Tsukigakirei Episode #04 Anime Review

Is that your answer?

What They Say:

It’s the third year of middle school. Kotaro, a bookish boy aspiring to become a novelist, and Akane, a track girl who loves to run, meet in the same class together for the first time. They’re put in charge of the equipment for the sports festival, and slowly grow closer via LINE. How does Kotaro deal with his growing feelings for her? Meanwhile, Takumi has been in love with Akane since first year, and Akane’s friend, Chinatsu, becomes interested in Kotaro. A refreshing story of young love set in Kawagoe.

The Review:

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

We've already gotten the school athletics festival early on in Tsukigakirei, so the idea of another landmark event happening so soon after is pretty implausible. Well, at least that's what I thought before going into this week's episode only to find out that it's time for a field trip to Kyoto. Of course, with field trips come chaperones and with chaperones come strict itineraries and rules. And, considering how much we've learned from other field trips in anime, there is only so much free time allotted per outing. The question, now, is how Kotarou and Akane going to spend their respective free time.

Last week's episode ended with the confession. Early on in this week's episode, we learn that Akane had the incredibly roundabout answer of, "I need some time to decide," which is just as painful to hear as 'no' for us most of us viewers. Still hanging on for what Akane's answer may be, Kotarou remains glued to his phone the way he always is -- just, this time, he isn't allowed to be as cell phones are strictly prohibited during the field trip. This turns the tables from episode three when Akane was incapable of answer Kotarou (After her phone died) and gives her a taste of how it feels to not have her texts replied to be the ones she [obviously] yearns for -- despite her roundabout answer to being asked out days prior.

The most difficult part of all of this is that the last text Kotarou was able to send to Akane was a message asking him if she wanted to meet up during free time tomorrow. Of course, Akane gets roped in by her friends and can't stop thinking about Kotarou's request. Eventually, her friends catch wind of her wanting to be somewhere else and essentially force her to split up with them and go be wherever she wants to be. But Kyoto is large and, of course, Kotarou had to choose a colossal department store with many entrances as their meeting place. With neither party knowing where the other is (Or if the other is even coming, for that matter), the two frantically search for each other during a torrential downpour. It isn't until Kotarou runs into Chinatsu that this tension is quelled. Apparently, Chinatsu figured out Kotarou's feelings for Akane somewhere down the line and helps give him the push he needed to meet with her. And, after a painstaking, Shinkai-esque several minutes, the distance between our prospective lovers is closed and Akane gives yet another roundabout answer to Kotarou's confession -- this one being a bit more positive than the last.

In Summary:

Tsukigakirei remains as consistent as it has been the last several weeks in yet another romantically suspenseful and endearing fourth episode. With a few of the side characters having a bit more exposure than normal, the pacing of this episode moves along briskly while still highlighting the physical and emotional distance between Kotarou and Akane. The scenery of Kyoto showcased in this episode bumps of the visuals several steps but does not shy from the relatively minimalist approach Tsukigakirei takes as a whole. All in all, this is another impressive installment to what I would call the most adorable show of Spring 2017.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Tsukigakirei Episode #03 Anime Review

The moon is beautiful tonight.

What They Say:

It’s the third year of middle school. Kotaro, a bookish boy aspiring to become a novelist, and Akane, a track girl who loves to run, meet in the same class together for the first time. They’re put in charge of the equipment for the sports festival, and slowly grow closer via LINE. How does Kotaro deal with his growing feelings for her? Meanwhile, Takumi has been in love with Akane since first year, and Akane’s friend, Chinatsu, becomes interested in Kotaro. A refreshing story of young love set in Kawagoe.

The Review:

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

In just the past two weeks, Tsukigakirei has already left a lasting impression on me. Being what I would refer to as the most realistic adaptation of middle school romance to ever hit any visual medium, it's subtle aesthetic and believable main characters sculpt an experience that becomes more and more enchanting with each passing episode. That being said, the third installment of the series is not only the best thus far, it's one of the most precious episodes of any romance series I have ever seen. I will elaborate -- but I will not do it justice.

The episode begins the same way it always does. Kotarou tries his best to not draw any attention to his infatuation with Akane, and Akane clings to her stress ball in an effort to not let her emotions get the best of her. And while the distance between these two does not start to shrink physically, both Kotarou and Akane begin to get wrapped up in messaging each other through LINE -- often pushing aside real-life obligations like studying. It's the same start of every high school crush. With neither of them having the courage to approach the other in person, they rely on their phones to cross that bridge for them. But, of course, Kotarou and Akane begin to fall victim to the same scourge that plagues all young-love, phone-based romance -- the dreaded periods in between conversations. We reach a point in the episode where Akane and Kotarou have separate activities to take part in, disabling them from talking to each other for what seems like an eternity. She has a track meet while he has to help prepare for the upcoming Kawagoe festival at the shrine. With this, worry begins to set in. It only gets stronger when Akane's phone dies.

But this is where the episode takes a spectacular turn.

