pretty decent life for herself. She has a job, she does volunteer work, and she's staying happy (Though that last part is a given considering the new, augmented world basically forces you into happiness). This is where things take off. Tuan and Cian go out to dinner at a restaurant near Cian's place, where she brutally stabs herself to death in front of Tuan and the rest of the restaurant. It is then revealed that Cian is not the only civilian to abruptly commit suicide, but that the death toll has climbed high into the thousands. Now, keep in mind, this is all set in a world taking every possible precaution to limit death. In fact, death is so seldom in this utopia that most people go their entire live's without witnessing it. After investigating the issue further, Tuan starts to uncover a trail of shadows that all wind up tying back to Miach. So much so that she begins to question whether or not she is actually dead.

I'm going to cut myself off from mentioning any more of the plot here. Harmony is able to pack so much into it that I could probably write a twenty page thesis paper on the damn thing. But, the thing is, that is exactly what makes the film so alluring. Even though so much expository information is constantly being thrown at you, the pacing of the film is somehow able to take that and wind it down, never moving too fast for the audience to comprehend. The exposition (Which is extremely prevalent in a series of flashbacks and monologues that slowly zoom in on Tuan's face) actually goes on to take up the vast majority of the film. There is not one point in Harmony where you stop learning about the characters or the world they live in. It's a sort of snowball effect. Initially, all of the background information is simply just character detailing of Miach and how she was the sole, beautiful mind in a sea of robotized humans. Miach becomes a sort of a philosopher and figurehead for revolution to Tuan and Cian. Each and every flashback illustrates this almost flawlessly.

There is not a single moment of joy in Harmony. Each and every scene is packed to the brim with an encroaching darkness that consumes the tone of the film and directly opposes the idea of the displayed "Utopia". This new world, which is supposed to be the complete vision of perfection, never seems even relatively close to that.

On a thematic level, Harmony surpasses almost everything else I've seen. This is one of the most philosophic movies I have ever seen. Flashback after flashback -- this film literally bombards you with ideals that make you question the progression of society, science, the human subconscious, sexuality, and everything else from every side of every spectrum. In fact, Harmony makes you question so much that even the idea of happiness becomes clouded. Halfway through, I found myself questioning, "What does it actually even mean to be happy?" Almost all of this stems from the mind of Miach, who goes on to be a tragic symbol of diminishing free-will in a world that has forgotten what it means to be alive.

An interesting thing about harmony is that even though the story is one of the most descriptive, developed ones in animated film, it remains entirely composed and organized the whole time. The plot moves in a straight line and never even thinks about deviating from its path. The EVEN MORE interesting part about this is how the art of the film directly contradicts the linearity of the story and moves in an unpredictable, sporadic pattern. Bouncing back and forth between 2D and 3D, Harmony's spontaneity keeps our minds active and focused on how truly twisted the world we're seeing is. It's less of a visual experience and more of an aid to storytelling. Don't get me wrong, the animation is absolutely stunning, but that isn't what's important. We're supposed to be questioning reality in this film. The art just serves as another means of making us do exactly that.

While the visuals remain enchanting, the true allure of Harmony lies in the relationship between Tuan and Miach. Starting off as just friends to the viewer, it quickly becomes apparent that the two are so much more than that. And that isn't me just saying, "Oh, they're totally in love and stuff too" It's me saying that these two only exist because of each other. For Tuan, Miach is the rock that keeps her grounded and questioning the world around her. Miach is a symbol of freedom and beauty that can't be paralleled by anything else. For Miach, Tuan is a sort of "Saving Grace" in a world that has forsaken her. Tuan is the first person to listen to Miach's innermost thoughts and actually understand them. The two work off of each other to the point where, without their connection, there wouldn't be any movie in the first place. The great thing is, this is all enforced through phenomenal acting and chemistry between Monica Rial and Jamie Marchi (Yes, I watched the dub. Bite me.)

