Erased Vol. #01 Manga Review

The town without me.

Creative Staff:
Story & Art: Kei Sanbe
Translation: Sheldon Drzka
Lettering: Abigail Blackman

What They Say:
Twenty-nine-year-old Satoru Fujinuma is floundering through life. Amid his daily drudgery, he finds himself in the grip of an incredible, inexplicable, and uncontrollable phenomenon that rewinds time, a condition that seems to only make his drab life worse. But then, one day, everything changes. A terrible incident forever changes Satoru's life as he knows it and with it, comes a "Revival" that sends Satoru eighteen years into the past!

In the body of his boyhood self, Satoru encounters sights he never imagined he would see again the smile of his mother, alive and well, his old friends, and Kayo Hinazuki, the girl who was kidnapped and murdered when he was a boy the first time around. To return to the present and prevent the tragedy that brought him back to his childhood in the first place, Satoru begins plotting a way to change Hinazuki's fate. But up against the clock and a faceless evil, does eleven-year-old Satoru even stand a chance?

The Review:
Content: (Please note that the content portion will contain minor spoilers)
When Erased first hit Crunchyroll in Spring of 2016, it blindsided everyone. Out of seemingly nowhere came this murder mystery that took the anime community by storm, leaving almost every other series of the year in its wake. With a story so nostalgic yet so fresh and suspenseful, the amount of critical acclaim for Kei Sanbe's isn't surprising in the least. However, despite the success of the animation, the manga remained untouched by much of the American fanbase. Sporting the completely different title of Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi or The Town Where Only I Don't Exist, the source material seemed relatively hard to obtain. That is until the saviors of manga (Also known as Yen Press) showed up and unleashed one of the most beautiful, hardcover manga volumes out there, essentially beckoning out the wallets of those who have watched the series. And, after finishing the first volume, I can safely say that Erased has not lost its allure.

The story starts with Satoru Fujinuma, a struggling mangaka, simply fighting his way through life. Considering he can't land a publishing deal, Satoru has taken up a job as pizza delivery boy as a means of staying financially afloat. It is at this point, just several pages in, that we get our first glimpse of Satoru's more...interesting side. You see, Satoru is somehow able to rewind time. He doesn't know how he attained this ability, nor can he control when it happens, but each time he goes through 'revival' (Which is what he named the power), he's sent back the moment right before something terrible happens. I know, 'something terrible' does sound pretty vague, but that's really the best way to describe it. Our first example is that of an unconscious bus driver speeding toward a young boy crossing the street. Of course, this is far too early in the series for such a tragic fatality, so Satoru is able to steer the bus away at the cost of his own well-being. He then awakes in a hospital bed with an adorable (And much younger) co-worker by his side.

All of this is just exposition, though. The real story doesn't start until the halfway point of this first volume when Satoru's revival somehow sends him back to when he was ten years old. It is at this point that Sanbe figures it is time to show off some tragic fatality and the backstory and foundation of Erased is revealed. When Satoru was still in grade school, there was a series of killings amongst his age group. Several of his classmates, three to be exact, were kidnapped and murdered by the alleged serial killer, Jun Shiratori. This series of murders began with a quiet, little girl named Kayo Hinazuki. Satoru, still possessing memories from later on in his life, figures he has been sent back by revival to save Kayo. This is easier said than done, however, considering Kayo isn't exactly the type to open up to people. And while I won't reveal the reason for that just yet, I will say that the book has a subtle, yet remarkably powerful way of getting it across.

Through menial tasks like walking home with her or sticking up for her in class, Satoru is somehow able to break down Kayo's shell, albeit little by little. And as more of Kayo's story is unveiled, Erased begins to consume you. The world becomes eerily relatable and, even if we can't pinpoint our connection, we can all feel something. Maybe it's just that fantasy we all have of being a kid again, but maybe it's something a little more than that. The fact is, there is a sort of 'white noise' in the back of Erased that speaks to us in more ways than one could imagine. And if you don't understand now, go back and watch/read the scene where Satoru returns to his childhood home for the first time. The look on his face gets across more than most series do after full circulations.