Akane, incapable of standing the growing distance between them, winds up heading to the shrine herself as Kotarou is leaving. Now, I don't know if I'm just gullible or something, but I wasn't expecting this in the slightest. Akane essentially walks up to Kotarou and inadvertently mentions how she missed him. As the music grows louder and more sentimental, the young couple retreat to the side of the shrine where they just sit down and awkwardly look up at the sky together. And after several failed attempts at conversation and a handful of glance-catching from one to the other, Kotarou summons the courage to say something incredibly out of the ordinary for the third episode of a school-life romance series. But it isn't just this that makes the episode beautiful, it's the entire buildup leading up to it. The setting was perfect, the moment was perfect, and it was one of the few times in anime history where what you want to happen actually happens. The fact that this was so out-of-character is one of the many facets that truly establish the beauty of this scene and the episode as a whole. The rest of that beauty can be found simply by watching it.

In Summary:

In all honesty, when this series is over, I feel like this is the episode I'm going to look back at the most. In just twenty minutes, the budding romance between Kotarou and Akane is beautifully displayed and emphasized in ways I haven't experienced or felt since I was fourteen and still finding my place in the world. The atmosphere and mood of the final scene are nothing short of extraordinary -- and realism of the rising actions leading up to it are intimate and endearing. Tsukigakirei is everything I want out of a romance and it's absolutely heartbreaking to me that so many people are electing to pass on it this season. Forget about Attack on Titan -- this is the series you want to watch this Spring.

Grade: A+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Tsukigakirei Episode #02 Anime Review

Be laughed at. Be laughed at and become strong.

What They Say:

It’s the third year of middle school. Kotaro, a bookish boy aspiring to become a novelist, and Akane, a track girl who loves to run, meet in the same class together for the first time. They’re put in charge of the equipment for the sports festival, and slowly grow closer via LINE. How does Kotaro deal with his growing feelings for her? Meanwhile, Takumi has been in love with Akane since first year, and Akane’s friend, Chinatsu, becomes interested in Kotaro. A refreshing story of young love set in Kawagoe.

The Review:

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

The life of a middle schooler is filled with many moments that, when looking back at them, seem minuscule when compared to the many experiences that follow after. But when you're just a kid, everything seems so much bigger than it really is. Whether it be summoning the courage to talk to a girl that you like or simply trying not to look stupid in a class relay race, every second of that tender age seems pivotal. And, in this week's episode of Tsukigakirei, we are greeted with even more of those seemingly climactic moments.

Even though we're just two weeks into the series, it's already time for the annual sporting competition that so typically accompanies slice of life anime. Akane, being a budding member of the track team, is no stranger when it comes to athletic competition. Kotarou, on the other hand, is being forced to venture outside of his comfort zone. But fortunately for him, he finds inspiration in none other than Akane herself. In the midst of moving around some equipment to prepare for the final relay event, Akane drops her little stress-potato and spends the rest of the afternoon panicking -- ultimately causing the red team to lose in the final round. Kotarou, however, makes use of his time in searching for the stress ball, knowing well that Akane can't really focus without her. And while there are many other flashes of nostalgia in this week's episode, I would label this scenario as the focal point and the only major step forward.

While on the topic of steps in general, there are several other small plot points in this episode that serve to insinuate how certain characters may act as the year goes by. Kotarou has a run in with one of Akane's friends in the nursing office after he falls and scrapes his hand. And while Kotarou doesn't necessarily seem interested in the girl, the event as a whole may be the first in several that will lead up to the short-haired girl showing some feelings of her own. On Akane's side, we begin to witness a bit of an awkward relationship between her and another boy from the track team. Being a lot more 'out in the open' (literally) than Kotarou's aforementioned run-in, several of Akane's classmates are quick to begin pressing the whole, "You should go out with him!" shtick that we know is going to become a problem somewhere down the lines.

And even though these brief happenings do a bit of work in derailing the main love story, they further the idea of Tsukigakirei being a believable, adorable tale of young love and growing up.

In Summary:

The series inches forward slowly but surely as several new characters push their way into the frame. With foreshadowing aplenty and a budding relationship between Kotarou and Akane, Tsukigakirei remains just as precious as it was in its first episode. Thanks to a boatload of nostalgia and an absolutely enchanting art style, Tsukigakirei holds firmly the ribbon of 'Best in Show' for Spring 2017 -- at least in my book.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Vol. #05 Manga Review

I believe that within games and games alone, there is a certain reality...a certain passion.

Creative Staff:

Original Story: Fumiaki Maruto

Art: Takeshi Moriki

Character Design: Kurehito Misaki

Translation: Kumar Sivasubramanian

Translation Consultant: Chitoku Teshima

Lettering: Phil Christie

What They Say:

Utaha's scenario for Tomoya's game is finally complete! Since such an achievement is cause for celebration, Tomoya joins his senpai for a shopping date. But what awaits him isn't fitting rooms and food courts. Instead, Utaha drops a bombshell on him--"I want you to choose, Rinri-kun which do you like better?" What could she possibly mean?! And the shocks don't stop there! When the devious Iori confronts the team with a declaration of war, Tomoya learns that someone he cares about is working for the enemy?!

