Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei! Complete Collection DVD Review

Don't think. Imagine.

What They Say:

The magical girls are back, and ready for another round of adventure! After successfully recovering the Class Cards, fifth graders-turned magical girls Illya and Miyu think they can finally take it easy. But as fate would have it, the girls are once again called back into active duty when they find out that the Cards have left some very nasty side effects on their world. However, their seemingly easy mission goes totally awry with the appearance of a dark stranger who looks just like Illya! Who is this new but familiar face, where did she come from, and what does she want from Illya? With the arrival of this new foe, it seems like Illya's finally met her match when her everyday life takes one dark turn!

The Review:

Audio:

Perhaps the most surprising part of the Prisma Illya series up to this point has been its epic, adrenaline-infused music. I mean, how are we supposed to watch magical girls fight heroic spirits without a totally badass soundtrack? We know the substance is great, yeah, but does the quality of the DVD release hold up? Hmm...I guess. In terms of actual, audio quality, we're given the default Dolby Digital 2.0 that has become synonymous with standard DVD releases. This collection contains both the English and Japanese dub (Both in DD 2.0), though the English dub is...relatively lackluster, to say the least. It sounds cliche to say this, but I would definitely choose the original Japanese dub over the English one as it boasts an incredibly talented roster lead by the same voices (Mai Kadowaki/Kana Ueda) we've grown accustomed to from the normal Fate franchise.

Video:

As expected, this DVD release is presented in 480i standard definition. That being said, the bright, vivid colors and heavily outlined character models that have been a staple to Prisma Illya are relatively diluted. And while the video does not cut-out at any moments and stays stable throughout all three discs, it's clear and obvious that the video quality is not what it could be. Regardless, you can't expect DVD releases to push technical boundaries anymore and really get what you pay for in that department. All in all, the original artwork is still fantastic and boasts numerous beautifully-animated battles.

Packaging:

I have this weird OCD thing when it comes to DVD and Blu-ray covers. My policy is that whatever color scheme you throw onto the front-cover...keep that color scheme for the back and side panels. I don't know if I'm alone on this guys, but it's strangely displeasing seeing the entire color scheme of a package change from front to back. This collection is an example of that. While the artwork on both sides is still high-quality, something just seems wrong. With the front cover featuring our three main heroines (Plus Bazett) against a pink backdrop and the rear cover (Best cover, in this case) featuring Miyu and Illya wearing swimsuits in the sky for some reason, it's safe to say the packaging is slightly confused. Still, bonus points for the swimsuits, Sentai. One more thing to note, though, is that I adore the discs themselves for this.

Menu:

I've gotten to the point where when I pop in a Sentai DVD, I don't even expect anything in terms of menus anymore. Prisma Illya 2wei is yet another example of the whole, "Main girl next to a list of episodes and that's it" menu scheme that has apparently been working for Sentai for...well, as long as they've been around. To be honest, though, no one really cares about DVD menus anymore except for me and like...four other people. That being said, I still think that Sentai could make their menus a little more interesting every once in a while.

Special Features:

Huzzah! Along with all 10 episodes on three discs, we also get a handful of Prisma Illya shorts that Sentai has taken the time to dub in English. With the amount of special features that wind up going un-dubbed [In English], it's a real treat whenever we're gifted with some that are. Another plus to this is that the shorts aren't just 30-second clips with no relevance, either. They're more like bonus scenes that can stand alone and provide...well, bonus material for fans of the characters. Along with the shorts, we're also given various Sentai trailers as well as the textless OP/ED songs.

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

The Prisma Illya franchise has definitely taken off, to say the least. In fact, at the time of my writing this, it has become the longest-running Fate series to-date. With a name so gigantic tied to it, it's definitely impressive that a spinoff has been able to make it this far. Originally based on the manga series of the same name by Hiroshi Hiroyama (Who has literally only done the Prisma Illya series), Fate/Kaleid Liner follows Illyasviel Von Einzbern in an alternate universe where she has become a magical girl and is tasked with collecting various "Servant cards" in order to save the world. After partnering up with a girl under similar circumstances, Miyu Edelfelt, Illya manages to do so. This is all just first season recap stuff, though.