I'm going to be frank here -- this is the best performance of Monica Rial's career. And considering she's been in a good six million different shows by now, that's saying a lot. To put it in Hollywood terms, this would be her Oscar role. I've loved Rial as an actress for a long time now, but her performance as Miach literally brought the character to life. Miach felt real. She wasn't just some cute, overly-intellectual girl dancing across the screen anymore -- she was human. Rial wasn't the only one showing off her acting chops, though. Both Marchi and Brittney Karbowski got a chance to shine in this as well. I haven't [yet] heard the Japanese dubbed version of this film, but Jamie Marchi fit the image of Tuan perfectly. I honestly, couldn't imagine the character being voiced by anyone else after having watched the film. Karbowski, on the other hand...well I just have a crush on her so I'm going to rave about her performance no matter what she does. No, but really, Cian's voice was spot-on as well. Her suicide scene had some of the most immersive acting I've heard in quite a while. That being said, all three main actors combined to form a cast that was nothing short of phenomenal. I have to give props to Christopher Bevins as well for his excellent ADR direction of the film. Bevins was really able to bring out the best of each actress.

Harmony isn't like other animated films. It's sporadic, terrifying, and filled with dread. At the same time, though, it's thought-provoking, meticulous, and important. There is just so much that can be taken from this film. It's a textbook example of Shakespeare's image of tragedy. Miach and Tuan's relationship is one of the most endearing ones I have ever encountered. The only thing that could distract viewers from the near perfection of the film is it's tendency to become overly-wordy at parts. But even that can be overlooked when you take into account just how much of an impact the film makes as a whole.

In Summary:

Immensely philosophical and beautifully animated, Harmony dives into a plethora of societal themes that deeply parallel and satirize every day human life. Focusing just as much on setting the stage of its thought-provoking utopia as exploring the story of a young girl's twisted image of the world, Harmony raises many questions on the ideas of free will, morality, and much more. The film's pitch darkness is laced with a silence that goes on to create a truly unsettling, yet overall astonishing experience backed by powerful acting from Monica Rial and Jamie Marchi.

Grade: A

Mayoiga: The Lost Village Episode #7 Review

At some point, I just sort of became Tokimune.

What They Say:

A shady bus tour of young men and women are headed to an elusive village called Nanakimura. A destination where people can partake in a utopian existence, free of the world's obstacles... or so goes the rumor. Heading deep into the mountains, the bus is carrying 30 different individuals, each harboring their own expectations and troubled hearts. What they had arrived to was an uninhabited village with lingering, faint scents of life. It was falling apart. Just what is the secret of Nanakimura?

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

Okay, so, this week's episode starts with Mitsumune and Masaki running away from a giant, stuffed penguin. No, wait, there's more. Just as expected, we receive confirmation that the "monsters" everyone keeps seeing are in fact manifestations of their biggest fears -- or just hurdles they are trying to cross over. With that being said, we obviously need to figure out why Mitsumune's fear is a giant penguin. Well, as it turns out, the penguin is actually just a symbol -- a reminder of his [twin] brother, Tokimune.

When Mitsumune and Tokimune were young, a tragic accident occurred and ultimately resulted in Tokimune plunging to his death. After witnessing the passing of her son, Mitsumune's mom went into denial and spiraled into an intense state of mental instability. Long story short, she goes completely insane and starts referring to Mitsumune as Tokimune in order to trick herself into believing her son never actually died. Mitsumune, however, just winds up accepting this at the behest of his father and doctor. Originally, they were only going to allow Mitsumune's renaming to be temporary, but as he grew older, it became harder and harder to tell his mother the truth. After putting up with being called by his brother's name for almost his entire life, Mitsumune became fed up and left home in order to start a new life as...well, himself. Queue his place in Nanakimura.

As Mitsumune and Masaki continue to run away from the rest of the group, they come across the tunnel where Maimai saw her biggest fear, a giant Mitsumune. Masaki winds up telling Mitsumune that in order to leave the village, he must conquer his fears. She then runs directly through the stuffed penguin and leaves Mitsu to fend for himself. Needless to say, Mitsumune has his ass kicked by a giant stuffed penguin and is left to venture back to the village on his own. Upon his return, everyone apologizes for trying to kill him and whatnot. (This would never work in real life). Once he goes to sleep, the rest of the group goes out and somehow captures Masaki. Their new goal - "Find out if she is really a ghost or not". The best way to do this? Stabbing her I guess. At least that's what Hayato thinks.