In Summary:
At the end of the day, this manga speaks volumes (Pun not intended) in terms of growing up. With an onslaught of different themes and meanings that all manage to make you feel a little bit different from one page to the next, there is not a single dull moment this book has to offer. There is a slight drop in artistic quality (Though one can say that could just be chalked up to my tastes) but the story remains raw and unblemished -- which is to be expected considering this is the source material. Erased latches on to you very early on and refuses to let go. This is one of the most intimate and interesting mysteries out there, fully equipped with hard-hitting undertones and harsh reminders that, sometimes, this world can be much darker than we believe it to be.

Content Grade: A+

Art Grade: B-

Packaging Grade: A+

Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: February 21, 2017

MSRP: $29.99

Tsukigakirei Episode #07 Anime Review

Hold back nothing when taking love.

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)

After an unexpected recap episode last week, Tsukigakirei gets back into the swing of things with a spontaneous group trip to the amusement park. Considering Kotarou and Akane's relationship hasn't exactly been made public yet, the trip is a little awkward for both of them. What is even more awkward, however, is that Chinatsu is being overly flirty with Akane's boyfriend literally right in front of her. And in case that wasn't enough of a conflict, Hira starts trying to win over Akane. Why can't everyone just let this adorable couple do their own thing? Oh, that's right. Because neither of them are frickin' brave enough to just tell their friends about it.

Afraid of drifting further away from his girlfriend (Again), Kotarou decides that he needs to step up. Somehow or another, Hira and Akane wind up getting lost somewhere in the park together. After being completely inconspicuous in asking everyone if they have seen Akane, Kotarou is able to track her down and, in an unprecedented moment of heroism, split her apart from Hira and reclaim his woman. Unfortunately, Kotarou shatters two hearts in the process seeing as he straight-up tells Hira to get his hands off of Akane while Chinatsu watches from the background. And even though I'm clearly not rooting for Chinatsu, it was still upsetting seeing her cry when her crush walked away holding her best friend's hand. To be fair, though, what did she expect? She knows these two are dating.

Finally, after a nerve-wracking twelve minutes, our couple is reunited. And, with some help from Roman and Hira, everyone leaves them alone. It is not out in the open that Akane and Kotarou are dating and, hopefully, everyone will leave them alone from now on. Chinatsu finally makes her way back to her friends with her eyes still red from crying. From that point, it doesn't take the rest of the girls very long to figure out why. Sticking together like a pack of wolves, the remaining girls kick into serious-mode and do their best to console a clearly distraught Chinatsu. Then, as everything dies down, the inevitable episode-ending fireworks light up the sky, resulting in an inevitable almost-kiss that is inevitably broken up by a little girl with a mouth too loud for her own good. Of course, Kotarou and Akane burst into laughter and the episode comes to a close with them being one step closer to a happy, healthy relationship. Well, at least until someone else wants to try and ruin everything.

In Summary:

After an abrupt and slightly confusing start due to lack of context, Tsukigakirei winds up regaining its footing in the latter half of this episode. With a bit more sentiment and suspense than normal, the seventh installment of this series stays on track with the rest and puts an end to a few current conflicts. The relationship between our protagonists is finally out in the open and our hearts can finally rest. However, I expect it won't be long until things begin the get dramatic again. After all, this is a middle school romance series. Regardless, several intimate moments in this week's episode preserve the high quality of content we've grown accustomed to leeching from Tsukigakirei. As always, I'm excited to see what the future holds.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Spring 2017 Anime Awards

Technical Awards

Best Original Soundtrack/Score

Anonymous Noise

Sound Direction by Takayuki Yamaguchi

Music performed by Saori Hayami and Ayahi Takagaki

Best Opening Song

Tsukigakirei

Performed by Nao Touyama

Best Ending Song

Sagrada Reset

Performed by The Oral Cigarettes

Best Adapted Story

What Are You Doing At The End Of The World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?