This time around, Illya inherits a new problem -- an evil twin sister that goes by the name of Kuro. Kuro, who totally steals the show throughout this entire season, is sort of like a rambunxious Nega-Illya who straight-up turns this into a yuri franchise right off the bat. (Thank you, Kuro). After being cursed by Rin, Kuro becomes connected to Illya so that if she experiences any pain, Kuro will as well. Rin's main reason for doing this, which I forgot to mention, is that Kuro really just wants to kill Illya and take over for her. And while that sounds totally messed up on paper, she really just wants a mom and a family and blah blah blah. Whatever. The more important part of this whole 'being cursed' thing is that it leads to Kuro enrolling in Illya's school and MAKING OUT WITH ALL OF HER FRIENDS. And while Kuro is most definitely a lesbian, she does this under the pretense of "Needing to drain their mana". Uh-huh. Totally buy that. 

Anyway, the whole Kuro situation winds up taking a turn for the worse about halfway through the season when Irisviel comes into the picture. Not being surprised in the slightest by her other daughter's appearance, Iri goes on to state that Kuro was sealed away in order to ensure Illya could become the Holy Grail if need be. However, with Holy Grail war being eliminated and not even an issue anymore, Kuro immediately begins to contemplate what exactly her existence even means. Has she been sealed away for no reason this whole time? With these things in mind, Kuro's physical existence begins to deteriorate. As she starts to literally fade into oblivion, Illya steps in to save her once-evil twin sister and MAKES OUT WITH HER, WOO. Man, this should be how every anime solves its problems. Following this event, Kuro starts to assimilate into Illya's normal life under the guise of her cousin, Chloe. Then, everything starts working out. UNTIL IT DOESN'T.

Remember Bazzet from Fate/Hollow Ataraxia? Yeah, well, she's a thing in Prisma Illya now. After being sent after Illya and Miyu to steal all of the servant cards, an all-out war breaks out and Luvia's mansion is essentially destroyed. Bazzet really goes on to show off her combat power and is essentially able to take on the entire Prisma Illya team on her own -- making her the most fierce opponent they've had yet. However, after a few well-placed traps and numerous destructive battles, Bazzet is deterred and winds up losing to our main heroines. Even though she has been defeated, however, Bazzet makes it clear that she will not give up on her mission -- insinuating and ushering forth the beginning of season three, Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 3rei!!

In Summary:

As much as I've made fun of (And supported) the series for it, don't write off the Prisma Illya series as just a yuri fanservice-fest. There's actually a ton of emotionally-driven moments and some of the best magical girl fights out there packed into these ten episodes alone. When I first started this series back in 2013, I expected nothing more than a comedic spin-off featuring a few characters I've grown to love over the past decade or so. But, fortunately for myself and many other fans of the franchise, this is more than that. While I totally understand that seeing something like this may diminish that dark, dreadful feeling the Fate franchise has successfully been instilling in many of us for years, I still highly implore any fans of the series (Or even just the characters) to give this a try. There's a reason that it's become the longest-running Fate anime thus far. 

Features: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio, English subtitles, clean opening/ending songs, Sentai Filmworks trailers, Three 2wei! Shorts (English dubbed), and TV spots.

Content Grade: B

Audio Grade: C+

Video Grade: C+

Packaging Grade: C

Menu Grade: C

Extras Grade: A-

Released By: Sentai Filmworks

Release Date: February 16, 2016

MSRP: $59.98

Running Time: 250 Minutes

Video Encoding: 480i Standard Definition

Aspect Ratio: 16x9

Girlish Number Episode #03 Anime Review

You can't look worse than you already do.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

The time has come for our beloved seiyuu to commence acting for their new anime! And while Momoka and Shibasaki are off to a great start (I mean, why wouldn't they be?), the other three girls are having a pretty hard time -- particularly Chitose. Remember back in the first episode when Momoka was all like, "Yo, you're pretty terrible at acting," and Chitose kind of just laughed it off? Well, now it's evident that she really is terrible. Like, really terrible. In fact, she's so bad that the recording sessions are being extended beyond their scheduled hours in order for her to just spout out even more terrible takes than her original ones. Needless to say, it gets pretty awkward in the recording studio and it isn't until Gojou talks to her about "Why she was chosen" that she starts recovering.