Of course, stabbing her seems a little too intense for some of the villagers. I mean, what if she isn't actually a ghost? Eventually, Mitsumune wakes up thanks to Lion and Nanko and they all rush to Masaki's aid. In a fit of rage brought on by his only friend turning against him, Hayato winds up slashing Masaki's arm. And, instead of using her ghostly powers to heal herself, she starts to bleed. Uh oh. Now Hayato looks like a big jerk. Mitsumune, totally pissed that his best friend just stabbed the girl he likes, punches Hayato right in the mouth. This, of course, prompts Valkana to restrain him by tackling him to the ground. Just before things get even more intense, Masaki screams and begs for everyone to leave Mitsumune alone because he's suffered enough. Awe, she's cute even when she's tied to a pole.

In Summary:

Mayoiga continues to pick up steam in terms of both excitement and development. We're getting to see more examples of mass hysteria which completely reinforce the thought that there is absolutely no turning back from this point on. At this point, there is basically no hope for everyone banding together as solving their monster-issue as a single unit. With tensions steadily rising between group members who were once close, I expect to see a boost to the overall intensity level of interpersonal feuding. As always, Mayoiga remains exceptionally interesting.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Top 10 Cutest Girls Of Spring 2016

Yooooo, what's up party people? We're almost halfway through 2016 and I'm sure you all know what that means -- it's time to once again rank the most desirable 2D girls of the season! WOOOOO! In all honesty, though, this might be the all-around cutest anime season in quite some time. This, of course, means the countdown was particularly hard to put together. That being said, I think the ten girls that actually made it in are some of the cutest, most memorable ones yet.

In previous installments of this series, I have limited the amount of characters per show that can make it onto this list. This time, however, I don't care. I thought it would be wrong to discriminate against cuteness just because of other cuteness that would make things seem more varied. So, in theory, every single girl on this countdown could be from one series now. Will that happen? Absolutely not. But it COULD.

Anyway, I am ranking the girls based not only on their appearances but their personalities, voices, etc. Because of this, I obviously can not incorporate girls from series that I have not seen. So don't yell at me if I omit your favorite girl. Or do yell at me. I don't care.

LET'S GO!

10) Chinatsu Kuramoto

Anime: Flying Witch

CV: Eri Suzuki

I knew Chinatsu would make it into this countdown as soon as I watched the first episode of Flying Witch. Not only is she the epitome of an adorable imouto, she's absolutely hilarious. If you've watched any of the series so far, you'll be well aware that Chinatsu's facial expressions boost the enjoyment level of the series up a good six or seven notches almost every time she shows up. PLUS, she totally rocks the overalls. Only the best, most seasoned imouto are able to pull off overalls. Being the perfect image of purity, Chinatsu easily makes it into this countdown.

9) Ruri Hibarigaoka

Anime: Anne Happy

CV: Haruka Shiraishi

The only things you really need to know about Ruri are that she wears a rabbit costume this one time (Pictured above) and that she is in love with a sign. Like, literally in love with a sign. She keeps a picture of it with her at all times. I don't get it, but it's adorable. Also, look at how nice her hair is. You see it, right? On top of being the best bunny girl of the season and having the hair of a Loreal model, she's the best friend someone could ask for. She's actually such a great friend that she'll even let you borrow her bunny ears when you don't have any of your own. 10/10 Would date.

8) Mashiro Munetani

Anime: HaiFuri

CV: Lynn

Originally, Mashiro was my favorite girl of the season. Even though she's slumped down to eighth place (Probably the result of not receiving the screen time she deserves), she still holds first place for "Best Eyes." Look at how red they are. It's crazy. Also, she has a stuffed shark toy. If watching her hug it doesn't melt your heart then you don't have a heart in the first place. Shiro is the rightful captain of the Harekaze and had the position wrongfully stolen from her for reasons unknown. Hell, her entire bloodline has been raised as Blumers (If you haven't watched HaiFuri, you will have no idea what I'm talking about) and I have complete faith that she will be one eventually as well...assuming her bad luck doesn't get the best of her. Easily one of the cutest boat girls of the season.