The Review:
Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)
As Winter Comiket inches closer and closer, the burden placed on Blessing Software grows larger than ever before. With the deadline for their game only being a month away, Tomoya's circle must kick it into overdrive if they plan on finishing in time for Winter's largest doujinshi event. Fortunately, Utaha Kasumigaoka has managed to finish the scenario a bit ahead of schedule. Actually, she didn't just finish the scenario -- she finished a second one as well. So now, on top of the already hefty workload on his desk, Tomoya must decide on which story he wants to use for the final game. While the first one seems like the safe choice, the story in Utaha's second scenario is just too good to overlook. However, choosing that would mean a slew of new artwork for Eriri and even more rushed programming from an already novice development team. Ahh, the life of a game developer.

The deadline isn't the only issue faced in this volume, however. Now that Utaha has completed her assigned work, she must shift focus back to her novels and what she wants to do with her life as a whole. After talking with Tomoya, it is made clear that she plans on going off to college soon. The dilemma, as far as this is concerned, is which college she ultimately winds up attending. Should she stay close to home and attend a less prestigious school -- or should she move to Kansai and enroll at a university with an acclaimed literature program? As if this onslaught of dilemmas wasn't enough to sidetrack our protagonist, Izumi comes back into the picture and announces a game of her own with Rouge en Rogue (That evil dude Iori's circle from a few volumes ago).

Apparently, Izumi was tired of living in Eriri's shadow and wants to compete with her for the affection of her senpai. If you didn't get the hint when she was first introduced, Izumi also has a thing for Tomoya. So now that our harem is complete, Tomoya must take Katou and hide from the rest of the girls as he attempts to sort through both scenarios and finish development on the alpha. Stricken with a new sense of motivation when she sees just how much effort Tomoya is putting in, Katou volunteers [for the first time ever] to stay over Aki's and push through programming as a duo. And just when all hope is lost, Michiru comes barging in and Tomoya has one of his greatest ideas yet -- enlisting the help of her band to finish programming and playtesting the game.

Michiru reluctantly invites over the girls and, within hours, the game is completed. So despite this remarkable turn of events, there is still one issue -- the game sucks. Now, Blessing Software must find a way to make it great with less than a month remaining on their countdown to Comiket.

In Summary:
Now that the manga has finally pushed past where the first season of the anime left off, I am in uncharted water. That being said, volume five is packed with plot advancement aplenty and an all new subplot in a competition between Blessing Software and Rogue en Rogue. And while I loved where this series would be going even without a competitor, I doubt the addition of one will work against it. We still have three volumes left with this loveable and unique cast and, with the amount of text pushed into each volume, I'm sure we'll enjoy every last chapter. How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend remains just as strong as always in its fifth installment and continues to be one of the most well-made manga series currently publishing. Kudos, Yen Press. Keep it coming.

Content Grade: A

Art Grade: A+

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A+

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: March 21, 2017

MSRP: $12.99

The Asterisk War Vol. #03 Manga Review

We're all enemies here. Every last one of us.

Creative Staff:

Art: Ningen

Original Story: Yuu Miyazaki

Character Design: okiura

Translation: Melissa Tanaka

Lettering: Phil Christie

What They Say:

The one behind the recent "accidents" has finally been unmasked but Julis alone isn't strong enough to beat him! It'll take a team of unlikely allies to bring this fiend to justice. Those in the shadows know this is only the first of many threats to come. Things will heat up even more as the Festa draws near!

The Review:

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

After the last volume of Asterisk War ended on the cliffhanger of Julis setting off to find her attacker, volume three thrusts us right back into action as we immediately discover the man behind all of the assassination attempts. Remember that one dude with the Beatles' haircut that always hung out with Lester and that one other guy that no one remembers? Well, his name is Silas and he is apparently evil. The lesson we learn from this is to never trust anyone with a bowl cut.

Soon after, Lester shows up and Silas spouts some crazy monologue about how he and Julis are not all that different from one another. Enraged at the idea that someone close to him has been secretly attempting to assassinate a fellow student, Lester busts into battle mode, only to be suppressed by the hidden abilities Silas possesses. Apparently, Silas knows more than just telekinesis (Which was previously believed to be his only power), he can control and manipulate mechanical dolls to fight for him. From this point on, we're greeted with an all-out battle as Julis and Lester try desperately to cut down the growing number of homunculi. But just as the fight is about to end in the name of evil, Ayato shows up and saves the day because he is the protagonist and that's what protagonists do. Backed by his new orga lux, the Ser Veresta, Ayato unleashes his true potential for the first time and swiftly ends the battle, sending Silas running directly into Claudia and her reinforcements (Which she definitely didn't need).

Ayato's hidden power isn't as amazing as you may expect, though. As it turns out, he can only use it in short bursts. When that timer runs out, he's essentially paralyzed until he can regain the mana used to activate it. Luckily, Ayato doesn't collapse until the battle is over and winds up receiving the gift of a lap pillow from Julis. So, yeah, totally worth risking his life. At this point, Ayato declares that he is now dedicating his life to protecting Julis. Must have been one hell of a lap pillow.