Apparently, Chitose was just at the right place at the right time and fit the criteria the producers of the series were looking for. That being said, Chitose now understands that she needs to step it up in order to keep her job and enlists the help of good ole' Momoka. What Momoka essentially tells her, however, is the same thing her brother has already told her. If Chitose is ever going to become a better actor, she needs to...well, act. And in order to do so, she has to understand the character she's playing. So, after watching film after film and anime after anime, Chitose is able to get a grip on her character's profile and essentially kills it during her next studio session, surprising even Shibasaki herself.

After the session ends, the two popular seiyuu finally decide that it's time to accompany those lesser than them to dinner. Hooray! Along the way, Chitose tries talking to Shibasaki -- who seem's even more estranged than usual this episode. Of course, Shibasaki is dismissive at first, but soon slowly starts opening up to Chitose, albeit about drinking. Regardless, it becomes apparent here that Chitose really does care about what she and Momoka think and that she isn't just a cocky newbie anymore. Good on you, Chitose. Good on you.

In Summary:

The character development begins! Chitose, understanding that she needs to work hard if she's ever going to become a successful voice actress, is able to ask for the help of others and ultimately improve herself in just one episode. The various time we spend with the audio engineers and studio staff in this episode also helps give us a behind-the-scenes look at how the producers feel about our main heroine. With a focus slightly deviating from the usual comedic tactics, the third installment of Girlish Number is just as entertaining as usual, albeit in a different way this time. With Momoka and Shibasaki slowly but surely becoming closer with the other three girls, we can definitely look forward to some adorable heroine chemistry in the near future. Also, for those interested in my ranking of said heroines for this series, your weekly update is that Momoka is very close to pushing Chitose out of the number one spot. She's just too darn cute.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Girlish Number Episode #02 Anime Review

You don't have anything to worry about. You never did, and you never will.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

After being named as the heroine for an upcoming anime adaptation of a popular light novel series, Chitose is ecstatic. However, that ecstasy soon dies down when she finds out that there are four other main heroines and that the anime is actually going to be a harem series. That being said, she's still determined to show off what she's got and ultimately become super popular and rich! But before that, she needs to assimilate with the rest of the cast. Among the heroines, we see the return of Momoka and Kazuha, who worked as the main actresses for Chitose's last series. In addition to them, we have Chitose's timid friend from school, Yae Kugayama, and the sporty otaku straight outta Kansai, Koto Katakura.

Of course, we all know that there's a lot more to anime than just the seiyuu. With that in mind, we begin to see our first problems in terms of development for the series.In the first full-on production meeting, it is made known that the author of the light novel books isn't particularly happy with the character designs he's been shown. Not wanting to damage the original property, Kuzu-P and the rest of the staff elect to have the artist redo his designs and wind up completely rearranging the entire work schedule in order to do so. But that isn't enough to slow down Chitose and the rest of the gang.

Even though designs are still in the works, the studio has scrounged up enough animation to put together a PV. And what better way to premiere a PV than with an exclusive preview event featuring all five heroines? Chitose, of course, takes this as yet another sign of how super-famous she's going to be and winds up coaching Yae, who is incredibly nervous about doing something like this for the first time. Regardless of how 60% of the heroines are still newbies, the premiere event ends without a hitch and the fans seem to love it. As the day comes to a close, Momoka and Kazuha once again head home (Because famous) and Chitose and the others go out to celebrate.