7) Mayoi Ayasato/Maya Fey

Anime: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

CV: Aoi Yuuki

Honestly, I didn't expect Mayoi to make it into this countdown at all. Prior to the anime, I was pretty unfamiliar with Phoenix Wright apart from just recognizing what characters were from it. In the past, every time I saw Mayoi I thought, "Wow, what a weird looking girl." But it all makes sense now. In just a few episodes, she started growing on me. A lot. In fact, she's really the only reason I'm still watching the Ace Attorney anime. Her overall energy and ability to make any situation seem "not all that serious" is not only a helpful ability to have in the courtroom but an absolute delight to watch. I ship Mayoi x Pheonix harder than any other couple this season. The only thing I ship more is Mayoi x Me.

6) Mei Irizaki

Anime: HaiFuri

CV: Atsumi Tanezaki

There are three things that determine how cute a girl is: Their ponytail, their hair accessories, and how much they like torpedoes. Mei here covers all the bases flawlessly. Not only is she the cutest girl on the Harekaze, she also has perhaps the most entertaining and bubbly personality out of all of them. It didn't dawn on me until an episode or two into the series, but Mei was easily my favorite out of the boat-girls. It might just be the hoodie, though. I seem to have a weakness for girls that wear hoodies -- especially ones that have animal faces or ears on the hood. (This becomes even more apparent later on in the countdown). Either way, Mei is one of the greatest parts of HaiFuri and hearing her talk about shooting everyone is always a blast. No pun intended.

5) Maimai

Anime: Mayoiga: The Lost Village

CV: Ayaka Shimizu

Originally, I hated Maimai. I thought she was super mean and just flat-out stuck up. That all changed when I realized she was just tsundere. Now, I think Maimai is one of the cutest girls this year. Whenever she lets her guard down and her dere slips out, I have to remind myself that she isn't even my favorite girl in Mayoiga. BUT, during those brief dere-fueled moments, she becomes best-girl. Also, I'm a huge fan of the whole long-sleeves/shorts/stocking combo. I would totally hang out with Maimai in real life. How dare that one dude totally screw her over. What a jerk. How can you say no to this girl? Bonus points awarded for excellent usage of the color purple.

4) Akane Segawa

Anime: Netoge: And You Thought There Is Never A Girl Online...

CV: Inori Minase

Woo, another tsundere. I actually only started watching Netoge after seeing pictures of Segawa. Before that, I didn't really have any interest. (Though, I'm not quite sure why considering it almost directly tailors to me). But anyway, if you couldn't tell from the blonde twintails, Akane is super tsun and it's absolutely adorable. My biggest weakness in anime lies in the tsundere, and obviously, I'm going to give Akane bonus points for directly mimicking what I want out of a waifu. Plus, that skirt. UGH. She probably knows more about computers than I do. She could probably even out DPS me. Maybe. I don't know. Either way, I'd raid [with] her any day of the week.

3) Futaba Odagiri

Anime: Sansha Sanyou

CV: Mai Kanazawa

LOOK AT THE LITTLE HEART SIGN SHE'S DOING WITH HER HANDS. HOW MUCH DOES YOUR SOUL SHATTER KNOWING THAT A CREATURE AS ADORABLE AS FUTABA ODAGIRI WILL NEVER EXIST IN REAL LIFE? HOW MUCH DOES IT HURT TO KNOW THAT YOU WILL NEVER EAT BREAD TOGETHER? WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE KNOWING THAT NO ONE WILL EVER MAKE A HEART SIGN AS PURE AND INNOCENT AS THIS ONE TO YOU? SHE WILL NEVER BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND BECAUSE SHE ISN'T REAL. IT HURTS, I KNOW, BUT WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. FUTABA I LOVE YOU. HELP.

2) Lion

Anime: Mayoiga: The Lost Village

CV: Hiromi Igarashi

Those socks. Those legs. Those eyes. That hoodie. Lion is a 10/10 in every way, shape, and form. Mix that with the fact that she can [probably] see dead people and you have one of the cutest damn anime girls ever. Like seriously, dude. Look at those legs. They're perfect. Not to mention that she's a total badass and doesn't even talk to anyone most of the time. She's terrifying...but she's also adorable. How do you even do that? Is that even allowed? LOOK AT HER LEGS. *Clears throat* Lion may not have come out victorious in this countdown, but that is only because the ranking is sorted by more than just physical appearance. If I was going to award one of the girls in this list for "Most Physically Attractive," Lion would easily win. It wouldn't even be a contest. LEGS.