There are a few things that happen after this, but it's really all just one big falling action. Ayato and Julis decide to team up for the Phoenix Festa, Kirin Toudou finally makes an appearance (Albeit an incredibly brief one), and there's a quick sparring matchup between Ayato/Julis and Saya/Lester. Before the volume comes to a close, however, we're introduced to two of the girls from Allekant -- the same school that created the puppets Silas used to fight Julis and company. Of course, Julis immediately gets pissed off when she sees these girls, but that doesn't even compare to how pissed off she gets when one of them KISSES AYATO. BOOM -- volume end. It's just like that one episode of Infinite Stratos when Laura Bodewig does the same exact thing to Ichika (Who can also be referred to as the discounted version of Ayato).

In Summary:

In terms of content, volume three brings a lot less to the table than the former ones. Considering that about half of this book is just one long fight scene, you'd imagine at least that half would be entertaining, right? Unfortunately, Silas is an incredibly underwhelming and unoriginal villain who, despite having an awesome hidden ability on paper, is cut down so easily that it's almost laughable. In fact, Silas is so unmemorable that, even after watching both seasons of the anime, I forgot he was a character. However, I guess the only reason he was introduced in the first place was to provide a means for uniting Ayato and Julis as partners. And now that these two are finally joined up, we can finally begin to witness the true glory of Asterisk Wars and the Phoenix Festa and- wait, there are only two volumes left? How is that going to work?

Content Grade: B-

Art Grade: A-

Packaging Grade: B+

Text/Translation Grade: B

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: March 21, 2017

MSRP: $12.99

Tsukigakirei Episode #1 Anime Review

How excruciatingly arduous and unbearable it is to live.

What They Say:

It’s the third year of middle school. Kotaro, a bookish boy aspiring to become a novelist, and Akane, a track girl who loves to run, meet in the same class together for the first time. They’re put in charge of the equipment for the sports festival, and slowly grow closer via LINE. How does Kotaro deal with his growing feelings for her? Meanwhile, Takumi has been in love with Akane since first year, and Akane’s friend, Chinatsu, becomes interested in Kotaro. A refreshing story of young love set in Kawagoe.

The Review:

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

During the various periods of self-reflection that exist within our lives, the time we spent in high school almost always finds a way to steal that sepia-tinted flashback spotlight. However, often overlooked is the time we spent in that step before high school, when we're all still learning our place in this world; when we're learning to walk. No, I don't mean that literally -- I'm talking about those two (Or three in this case because of Japan's difference in schooling) years of middle school. For myself and many others, these years would play an incredible part in determining the person we aspire to become once these twelve painstaking grades and snooze-oriented mornings come to an end. Queue, Tsukigakirei.

Directed by Seiji Kishi (Angel Beats/Person 4 The Animation), Tsukigakirei hones in on the daily lives of Kotarou Azumi and Akane Mizuno as they begin their last year of middle school. Right off the bat, we see some serious contrast between these two characters. Kotarou always has his nose in some book while thinking of some deeply philosophical inner monologue while Akane, on the other hand, spends most of her free time hanging out with her friends or practicing with the track club. However, this doesn't stop the two of them from awkwardly exchanging glances at one another as they struggle to understand both their hearts and hormones. These exchanges don't follow the typical anime-esque pattern of over-the-top redness or unrealistic clumsiness. Instead, they feel more awkward and unmanufactured -- the way we felt the first time we locked eyes with someone we thought was the most beautiful thing in the world. And the realism is punched in even harder when you see just how often these two are caught looking at each other.

Whether it be figuring out how to get the other's phone number without sounding interested or winding up at the same restaurant without knowing, the innocent, romantic tension between Kotarou and Akane grows with each second. Tsukigakirei deviates from the typical slice of life romantic tropes we've grown accustomed to and focuses more on the struggles of young love and coming to terms with oneself. Some may think the series seems slow or boring because of this -- but me? I think it makes it all the more special. It isn't often we see romance depicted like this and it isn't often that middle-schoolers feel like middle schoolers. The problem with a lot of similar anime set at this same grade level is that, more often than not, the characters are too well defined. I'm not saying the complex or overly animated characters are a bad thing, but the fact is when you're in middle school, you don't exactly know who you are yet. You're just another face in the hall trying to blend in with your surroundings.

And even though the series is just beginning, I can already feel an attachment already between myself and this world. This anime is subtle, slow, and filled with more care than you can possibly imagine.

In Summary:

Tsukigakirei is an absolutely adorable tale of young love seen through the eyes of two kids coming to terms with their feelings. It has the sentiment of a Shinkai film while feeling artistically reminiscent of a Hosoda one. And despite how early it is in the life of the series, the amount of emotion put into crafting it is almost tangible. These characters, unlike so many others in similar anime, feel like they were directly tailored toward each and every one of us. Tsukigakirei is meant to be relatable and nostalgic, and it accomplishes this without a hitch.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai (When They Cry Season 2) Complete Collection DVD Review

What's a little psychotic virus and mass murder between friends?

What They Say:

The first wave of madness that consumed the town of Hinamizawa in 1983 may be finished, but the nightmare is far from over as the time loops that have ensnared the populace continue to wreak carnage and mayhem.