In Summary:

Being an episode utilized almost entirely for character introductions of Yae and Koto, the second episode of Girlish Number swiftly moves along the plot while staying consistently enjoyable throughout. Chitose's cockiness and quick inner monologues are probably my favorite part of this entire season so far, to be completely honest. Having a roster of five, exponentially different (And adorable) heroines is going to make my "Top 10 Cutest Girls" countdown a royal pain this time around. With each of them having sufficient time to strut their stuff, I'd say that Girlish Number is showing exemplary signs of pacing and I'm expecting it to remain consistent in that department hereafter. Backed by quirky, fast-paced dialogue, this anime is definitely enjoyable thus far. It's still not too late to check it out if you haven't already.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Girlish Number Episode #01 Anime Review

This industry is seriously messed up.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

Considering how all-around fantastic the Summer 2016 anime line-up was, this season has some pretty big shoes to fill -- and what better way to do that than with a crossbreed idol/seiyuu anime featuring a fiery, pink-haired bundle of two-dimensional love? Right off the bat, Chitose Karasuma of Girlish Number is playing to all of my affinities, but can the rest of the series hold up? If this pilot is an example of everything yet to come for the series, yes. Yes, it can.

Following the widespread success of Shirobako, there's been a noticeable boom in industry-based anime. With shows like Sore Ga Seiyuu and even New Game being less than a year old at the time of my writing this, it's surprising how quickly these niche anime have taken off. Girlish Number seems to be a little different, however. Instead of highlighting things like hard work and self-satisfaction, this series focuses more on the slightly corrupt aspects of the industry. In just the first several minutes of the series, we witness conflicting seiyuu, incredulous cockiness, and even creepy dudes who try and get with up-and-coming voice actresses. Needless to say, Girish Number gets its point across right away while still maintaining a hilarious and professional atmosphere.

The pilot kicks off with Chitose and several other seiyuu from her current series (Which she only plays a side-character in) giving a presentation at some kind of event/convention/promo gig thing. After the seiyuu go around and introduce themselves, the episode kicks off into what may be (But probably isn't) the opening song of the series performed by the two main actresses, Momoko Sonou and Kazuha Shibasaki. The explosive performance from these two appears to be spot-on and perfectly executed but meanwhile, the two seiyuu completely despise each other. After the performance comes to a close, all of the female actors go their separate ways. That is, all of them except Chitose who decides to go out to dinner with her production staff -- a decision that would soon shape her future. But we'll get to that in a second.

One of the more interesting aspects of Chitose's new life as a seiyuu would be that her agent is actually her brother, Gojou, who was somehow able to get her into the production company he works for. The relationship between these two is just one of the many comedic elements that wind up sculpting consistent hilarity throughout the duration of the pilot. And it's all comes full-circle when Gojou finds out his sister is being cast as the main heroine for a new idol series based purely on her looks and how she went out to dinner with the guys one night. This decision comes straight down from star music producer, Kuzu-P, who is essentially just the coolest dude in town.

Chitose, initially thinking she was in trouble, graciously accepts her role as Yuuna and begins the first step to becoming a popular voice actress. You go, girl.

In Summary:

I know it's early, but I already love Girlish Number. Just the fact that there is a seiyuu-centered anime that details how terribly cocky some of them can be is already a hilarious subject matter in itself. But when the protagonist of that series is as strangely lovable and bad-mannered as Chitose, everything just seems so fresh and...well, fun. The character roster's first impression is going to grow on all of us quickly, I can feel it. That impression in itself is a feat. Said feat, being backed by well-written comedy and adorable character designs delivers a surprisingly fantastic first impression and quickly paves an open road to awesomeness for Girlish Number. I'm even more excited to follow this series now than I was when I first heard of it.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: The Anime Network

Battery Complete Series Anime Review

They say your catcher is like your wife.

What They Say:

Meet Takumi Harada—not even in junior high and he's the best pitcher in the region. However, he's frustrated and ready to give up because he can't find a catcher good enough to keep up with his pitching. After moving to a backwater town and being forced to start all over again, along comes a kid named Gou Nagakura -- the first catcher Takumi feels comfortable forming a battery with.

The Review:

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

After air conditioning and how it feels to take my socks off after a long day of work, anime and baseball (In no particular order) are my two favorite things in the entire world. That being said, when I first caught wind of Battery (No, that isn't a pitch-velocity pun), I was ecstatic. The fact that a baseball anime that emphasized emotion and relationships instead of action and energy was going to come to life was like a dream come true for me. However, after completing Battery, I think it's safe to say that it wasn't a baseball anime at all. Instead, it's a melodramatic, character-driven drama series that uses baseball as a metaphor for growing up and accepting change. What is going to make this review different from the widespread critical reception is that I'm actually okay with this. And while much of Battery's execution in terms of its dramatic elements does wind up falling short, it still possesses a plethora of subtle beauty that many people seem to be overlooking when it comes to analyzing it.