Spring 2016 Champion: 1) Chidori Takashiro

Anime: Kiznaiver

CV: Yuka Terasaki

Yeah, Chidori is basically perfect. I've mentioned before that red hair and red eyes are basically traits that lock girls into "Top 10 Cutest" positions for me, but Chidori would honestly be up here even if it wasn't for that. The fact that she is trying SO HARD to show Katsuhira how she feels is enough to make her one of the most precious anime girls of the year. At so many points, Chidori breaks out into full-on deredere mode and what does she get for it? Nothing. NOTHING AT ALL. This poor girl is pouring her fragile little heart out and SHE GETS NOTHING. It's almost painful to watch. OH, AND she has the fashion sense of a god. I'm not talking high-fashion here, I'm talking what I'd imagine my waifu wearing. Chidori literally took a glimpse into my brain, saw all of the outfits I pictured, and was just like, "Yeah, I can wear that." Even though she isn't tsundere by any means, Chidori may just make it into my top 10 girls of all time. That is damn impressive. Do you know how many non-tsun girls are on there? Like two. Needless to say, Chidori here is the culmination of so many different things that make not only myself but millions of others fall in love. As I've said before, she's basically perfect.

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 browse the rest of FandomPost while you wait for the next one!

Mayoiga: The Lost Village Episode #6 Review

Then she really is...a ghost?

What They Say:

A shady bus tour of young men and women are headed to an elusive village called Nanakimura. A destination where people can partake in a utopian existence, free of the world's obstacles... or so goes the rumor. Heading deep into the mountains, the bus is carrying 30 different individuals, each harboring their own expectations and troubled hearts. What they had arrived to was an uninhabited village with lingering, faint scents of life. It was falling apart. Just what is the secret of Nanakimura?

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

Oh man, I don't even know what's going on in this show anymore. Well, I mean, I kind of do. But I still don't. You know what I'm talking about. When we last left off, Mitsumune and Masaki had spotted a giant stuffed animal thing towering over the trees of the Nanakimura forest. This week, we get to deal with several other exponentially enlarged objects that tie to various other characters. Some of which are rational, some of which are...wait, none of them are really rational. They're just all giant, weird objects. Huh. Apart from just huge items, though, this is a backstory-heavy episode. In fact, we learn more about the characters in this episode than any of the others so far -- and it winds up working out.

First, we get a glimpse into the past of Lovepon. Apparently, she grew up raised by a single mother that struggled to keep the two of them afloat. Having little money, Lovepon's mother essentially sold herself to a local monk who would then go on to "support" the two. However, that monk wasn't really the greatest guy. It quickly became apparent that he was abusive toward Lovepon's mother, which in turn, prompted Lovepon's affinity for execution. She went on to spend the rest of her childhood plotting ways to kill this monk dude. Unfortunately for both her and her mother, that never really worked out and, instead resulted in Lovepon having the daylights knocked out of her by an old man.

The next backstory we get to see in Nyanta's. As it turns out, she was a victim of bullying in school. After rejecting to shoplift things for the girls bullying her, Nyanta visits a gun shop and purchases her first weapon, albeit just a small BB-gun. Wanting to break out her new toy, Nyanta begins sniping the bully girls as they walk down her street and isn't discovered until days later. Of course, when the girls do discover her, they don't necessarily treat her with respect. Instead, they tie her to a chair and shoot down a beehive that lands on her head. Teenage girls are the worst, I swear.

Our third backstory is that of the fauxhawk guy, Hellfire or whatever. Hellfire has apparently always wanted to be a military ranger. The downside to this, though, is that he doesn't really fit the bill. One day, after overhearing of a surgery that involves silicon implants in the cranium in order to increase height, Hellfire obliges and signs himself up. Finally meeting the height requirements for the military, he signs up and begins training. The only downside is that now he has to deal with silicon implants in his head, which can't be comfortable in the slightest.

Our fourth and final backstory is Mikage's. As expected, he was some business/marketing dude that specialized in toy trains or something. With a large toy convention looming over his head, Mikage pitches an idea for a new train set that is reluctantly accepted by his team. However, on the day before the convention, it is revealed that Mikage entered in the wrong delivery date for the prototype train set, resulting in his reputation being tarnished as everyone in his workplace erupts into laughter with him at the center.