As the survivors struggle to cope with the lethal aftermath, the annual cycle of betrayal and murder continues, and only Rena -- ironically spared as she was safe in jail after her arrest for her part in the bombing and massacre -- may hold the keys to unlocking the mystery. 

Get ready for a grim post-mortem as Mamoru Akasaka and Officer Oishi dig into the past to solve the hidden secrets of the Great Hinamizawa Disaster, while Keiichi, Rika, Satoko and the others fight to stay alive as the nightmarish curse continues in When They Cry Season 2!

The Review:

Audio:

Higurashi's second season is brought to you with standard Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. Despite the first season receiving the English dub treatment, Kai goes without one -- only retaining its original Japanese audio. That being said, audio quality is actually crystal clear for this release and far exceeds expectations for a DVD release. Also, bonus points for the most realistic cicada sounds in any anime ever. (There are a lot of them.)

Video:

Considering this is a standard DVD release, video quality isn't exactly breathtaking. In fact, with Higurashi's rather blase' art style, the blu-ray probably doesn't look much better. Obviously, there's some dilution of color and the series maintains a rather grey tint all the way through. But, let's be honest for a second, no one watches Higurashi for its artwork. The gore looks intense and all that you sick jerks care about. So yeah, that still looks fine.

Packaging:

I love the look of this DVD set just as much as I loved the look of the first season's. The front cover aptly displays Rika Furude standing next to the Hinamizawa river with several cotton balls in her hands and the trademark Higurashi font pictured above. The back is splattered with blood and a plethora of messed-up thumbnails from the series as Rena is shown off to the side looking just as creepy as she always does. Each disc has a different character pictured and all of them look beautiful and smooth (The discs, not the girls). This release is just an incredibly well-rounded and neat set that is easily several steps above most Sentai releases.

Menu:

Somehow, Sentai Filmworks has managed to make the static 'character + episode titles' look good. Despite being a reformat of how they normally tackle menu selection, Higurashi's episode screen is detailed and nostalgic. It's clearly reminiscent of its original time, even if it's technically a 2016 release. As always, the opening song loops in the background, but I don't care because I could listen to that song for approximately 48 hours before I start slaughtering my friends.

Special Features:

Apart from the textless opening and ending songs, there are no special features in this release. However, that isn't all that surprising considering it took years to even get this series a Western DVD set. Let's not be pushy, now.

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

I remember watching Higurashi Kai like it was yesterday. My best friend [at the time] and I stayed up and watched the entire series in one night, eating popcorn and gorging ourselves on soda throughout all 24 episodes. In fact, I remember my father coming into the garage at 5 AM and grounding me for staying up so late on a school night -- but I didn't care. We finished the next five episodes anyway and, to this day, it was one of the greatest nights of my life. It was the first time I'd ever been exposed to a story so captivating and so suspenseful that I've actually put this review off for some time now, afraid I wouldn't be able to do it justice. But that all changes today as I just revisited the series and watched all 24 episodes in one go, yet again.

Kai, just like the first season, is broken up into several arcs -- each arc, for the most part, representing alternate timelines in the secluded village of Hinamizawa (Based and modelled after Shirakawa, Gifu). In this season, however, the protagonist switches from Keiichi Maebara to the girl who has secretly been the true protagonist the entire time -- Rika Furude. Without going into detail as to why Rika is the true protagonist, I will say that each of these three arcs center around her existence, with the focus only drifting away from her [And toward Satoko] for several episodes in total. In Layman's terms, the world of Hinamizawa can not progress without Rika (Though there are several scenarios/plotholes in which that is disproven). This all gets even more complicated when we find out that Rika has a ghost named Hanyuu living inside of her, experiencing everything that Rika goes ultimately goes through.

One of the more interesting facets of this season is that Rika essentially knows she's the protagonist. For years and years, she has been jumping through timelines, witnessing the fall of Hinamizawa time after time due to a psychological curse known as Hinamizawa syndrome. Each new timeline, she tries desperately to deviate from tragedy, all to no avail. However, Rika soon begins to learn more about the world(s) she has been inhabiting and begins bringing that knowledge with her when she starts over in new timelines. Each and every timeline, she gets closer to a world in which she can prevent the unneeded deaths of the ones she loves. But isn't until she lets those loved ones in that hidden truths begin to pour out. All of this time and all of these timelines begin to coagulate once again as Rika and her friends cling desperately to any hope they can find. Unfortunately, there's been someone working against them the entire time.

What makes Higurashi Kai so gripping is that, unlike its first season, there is an omnipresent sense of progression. Every episode, we learn more and more about the world these characters live, and every second of it will bring you to the edge of your seat. While maintaining all of the characteristics that caused us to fall in love with the first season, Kai brings forth the idea of 'Good vs. Evil' and dedicates every aspect of itself to propelling us toward a unified conclusion -- a definitive end. However, the idea of a definitive ending in a world as complex as Higurashi is nothing short of a pipe dream.

Or is it?