In the beginning of the series, we're introduced to Takumi Harada -- an angsty and conceited middle-school pitcher. Takumi places himself on a pedestal much higher than that of the average middle-school baseball player and essentially sees everyone that tries to interfere with his way of doing things as nothing more than an utter nuisance. That being said, when he finally encounters Gou Nagakura (The backup catcher for Takumi's new team) the path of narcissism he's been heading down since birth begins to deviate, albeit ever so slightly. Gou, who essentially demands that Takumi throw to him, expectedly struggles to catch his pitches at first. However, being powered by determination and excitement at the budding pitcher, Gou adapts and is soon able to catch for Takumi. Boom, battery formed. Now there's the whole issue of having the rest of the team accept them as well -- something easier said than done considering Takumi's attitude toward the rest of the team.

From this point on, Battery begins to use Takumi's attitude as a roadblock for character progression. That being said, the protagonist converts into the antagonist seeing as he's the only thing halting progression for the story. Everyone is waiting for Takumi to change and, unfortunately, he never really does. This is where the series essentially starts hurling it's problems at you like an Aroldis Chapman fastball.

With Takumi never changing his outlook toward baseball and his teammates, is there really any point to Battery at all? No, not really. The themes begin to become diluted and the characters, even Gou and Takumi, begin to distance themselves from one another. And, after a few out-of-place time skips, the series comes to an unsatisfactory close with nearly everything the same exact way it was when it all began. So what was the point?

Here's the thing -- maybe the general idea that the director, Tomomi Mochizuki (Ranma 1/2, Pupa), was trying to get across is that maybe, sometimes, there doesn't need to be a lesson learned or a character changed. We've seen countless examples in films where, once the story wraps up, everything stays the same way it was to begin with. Sometimes, what writers and directors want us to see is limited purely to how different people in a given environment interact with each other which, in all honesty, is something Battery does very well. The only problem with this is that a large portion of the anime community isn't accustomed to slow, seemingly meaningless tales like this. Many anime viewers want things like instant satisfaction, character progression, and closure. But that sad truth is that many writers don't believe cinematic aspects like this are needed to convey what they truly want to. This is where the whole analytical part of reviewing this series gets tricky. 

On a lot of the reviews I've read for Battery, the writer says something along the lines of, "If you want to watch a baseball anime, go watch X or Y." This misinterpretation of the general concept is just one of the driving forces that wound up culminating in Battery's under-6.00 score on Myanimelist. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of missteps in how the series played out (Nearly all of which coming in the latter half) but there's something most people are missing when it comes to giving a numeric score to this series.

Battery is well animated, well written, and beautifully scored and composed thanks to Akira Senju with OP/ED performances from anderlust. Side note: I firmly believe the Battery OP is by far the best of Summer 2016. The story, however, deviates from standards in its inconsistency and failure to follow accepted anime norms.

The X-Factor that comes into play when grading any particular series is the 'Enjoyment' element of the subject. The unfortunate truth for Battery is that it just doesn't particularly cater to the average anime fan. With this in mind, much of the subtle and silent beauty the series possesses winds up being overlooked due to its slow pace and static characters.

In Summary:

Battery is not for everyone. If you go into it expecting another shounen/action/sports series, you've come to the wrong place. Battery is an extremely slow, yet stunningly gorgeous and realistic coming-of-age story that reminds us of how things don't always get better in the end. And while we don't wind up ever finding out what the future has in store for Takumi and Gou, we have solace in experiencing the budding of their relationship and their struggles in just a small excerpt of their lives. Enjoyment for this show really boils down to how much you can empathize and relate (Or in many cases even hate) the character interactions displayed in front of you. If you're looking for a teen melodrama and want a break from the average subject matter, try this one out. It has problems, yes, but I'd say its smooth and enjoyable ride.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Amazon Video

Final Fantasy Type-0 Side Story Vol. #5 Manga Review (Finale)

Let's just say some things stay with us.