Anyway, now that all that's covered, it's become clear that whatever the new villagers of Nanakimura are seeing in the forest relates directly to them. Each one seems to be having visions of their greatest fear -- or something along those lines. The mystery, at this point, becomes the question of, "Why?" Is there truly a monster out there? Does the village have a soul or mind of its own? Who knows? The only thing I'm certain of at this point in time is that I would never want to live in this village. I don't even care about the real estate pricings. This place blows.

In Summary:

Sporting excellent character development and interesting backstories, episode six of Mayoiga follows a slightly different formula than the rest of the series. More time is spent establishing why characters are seeing things instead of just building up ominous mysteries. Over the next several episodes, I assume that we are going to see more of what we saw in this one. Quite frankly, I'm excited to see the rest of the villagers' lives before their arrival in Nanakimura. This show is getting extremely weird. With the help of some disturbing and surreal imagery mixed with an ever-building story, Mayoiga is definitely becoming pretty damn cool.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Mayoiga: The Lost Village Episode #5 Review

What I can really see are people who are going to die...

What They Say:

A shady bus tour of young men and women are headed to an elusive village called Nanakimura. A destination where people can partake in a utopian existence, free of the world's obstacles... or so goes the rumor. Heading deep into the mountains, the bus is carrying 30 different individuals, each harboring their own expectations and troubled hearts. What they had arrived to was an uninhabited village with lingering, faint scents of life. It was falling apart. Just what is the secret of Nanakimura?

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

After Maimai apparently spotted a giant Mitsumune in the tunnel from last week's episode, the group that had planned on leaving Nanakimura wound up returning to the village. Upon their [re]arrival, tensions begin to climb yet again as the two groups debate what they should be doing from here on out. Hyouketsu no Eyepatch is now dead (I think) but no one really seems to care. As the debate between the two groups slowly spirals out of control, Lion interrupts everything with a loud gasp and a hand gesture toward Mitsumune before accusing him of disappearing. Then, as if it that wasn't weird enough, she goes on to tell everyone that she can see dead people. On the bright side, however, she did put a temporary stop to the argument. After everyone tells Lion she is weird and the group verifies that Mitsumune is indeed alive, they all split up and head back to their respective lodges. Well, everyone except Mikage, who is still being a total buzzkill.

As everyone heads back to their rooms, Mitsumune is approached by Narna, Puuko, and that one other girl whose name I can't remember. They have apparently decided that he is a worthy candidate to stand guard while everyone else goes to sleep. Mitsumune is reluctant at first, but upon discovering that there is a single piece of candy in store for him if he accepts, he takes the job without a second thought. In the midst of his patrol, Lion shows up. Curious as to why she accused him of being dead, Mitsumune sparks a conversation between the two that ultimately ends with Lion admitting that she can't actually see dead people. It is now 100% confirmed that Mitsumune is alive. We did it, guys. Let's head home.

Wait, there's more? Oh okay. Shortly after Mikage's like...fifth tantrum about how stupid everyone is, he is approached by the guy with the fauxhawk and the military cat girl. As it turns out, the gun-wielding duo is on his side and is looking to put an end to the unrest once and for all. So with the help of Lovepon, they decide that kidnapping Mitsumune is the easiest way to do that. Wait, what? Why are people still listening to Lovepon? It's clear that she's either a masochist or a necrophiliac or something. Anyway, the four succeed in capturing Mitsumune and imprison him in what may or may not be the same room Jack was held captive in. Regardless, the room fills with smoke as a fire has apparently started to spread nearby. The new justice squad (Lovepon, Mikage, pistol twins) makes a break for it and leaves Mitsumune to fend for himself. No worries, though, because Masaki shows up and escorts him to safety right before confessing that she is the one who made the fire in the first place. Then a giant stuffed animal thing named Tokimune appears towering over the trees in the forest. The end.

In Summary:

With each episode, Mayoiga is growing stranger and stranger, making it increasingly harder to formulate opinions on just what the hell is going on. But, honestly, it's great. These cliffhanger endings, despite being extremely odd and way out-of-the-blue, never really stop being fun. We're getting to know a little more about the characters each episode, and this time, we even got to see Lion's haircut without it being covered by her hood! That's the best part of the series so far! Even with this, though, Mayoiga remains consistent as always and allows the ending to do all the work in expanding our curiosity and forcing us to look forward to next week. 