In Summary:

Higurashi Kai is beaming with just as much, if not more, story than a George Orwell novel. Character development and plot advancement move faster than a bullet train, not leaving the brain a single second to process anything that's going on. And, even with this in mind, the series never, not even once, feels rushed. Kai is better than the first season of Higurashi in every single way, and that statement is nothing short of colossal considering just how many doors were opened by the original anime. Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni was a gateway to anime for so many people and, to this day, still emphasizes the darkest depths of the anime industry. It isn't just a series about cute girls killing each other, it is one of the most complex stories on the market and will forever be a treasure in the world of anime. Please, for the love of Oyashiro-sama, watch this series.

Features:

Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio, English subtitles, textless opening and ending songs.

Content Grade: A+

Audio Grade: A

Video Grade: B-

Packaging Grade: A

Menu Grade: A-

Extras Grade: C

Released By: Sentai Filmworks

Release Date: May 31, 2016

MSRP: $69.98

Running Time: 600 Minutes

Video Encoding: 480i Anamorphic

Aspect Ratio: 16x9

How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Vol. #04 Manga Review

Let's find our happiness together!

Creative Staff:

Original Story: Fumiaki Maruto

Art: Takeshi Moriki

Character Design: Kurehito Misaki

Translation: Kumar Sivasubramanian

Translation Consultant: Chitoku Teshima

Lettering: Phil Christie

What They Say:

Game script aside, Aki's dating sim is getting nowhere. And in a fix like this, who has time to think about stuff like background music?!!! With the finished product but a dream, the usual chaos continues. But when Aki's beautiful runaway cousin, the guitarist Michiru Hyoudou, suddenly joins the fray, the surprise appearance of a new rival forcing her way into Aki's life throws the other girls for a loop! Is she the solution to the game's soundtrack troubles? Or will Aki's otaku tendencies send her running for the hills?

The Review:

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

Considering that volume three of "How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend" was [in my opinion] a masterpiece in terms of both quality and content, volume four has a lot to live up to. But considering Saekano has yet to let me down (In both the animation and the manga), I'm sure it will be able to manage. Now that our circle has been established and named [Blessing Software], there is plenty of work that needs to be done if the team is going to make it to Winter Comiket. But there's one thing that Tomoya has overlooked in terms of development -- the music. Luckily for him, he has yet another chance encounter with a beautiful girl that will go on to shape his future. This time, it's his own cousin, Michiru Hyoudo.

Michiru is the kind of girl that can never stand still. For as long as Tomoya has known her, she's been swapping back and forth between different clubs and groups of friends. That said, when she announces her latest passion of becoming a musician, our protagonist is a bit dismissive -- until he hears her play. There is something about Michiru's music that instils a sense of nostalgia in Tomoya. And this feeling is something that he isn't just going to let slip away. From this point on, he is dead set on getting her to join the circle. The only problem is that she has an immense distaste for otaku culture and the anime community as a whole. This, meshed with the fact that she's totally hiding some feelings for Tomoya, sparks quite an interesting development in a group of girls that all want to jump on the same main character.

It's clear that Kasumigaoka and Eriri dislike Michiru. I mean, she's the ultimate childhood friend. Not only is she a blood relative of Tomoya, but they were literally born in the same exact hospital on the same exact day. And is if this wasn't a sign of fate itself, they've even started living together after Michiru ran away from home. However, Michiru has made it clear that she has no intention of joining the circle and, instead, wants Tomoya to become the manager of her band. And, after consulting with the heroine of his game, Tomoya decides to do just that. Of course, he has a bit of an ulterior motive in doing so. That motive winds up being fed and nourished as soon as he discovers exactly what kind of band Michiru has joined up with.

As it turns out, Michiru has somehow managed to get herself wrapped up in an anime cover band. Her band members, however, had been hiding this from her, knowing well her disposition toward the culture. But after Tomoya books them a show at a cosplay club in Akihabara, the truth comes pouring out. Michiru, not wanting to throw aside her new friends and her cousin, plays the show and comes to terms with otaku-dom not being all that weird after all. Now, Tomoya should have a much easier time in getting her to join up with Blessing Software.

In Summary:

This volume, while offering a bit less in terms of content compared to the ones preceding it, still has plenty to offer in terms of quality and comedy. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend is one of the underrated and overlooked franchises on the market. We're four volumes in now and I still do not have one complaint about the series. Not only are each of the heroines absolutely lovable in their own, unique ways, but we have a protagonist literally created to tailor to each and every one of us hardcore otakus out there while [somehow] managing to not look pathetic or hopeless. Tomoya is simply just a guy dead-set on doing what he loves. That relatable passion combined with next-level artwork blend together to formulate one of the most clear-cut, hilarious slice of life series to date. 

Content Grade: A-

Art Grade: A+

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A+

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: October 25, 2016

MSRP: $12.99

Rewrite Episode #24 Anime Review (Season Finale)

One day, I realized I had nothing.

What They Say:

Kazamatsuri, a modern, well-developed city renowned for its burgeoning greenery and rich Japanese culture, is home to Kotarou Tennouji, a high schooler least privy to the place's shared values. Content to fill his pockets with frivolity, the proud and nosy boy whiles away his time pestering the self-proclaimed delinquent Haruhiko and indulging in his amorous feelings toward the oddball Kotori.