Creative Staff:

Art: Takatoshi Shiozawa

Supervision/Character Design: Tetsuya Nomura

Translation: Alethea and Athena Nibley

Lettering: Katie Blakeslee and Lys Blakeslee

What They Say:

From the ashes of tragedy rises unbridled strength. Those four, wrought by suffering and burdened with despair, will overcome insurmountable odds to become known as the Four Champions of Rubrum.

The Review:

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

The final mission for the Four Champion of Rubrum rages on as we inch closer and closer to the conclusion of the series. With Guren gone and Kurasame separated from Kotetsu and Miwa, he's left to fend for himself against an ambush from Milites soldiers. However, things take a turn for the worse when Kurasame discovers that he is now also fighting against his former allies -- the dominion soldiers of Rubrum. Expectedly confused by their sudden shift in allegiance, Kurasame is left battling two separate armies all by himself. That is until Miwa shows up and provides some much-needed backup for the Ice Reaper. The two immediately retreat and begin their search for Kotetsu. Unfortunately, tragedy lies in wait.

Kurasame and Miwa find Kotetsu. But when Miwa sprints over to him, he welcomes her back with a dagger to her abdomen. As the only female champion of Rubrum plops to the ground, Kurasame is betrayed for the third time three chapters as he rushes to confront his now-severed ally. It is at this point where we discover that Kotetsu has been given a mission of his own -- to save Rubrum. And in order to do that, he and the other champions must die. Before he can finish off Kurasame, Guren shows up starts his own fight with Kotetsu, stating that even though he has betrayed the dominion, he will never betray his friends. Kotetsu and Guren become locked in an emotional battle that ultimately brings them both to tears. The victor, however, is Kotetsu. Now he and Kurasame are the only champions left standing.

Kotetsu goes on to state that the ultimate reason for this entire mission was to sell the lives of the champions in exchange for information on the enemy. How that information was to be attained, I really don't understand. I don't believe for a second that Cid Aulstyne would be like, "Hey thanks for killing off our four strongest opponents. Our weaknesses are: ..." Anyway, Kurasame engages his former ally once again after a brief back and forth about how their outlooks on saving humanity differ. Due to the constant provocation from Kotetsu, Kurasame has transformed into the Ice Reaper once more and delivers a fatal blow to Kotetsu's ribcage. Unfortunately, Kurasame lost a good portion of his face in the process. As he slumps to the same ground that all of his comrades are bleeding out on, Kurasame notices Miwa crawling toward him. When she reaches him, she grabs his arm and uses the last bit of energy she has left in her body to heal him before confessing her love and fading away. Awe, Miwa. I always knew it.

Kurasame loses consciousness and is ultimately discovered by Emina -- who apparently knew this was going to happen. 

When he comes to, Kurasame is back in Akademia's infirmary and is welcomed back by Kazusa and Emina. Noticing that his cape is missing, Kurasame tells Emina that he needs to go find the Cactuar, referencing one of their exchanges from earlier in the series. When he does find said Cactuar, he discovers a handwritten note from Guren sewn to the cape. This note details who exactly he is (Considering he's been forgotten by now) and what has most likely happened the last few days. Kurasame immediately takes the note to heart as he's felt completely and utterly depressed at the loss of his friends since their passing. The note also contains one final mission -- exterminate the head of Akademia. Which he does, kind of. She kills herself when Kurasame comes for her life in the middle of the night. The death of Akademia's head shrouds the entire last few chapters in mystery and makes it appear that there was never any conspiracy to trade the Champions away.

After this, we're brought back to the section of the first volume when older-Kurasame was briefing good-ole' Class Zero on one of their missions. After they leave, Kurasame kneels down and speaks his final words to his Tonberry. He goes over not only how much they remind of him of himself, but also how, unlike him, they're able to keep looking forward despite how bleak things may be. Then, as tears well up in the Tonberry's eyes, Kurasame states, "It's time," and...well, I'll let you interpret the ending yourself.

I also want to throw it out there that the bonus chapter included after the final one is devastating.