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Brynhildr In The Darkness Complete Series DVD Review

People don't vanish from this world the moment they die. Their true death is when they are forgotten by the living.

What They Say:

Haunted by memories of his childhood friend Kuroneko, Ryota Murakami has dedicated himself to discovering the truth behind the claim she'd made before she died: That aliens from other worlds walk among us. Believing that becoming a scientist is the path to the truth, Murakami pursues his studies by day and peers through a telescope at night. But when a girl named Kuroha Neko joins his class, the answers he's sought may be closer than he ever expected.

The Review:

Audio:

The audio portion of this release is about what you'd expect from a standard DVD edition -- nothing more, nothing less. Both English and Japanese dubs are available on all three discs in standard Dolby Digital 2.0. No cut outs or stoppages were recorded throughout all 13 episodes. Equalization seemed normal and volumes stayed consistent throughout.

Video:

This standard edition comes to you as a 480i anamorphic release. Colors seemed diluted at times, but that may just be due to the overall art style. Considering the simplicity of said art style, there is no serious strain on production and the art stays consistent throughout.  I experienced no disruptions at all while watching this series. One more thing to note, is that series is entirely uncensored and features frontal nudity.

Packaging:

As always, this standard release comes encased within clear shrink wrap. The package itself is actually rather nice looking, featuring the four main girls of the series in black and white while bathed in blood. The back side of the release contains thumbnails from various points in the show and details the original Japanese cast underneath a brief synopsis of the series. Overall, I'd put the packaging of this particular set maybe a step or two above most standard DVD releases.

Menu:

Just like most Sentai releases, Brynhildr sports an unanimated main menu on all three discs that loops the [first] opening song to the series. The menus display character portraits to the side of the episode titles that obviously change colors when highlighted. Apart from that, there really isn't anything to note. The menus remain average on all fronts.

Extras:

The special features of this release include: Textless OP/ED themes, trailers for other Sentai Filmworks shows, and one OVA episode. The OVA can be played in both the original Japanese audio as well as English. There is no commentary for anything included on any disc. Disc 1 features the textless themes as well as the trailers, while Disc 3 contains the OVA. There are no special features on Disc 2.

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

You've been to Walmart before right? Well, you know how they have cheaper versions of products that you've grown used to -- and how those products never particularly live up to the hype of whatever thing they're supposed to be replacing? Yeah, well Brynhildr In The Darkness is basically that, but turned into a 13 episode anime. Now, I just want to note that discounted versions of reliable products aren't always necessarily "bad," but that at some point, you just have to bite the bullet and be like, "Man, I wish I bought the brand name one instead."

Brynhildr is the latest animated series from Lynn Okamoto, the original creator of the masterpiece that we have come to know as Elfen Lied. And while Elfen Lied may have explored many different themes and ideas that were, at the time, not very common to the anime community, this new series embarks on a new exploration of the same things and tries to make it look like it's discovering them all for the first time. Basically, Brynhildr In The Darkness is the Christopher Columbus of anime. Columbus showed up in America one day and was all like, "I am the first person to find this!" while all of the Native Americans who were already over there were just like, "Dude, what about us?" and then he killed them all. This is the same thing.

Brynhildr focuses mainly on the life of Ryouta Murakami, a seemingly average dude with an above average intellect. After watching his best friend from childhood plunge to her death while they were trying to walk across a huge pipe thing (Or something), Murakami dedicates his life to astronomy because...well...that's what his dead friend liked and stuff. So one day, several years in the future, a girl looking exactly like her (Kuroneko) escapes from some lab thing and is ultimately discovered by Murakami, who is then like, "Yo I thought you were dead," only to be greeted by, "Wtf are you talking about? I'm a witch lol". So obviously the correct thing to do in this situation would be to run away from this creature with ridiculously abnormal telepathic power. But, instead, Murakami helps her assimilate with the average high school kids because that's totally not dangerous at all.