Equipped with the superhuman ability to permanently rewrite any part of his body to multiply his strength or speed, Kotarou is naturally drawn to the supernatural. One special meeting with the lone member and president of the Occult Research Club, the "Witch" Akane Senri, leads to Kotarou reviving the Occult Club by recruiting Kotori and three other members: the clumsy transfer student Chihaya, the strict class representative Lucia, and the unassuming Shizuru. As Kotarou unveils hidden secrets of each member of the Occult Club through their shared adventures, he will inevitably encounter a fate that only he might be able to rewrite.

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

When Rewrite's second season started, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the slightest bit sceptical concerning whatever the hell its game plan was. Now after watching all eleven of its episodes (Equating to a full 24 over the course of both seasons), I would be a fool to say that the series fell flat. At the same time, I would also be a fool to say that I understood everything that happened. Rewrite is a damn confusing show -- season two proves that. And this episode may just be the most confusing one yet. After all, the end of the world can't possibly be all that simple, right?

The final instalment of season two begins with a brief monologue from our protagonist about how he has betrayed everyone he loves all for one person. Well, one person and the fate of the world. You get the point. However, shortly after his monologue comes to a close, Kotarou is discovered by Imamiya and several other Guardian hunters, where he is clearly and obviously labelled a traitor. But after finally showing his former comrades his true power of blood manipulation and overall superhuman strength, Kotarou is able to escape and sets his sights on Gaia's headquarters, where they have once again broken out the choir to usher in the end of the world. By the time he gets there, it's already too late.

The song has ended, but the world still stands. And amongst the bodies scattered all over the glass floor is none other than the original Martel foster mom, Iko. Iko, having lost all hope for raising orphans, wound up trading in her position for a chance to 'make the world a better place'. After a sentimental monologue and a surprisingly emotional reaction from Kotarou (Who I thought was supposed to be devoid of everything at this point), Iko passes away. I imagine that the reason for this intense grief brought on by the passing of Iko is that she was never really the bad guy. She was always just some lawful-good foster mom who wanted nothing more than to watch over her children -- no matter how terrible she was at it.

After leaving the Gaia sky-platform, Kotarou pays a quick visit to the City of Stone where he meets up with Akane and gives her a few mammoths to keep her company. This is an extremely kind gesture because everyone she knows just died. Immediately after entrusting a ten-year-old girl with the lives of two animals, Kotarou comes back to the normal realm and sets off to find Kagari. However, when he finally reaches the hill they always meet on, his body has given up on him. Kotarou collapses to the ground and starts transforming due to the Rewrite power's side effects. Before he is fully gone, however, Kagari walks up to him and essentially tells him that they failed their mission and that the world is still doomed. Also, she has long hair now for some reason. It's probably a metaphor.

The most confusing part of this episode is everything surrounding this scene and everything that comes afterwards. One thing I'm concerned about is pretty much everything about Yasmin. There is a monologue from her perspective somewhere around this scene where she's basically talking about how she misses Kotarou and how he's trying so hard to save the world. Which is all fine and good, until she looks out the window and says, "I hope you're happy on wherever planet you go next," as she stares at some celestial body that is clearly way more important than just a normal moon. And as if that wasn't enough to start messing with my head, all five of the main heroines then show up and then summon Kotarou out of a tree. But before we get into that, I'm obligated to talk more about the thirty seconds leading up to it.

Apparently, Kotarou has somehow managed to unify Guardian and Gaia. I think. Once again, I never played the visual novel so this is just my interpretation. But after Kotarou dies, we see a short montage of the five main heroines pretty much growing up together and attending the same foster care. In said foster care, Shizuru and Lucia are doing normal badass combat stuff while Akane and Chihaya play with monsters. Once again, this is all fine and good, but what was the deciding factor in allying these two forces that were enemies moments ago? I feel like something was missed there. Okay, NOW we can talk about the tree.

So, plain and simple, the tree is Kotarou. After he dies and Kagari vanishes, his body continues transforming over time and eventually grows to be the height of the world tree we've been seeing for two seasons now (Or maybe he was the world tree all along?). This idea, in itself, is phenomenal. I love it. But as soon as I realized how much I loved this, Rewrite's weirdness kicked in again and the heroines all joined hands in front of the tree before summoning a butler version of Kotarou with the dude from NeverShoutNever's haircut. Then, Kotarou sucks all five of them into the tree, they turn into a ball of light, and then they go to the moon to visit Kagari. But there are so many questions. Do these girls know Kagari? We clearly saw alternate timelines colliding in Kotarou's memories just moments ago, so the idea is possible. But instead, Kotarou and Kagari just kiss and all of the girls gasp. What?

I promise that moment was a lot more emotional than I just made it sound.