In Summary:

Final Fantasy Type-0: The Ice Reaper definitely had some up's and down's. But despite all of that, this final volume wraps everything up nice and tightly in what is easily the best installment of the series. It's a finale that actually feels like a finale. There is closure, there are flashbacks and images of how the characters have grown, and there's even a heartbreaking bonus chapter. The final pages of the book where Kurasame is saying goodbye to the Tonberry are some of the hardest hitting pages I've touched in a very long time. Even without this volume, though, Type 0's Side-Story is a great read. Fans of the Final Fantasy franchise will be pleased to know that this series delves into some exceedingly dark subtopics. Story-wise, I think it might be one of the best that the franchise has to offer. Now, please excuse me while I go drown myself with sadness in the corner of my room.

Series Content Grade: B

Volume Content Grade: A

Art Grade: B+

Packaging Grade: B

Text/Translation Grade: B

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: July 19, 2016

MSRP: $12.99

Akame Ga Kill Collection 1 DVD Review

There are two ways to change a country. Destroy it from the outside, or correct it from the inside.

What They Say:

When he set off for the Capital, all Tatsumi wanted was a way to make money. Instead, he finds himself rescued from a fate worse than death by a group of assassins known as Night Raid and thrust into the middle of a bloody revolution. On the one side: Prime Minister Honest, his secret police, elite squad of assassins, and the armies of the Empire. On the other: Night Raid and a handful of rebels desperate to overthrow the brutal regime of Honest's puppet emperor.

Leveling the playing field: the Imperial Arms, a legendary set of unstoppable weapons created in the distant past. But to use an Imperial Arm is practically a death sentence, for only a select few can even survive using them… and when two Arms go against each other, only the user of one is likely to survive in Akame ga Kill!

Contains episodes 1-12.

The Review:

Audio:

As you'd expect from a standard DVD release, Akame Ga Kill Collection 1 comes to you in standard, Dolby Digital presentation with both English and Japanese language tracks. Content remains equalized throughout the entire collection and does not cut or drop any tracks at any moment whatsoever. Apart from actual specifications, Akame Ga Kill's soundtrack is honestly kind of disappointing. The lack of a varied soundtrack (Or even background music in general) at some points creates a minor detachment between the viewer and the series, ultimately resulting in a slightly tainted viewing experience that could easily be remedied by the addition of a song or two to fight scenes.

Video:

As is the standard for DVD home releases, Akame Ga Kill comes to you with a definition of 480i and a 16x9 (Anamorphic) aspect ratio. Considering that this is standard definition, colors are diluted and the series seems slightly foggy throughout the entire collection. The fact that Akame Ga Kill's animation wasn't of high quality to begin with only subtracts from the overall visual appeal even more. That being said, character designs were diverse and well thought-out, even if each of the characters were visual hyperboles of commonplace anime tropes.

Packaging:

Collection 1 of Akame Ga Kill is an example of one of those DVD released where the rear section is surprisingly more appealing than the front cover (And no, I'm not just saying that because best-girl is on the back). The front portion of the case for this DVD displays Akame and Tatsumi, both equipped with angry faces, holding their swords out with blood splatters scattered around them. The back portion contains Mine doing the same exact thing, but surrounded by walls of text and hooks from the series meant to entrap readers. There are several thumbnails (As expected) displaying screen grabs from throughout the collection and a brief list of series credits at the bottom.

Menu:

There is nothing special to report in terms of the DVD menu. On each disc, we get Sentai's typical, 'Here is the main character next to a list of episodes' as well as language options and special features. The menu loops the series' opening song and beckons you to make a selection before you get tired of hearing it.

Special Features:

Luckily for us, this collection of Akame Ga Kill contains more special features than just textless opening/endings and trailers. In addition to the original Japanese promos included on the disc(s), we also receive 'AkaKill! Theater', a series of comedic, chibi-esque shorts that provide a nice little breather for when things get a little too heavy in the series itself. The even more surprising thing about the inclusion of these shorts is that they're dubbed over in English -- an exciting feat for fans of the dub cast and a step forward for special features in general.