Created and composed by Akira Kareno

Directed by Junichi Wada

Best Original Story

Re:Creators

Original Creation by Rei Kiroe

Direction and composition by Rei Kiroe and Ei Aoki

Best Artwork/Animation

Attack On Titan Season 2

Created by Hajime Isayama

Direction of Photography by Kazuhiro Yamada

Character Design by Kyoji Asano

Animation Direction by Ayumi Yamada, Satoshi Kadowaki, and Kyoji Asano

Art Direction by Shunichirou Yoshihara

Acting Awards

Best Supporting Actor

Yoshimasa Hosoya

For Reiner Braun in Attack On Titan Season 2

Best Supporting Actress

Maaya Sakamoto

For Makagami Chikujouin in Re:Creators

Best Leading Actor

Ryouhei Arai

For Willem Kmetsch in What Are You Doing At The End Of The World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?

Best Leading Actress

Kiyono Yasuno

For Megumi Katou in How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Season 2

Character Awards

Best Supporting Character (Female)

Ymir (Attack On Titan Season 2)

Played by Saki Fujita

Best Supporting Character (Male)

Kanade Yuzuriha (Anonymous Noise)

Played by Daiki Yamashita

Best Main Character (Female)

Ctholly Nota Seniorious (What Are You Doing At The End Of The World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?)

Played by Azusa Tadokoro

Best Main Character (Male)

Kotarou Azumi (Tsukigakirei)

Played by Shouya Chiba

Best Character Ensemble

How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Season 2

Original Character Designs by Kurehito Misaki

Additional Design by Toshiaki Takase

The Final Award

Best Anime

Tsukigakirei

Directed by Seiji Kishi

Produced by Studio feel.

Top 20 Cutest Anime Girls Of Spring 2017

It's that time again!

Now that we've passed the halfway point of Spring 2017, I think it's safe to say we've been exposed to a pretty decent amount of adorable waifu material. In fact, this season's count was actually the highest I've ever encountered -- coming in at a whopping 27 girls I needed to fit into a top ten. Of course, that isn't how numbers work so I had to knock off seven of them and limit this to a top 20 this time around because a top 27 would just be weird.

As always, this is my warning that your waifu may not be number one. In fact, she might not even be on here. But if she has been completely omitted from this collection of 20 adorable girls, you probably just have terrible taste. Either that or I just didn't watch the series she was in, but that's less probable considering I've managed to keep up with 17 shows this spring.

Girls are judged not only on their physical appearance but their personality, voice, and whatever else it is that makes us fall in love. I hope you enjoy!

Now, let's get this show on the road.

20) Rumia Tingel

Anime: Akashic Records Of Bastard Magic Instructor

CV: Yume Miyamoto

I'm not normally into the Rumia-type girls but there's something about her that really reels me in. (Totally not the uniform. Okay, maybe the uniform). Starting off as dependable and determined, Rumia's character goes through a hefty amount of development early on when we find out she's actually [REDACTED]. Even with that, though, she's exponentially more lovable than I would have imagined going into this, but not lovable enough to crack the top 20.

19) Maki Midorikawa

Anime: Sakura Quest

CV: Chika Anzai

Maki is the only girl in this countdown willing to put on a Chupacabra suit. As if that wasn't enough to land her in this countdown, she's also a [semi] famous TV actress who excels at just about everything under the sun. Combine that with how she's easily the most reliable heroine in Sakura Quest and you have the makings of a solid character. Plus, she'd probably be way cool to hang out with and I bet she has a hefty Criterion DVD collection.