In Summary:

Despite having one of the rockiest starts in recent memory, Rewrite's second season wound up being significantly better than its first -- even with its unanswered plot-holes. But, from what I understand, there is still a lot that we've missed out on. I'm unsure of where the visual novel ends, but there's something about this ending that just seems so...incomplete. None of the heroines besides Kagari and Kotori even had a chance to do anything this season. And even then, Kotori's role was exponentially smaller than expected. There are still too many unanswered questions and there's still too much that needs to be uncovered. If this truly is the ending of the series, it was not articulated very well. However, if there is more to come after this, I have complete faith that Rewrite will be an incredible series overall. This season, by no means, deserves to be wrapped up with an "And then they all lived happily ever after" ending.

If you can look past how rushed that ending may feel and how confused the first several episodes are in terms of what they hope to accomplish, Rewrite's second season is great. The score is phenomenal and the backgrounds are some of the best in recent memory. This show has a lot of heart. It just has so much that, sometimes, it forgets how to show it.

Episode Grade: A-

Series Grade: B

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

The Asterisk War Vol. #02 Manga Review

I choose my own path...My will is mine alone!

Creative Staff:

Art: Ningen

Original Story: Yuu Miyazaki

Character Design: okiura

Translation: Melissa Tanaka

Lettering: Morgan Hart

What They Say:

Having begun attending Seidoukan Academy--one of the six magical schools in the city known as the Asterisk--Ayato Amagiri begins the task he's truly there to accomplish: investigating the disappearance of his elder sister! He's given a powerful weapon that she once wielded, and it seems like he's on the right track. But when he and Julis are attacked in broad daylight by mysterious forces, it's clear his search isn't going to be as easy as he'd hoped.

The Review:

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

After having pushed off the second volume of this manga for quite some time, I've finally wound up with ample time to come back to it. Considering I actually quite liked the first volume of Asterisk War, it's not like I was purposely ignoring the series. But after finishing the second volume, I can easily say that I'm glad I picked it back up. Without getting into the nitty-gritty in the first paragraph alone, I will assure you that fans of the anime will enjoy the manga. In my opinion, and this is just my judgement after only two volumes, this adaptation is better -- though, I have yet to check out the original light novel version of the title.

Anyway, the last volume ended with Julis and Saya confronting each other about how this harem is going to get started. Incapable of deciding which of them is going to show Ayato around town, the two girls declare a duel with each other. However, before this duel is able to kick off, another assassination attempt is made on Julis out of seemingly nowhere. Saya, who was her enemy just moments ago, winds up helping Julis to fend off the attackers and ultimately win the favor of the princess, ending the declaration of hot girl-on-girl action. Darn it. Regardless, we still get some fanservice in the ending pages of this chapter. While we're on the topic of fanservice, I just want to note that Asterisk War's use of the technique is actually pretty well done. The fanservice in this series isn't as over the top as it is in similar titles (I'm looking at you, Blade Dance of the Elementalers) but is still gratifying in the cases when it does happen. Okay, pretty much any scene with Claudia can get a little racy- but other than that, it's fine.

It's a good thing I nonchalantly segued into Claudia because she's pretty much the gear that gets this volume in motion. After summoning Ayato to her chambers, we discover some of the different theories behind the attempts at the life of Julis. In an effort to emphasize the small section of her heart that isn't pitch black, Claudia asks that Ayato watches over Riessfeld until the assassins vanish. For this, however, he's going to need some new gear. Queue the orga luxes! For those of you unfamiliar with the series, orga luxes are pretty much the noble phantasms of Asterisk War. For those of you unfamiliar with noble phantasms, go away. Watch the Fate series.

Sparing you details on the more action-oriented parts of this scene (Because reviewing action scenes is the absolute worst), Ayato takes on the same orga lux his sister used when she was in Seidoukan. Considering this is easily the most powerful of all the luxes, everyone is pretty impressed. Well, everyone except that jerk Lester. He's just pissed off. Either way, Ayato gains a new toy and it's now time to go on a date with the main love interest.

The date goes pretty well for the most part if you discount the third assassination attempt made on Julis. But after it comes to a close, we learn more about the princess's back story that goes on to flesh out her character pretty well. Julis makes it known that she isn't your run-of-the-mill princess. In fact, she used to be some tomboy that would sneak out of the castle to hang around with orphans all the time. However, growing up without parents (Who are dead, by the way) turned her into an incredibly driven, goal-oriented young woman who is dead set on doing anything possible to make her dreams come true. Her reason for fighting is now in the clear and we can begin inching toward watching her achieve that goal.

The only issue is making sure no one kills her before that happens.

In Summary:

Asterisk War boasts very impressive artwork and exceptional world building, making the manga a step above your typical action harem. Ayato, while relatively uninteresting, isn't necessarily a bad protagonist. But the real charm of Asterisk War is that all of the girls are actually pretty interesting. Rikka is a great setting for dueling factions, and the fact that each of these factions/schools have well-established and diverse reputations makes following the series that much easier. It's easy to choose which school you would want to be a part of on the [incredibly] off chance that you randomly become an anime protagonist. My only complaint about this volume is that the text continuity between some of the panels and pages makes reading several sections a bit confusing.

Content Grade: B+

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: C+

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: October 25, 2016

MSRP: $12.99