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

Akame Ga Kill gained a lot of recognition early on due its brave (And also relatively confused) pilot episode following the premature journey of our adventurer protagonist, Tatsumi. As he treks away from his hometown in an effort to make a new living for himself and essentially just join the army, he winds up losing all of the money he ventured out with and is taken in by a family of wealthy aristocrats. This family, seeming incredibly congenial and just overall awesome, has a well-concealed secret, however. Long story short, they basically tortured and murdered two of Tatsumi's friends from his hometown just a day or two before his arrival. In the midst of this unspeakably gory revelation, Tatsumi winds up falling in with a group of assassins called "Night Raid" during their nocturnal assassination mission of the noble family Tatsumi has holed up with.

From this point on, Akame Ga Kill becomes not only a story of Tatsumi's journey, but Night Raid's as a whole. Each character has their own unique personality and backstory and, in a strange way, they're all personifications of various anime tropes. You've got the walking pompadour, the bodacious drunken blonde, and even the quiet girl with the giant pair of scissors. Okay, so that one isn't exactly a trope yet, but it will be. Regardless, each character shines in their own individual way and each one represents a basic color.

Night Raid's entire reason for existence is to restore order to the government. That being said, it's no surprise when we discover that each of them is a wanted criminal. We find out early on that the world of Akame Ga Kill is nothing short of completely corrupt. We also find out that the apparent reason for this entire predicament is that the ruler of the nation is like ten years old. What's even worse is that he's nothing more than a puppet of his uncle's, willing to enact every little thing that's whispered into his ear from his seat on the throne. Of course, these two aren't the only obstacles Night Raid faces. The government has an entire army dedicated to preserving the rulers of the nation and ensuring the country remains militaristic as long as the emperor lives. The leader of this army is the extremely beautiful, yet extremely violent (And even that is an understatement) Commander Esdeath.

Esdeath is actually the biggest threat out of anyone in the entire empire when it really comes down to it. She is the only force capable of repelling Night Raid from literally just swooping in and assassinating the emperor. Not only is she remarkable in terms of defense, she's an extremely fanatical hunter and has dedicated herself entirely to destroying Night Raid's assassins. That is until she meets Tatsumi.

Esdeath kind of...falls in love with Tatsumi when she first meets him. In fact, she becomes so infatuated with our protagonist that she literally abducts him and keeps him as a sort of pet. While Tatsumi is entrapped by this sadomasochistic commander, Esdeath begins forming her own anti-Night Raid knows as the Jaegers. This is where things start to get interesting.

Up until this point, we have followed Night Raid in earnest, believing that their outlook and position in the ongoing war is the only correct one. But when we're introduced to the Jaegers, the fine line between right and wrong begins to blur. Each member of the Jaegers is nearly synonymous with a Night Raid assassin. And with that laid out, it becomes harder to determine what side we're on, ultimately painting the simplistic picture of what war truly is -- a battle between two differing opinions. If opinions can never be wrong, how are we supposed to choose what side of the war we're on? It's an excellent take on conflict and is an exceptionally surprising statement from director Tomoki Kobayashi (Sola/Hundred) and the original manga staff's Tetsuya Tashiro and Takahiro.

In Summary:

While Akame Ga Kill boasts an entrancing story and a character roster that everyone can grow to love, it still presents many problems. The amount of tonal shifts in this series makes it nearly impossible to lay down the foundation of how we should feel as viewers. At the same time, this is something many introductory-level anime fans grow to love. That being said, I'd label Akame Ga Kill as an essential watch for newcomers to the world of anime. The story is able to progress (Albeit a little too quickly at points) while still maintaining sufficiently allotted time for action. Even though the series isn't exactly one of the most well-made anime in recent years, it's definitely still fun -- and isn't that the reason we all watch this stuff in the first place?

Features: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio, English/SDH subtitles, clean opening/ending songs, Sentai Filmworks trailers, AkaKill! Theater (English Dubbed)

Content Grade: B-

Audio Grade: B-

Video Grade: C+

Packaging Grade: B+

Menu Grade: C

Extras Grade: A-

Released By: Sentai Filmworks

Release Date: February 9, 2016

MSRP: $59.98

Running Time: 300 Minutes

Video Encoding: 480i Standard Definition

Aspect Ratio: 16x9