As time goes by, we discover that Kuroneko and the rest of the witches must take some pill to suppress their power from leaking out and demolishing them. Obviously, though, this pill isn't sold behind counters and must be acquired directly from the lab the witches are from. Considering at this point in time our home team consists only of Murakami, Kuroneko, and the quadriplegic best-girl (Kana), more help must be recruited. You know what this group needs? A Tsundere. So they go find one (Kazumi) and apparently she is a super-hacker that helps Kuro and Murakami break into the lab and get some life-pills. All is fine and well until the dude who I guess owns the lab is like, "Shit, we should get those witches back" and starts sending better witches after them. So then some more stuff happens and Kuroneko gets cut in half. But that's cool because the witch they were fighting against has the power to rewind time and of course she ultimately winds up doing so because the main girl can't die before the halfway point of the series.

After escaping from the evil laboratory for the second time, Kuroneko and Murakami realize they're in some deep shit. More witches keep being sent out to find them, each one stronger than the next. So the rest of the series is a bunch of rinse-repeat as the astronomy club repels their murderous attackers while slowly gaining more good witches to join their club. Eventually, the main evil guy from the lab is like, "Know what? I'm just gonna unleash the super bad witch to track them all down." The super bad witch winds up being really mean and puts a serious damper on things when she [kind of] kills one of the good witches. Kuroneko gets really mad at this because she is also a good witch and then decides it's time to unleash her ultimate power and kill the evil super bad witch lady (Who is also her sister. Surprise!). Then yay, everything goes back to normal. Or does it?...

If you couldn't tell by now, Brynhildr in the darkness is basically a slightly-tweaked retelling of Elfen Lied with more girls and fanservice thrown in. In fact, almost every single thing that happens in Elfen Lied also happens in this series. Here, I'll break a few down with this cool timeline.

Elfen Lied: Lucy escapes from the isolated evil lab and is taken in by the good guy.

Brynhildr: Kuroneko and Kana escape from the isolated evil lab and are taken in by the good guy.

Elfen Lied: Evil lab dude sends out Nana and Bandou to track down Lucy.

Brynhildr: Evil lab dude sends out like five different witches to track down Kuro.

Elfen Lied: We discover that the lab is genetically modifying cute girls to create superweapons.

Brynhildr: We discover that the lab is genetically modifying AND CLONING cute girls to create superweapons.

Elfen Lied: Woah, Lucy is actually Kouta's childhood friend!

Brynhildr: Woah, Kuro is actually Ryouta's childhood friend!

Elfen Lied: Lucy prevails and Nana now has no limbs.

Brynhildr: Kana's limbs don't even work in the first place.

Elfen Lied: Evil lab man gets fed up and sends out Mariko (Who, for some reason, loves evil lab man).

Brynhildr: Evil lab man gets fed up and sends out Mako (Who, for some reason, loves evil lab man).

Elfen Lied: Mariko's powers aren't enough to kill the protagonist. Evil lab man shows soft side and dies with her on a bridge.

Brynhildr: Mako's powers aren't enough to kill the protagonist(s). Evil lab man shows soft side and dies with her on a balcony.

Okamoto couldn't even get creative with the names of the characters. Kouta/Ryouta are the protagonists. Mariko/Mako are the bad guys. Honestly, I think it might be possible that Okamoto was just trying to relive his glory days with this. After Elfen Lied came out, everyone saw him as this mastermind with a fantastic story to tell -- which, he was. Since that, though, nothing he did really took off the same way. It wasn't until he basically rewrote the story that he put into the spotlight again. And honestly, if he hadn't already created Elfen Lied, this would have been a lot better. The characters are actually extremely lovable and I was incredibly surprised by how much they grew on me. The fanservice is a little heavy in this series, but the comedy is actually the best part of the entire show. Some scenes literally showcased 10/10 humor and made the watching experience increase tenfold. I tore apart the series above, but it really wasn't THAT bad. There are still some elements that really make this a relatively enjoyable show. However, certain things like Okamato's new-found hatred toward permanently killing off his characters, I would definitely change. 

All in all, this series was enough to make me want to read the manga, so I guess it worked it the end.

In Summary:

Just watch Elfen Lied instead.

Content Grade: D+

Audio Grade: B+

Video Grade: C+

Packaging Grade: B

Menu Grade: B-

Extras Grade: C+

Released By: Sentai Filmworks

Release Date: October 6, 2015

MSRP: $59.98

Running Time: 350 Minutes

Video Encoding: Standard 480p Anamorphic

Aspect Ratio: 16x9