18) Miou Suguri

Anime: Anonymous Noise

CV: Ayahi Takagaki

Ahh yes, Miou -- the only likeable female character in Anonymous Noise. I love rooting for the underdog. And considering Miou essentially gets tossed into the trash in the first two episodes of this series, there is no bigger underdog than her. She may act tough at times but it's easy to see just how sensitive and temperamental she is when all of that is put aside. Oh, and I'm also a huge fan of that whole heavy eyeliner thing she's got going. You keep doing you, Miou.

17) Guri

Anime: Love Tyrant

CV: Yoshino Aoyama

Guri, who wins the honorary 'Best Dressed' award (An award I made up exclusively for the first time ever in this countdown) is one of those love-or-hate kinds of characters. Of course, I'm not a moron, so I love Guri. When she isn't dressed as a crawfish or anything else ridiculous like that, she can have moments that are actually super adorable in the grand scale of things. That whole 'not understanding love' trope absolutely adds to her score as well. Oh, and did I mention she is the daughter of God? Think of how easy you would have it if you dated her. Free ticket to heaven, y'all.

16) Zero

Anime: Grimoire Of Zero

CV: Yumiri Hanamori

Zero (No cat ears included despite this picture) is another one of those characters that starts growing on you very early on. Sheltered from the world and left in an orphanage to hone her magic, Zero doesn't exactly understand how society works. So when you take her away from that cave and bring her around actual people, things only get more adorable. My only problem is that I don't think she would ever fall in love with me because I'm not covered in fur.

15) Celestia Yupitilia

Anime: Re:Creators

CV: Mikako Komatsu

Celestia (Who can also be known as the knock-off Asuna Yuuki) is hard to overlook. Yeah, she's a bit of a Mary-Sue, but look at those eyes. I think another thing that makes Celestia so likeable is that she's an actual anime character trying to adapt with non-anime life. Though her personality is a bit cut-and-paste, her looks and mannerisms absolutely make up for it. The only girl in Re:Creators who may be able to compete with her in terms of cuteness is that girl with crazy teeth (Who did not make it on to this countdown considering she only just made her first appearance).

14) Sasha Blouse

Anime: Attack On Titan Season 2

CV: Yuu Kobayashi

While some people may be upset at finding potato girl so high up on this list, it's hard for me to place her in a better slot due to how little screen time she has. Even with almost an entire episode dedicated to her this season, Sasha still doesn't have the airtime she deserves. That being said, every time she's around, she steals the scene and I would gladly have her over for dinner any night of the week.

13) Megumi Jinno

Anime: Eromanga Sensei

CV: Ibuki Kido

If we were going only by looks, I probably would have placed Megumi(n) at number one. Tailoring directly to my weeb tastes, Megumi is nothing short of the cutest darn thing to touch this anime season. There is just one problem. She scares me. Girls as cute as her aren't supposed to be so...forward! Would she even be loyal? Would she break my heart? She totally would, wouldn't she? Regardless, if she toned it down just a bit she wouldn't have fallen victim to this next character from the same series.

12) Elf Yamada

Anime: Eromanga Sensei

CV: Minami Takahashi

I'm going to be honest -- I didn't expect this at all. I normally despise the Hime-Sama/drill-sporting girls more than anything. But I think the thing with Elf is that she's actually a walking parody of those girls. You're never meant to take her seriously. And every time she's on the screen, I catch myself pretending to not like her. However, I have finally come to terms with just how adorable she is and I want to protect her from all of the evil in this dark, depressing world.

11) Sistine Fibel

Anime: Akashic Records Of Bastard Magic Instructor

CV: Akane Fujita

Just barely missing a spot in the top ten, Sistine still wins the award of 'Best Girl' in Akashic Records. For those of you that don't know yet, the tsundere archetype is very near and dear to me, and Sistine plays that card to a T. While I don't necessarily understand her affinity for cat ears, I'm all about it this time around and would gladly take her on a date that culminates in me being punched into the sun -- because that's what girls like her do. They punch bakas into the sun.

10) Tiona Hiryute

Anime: DanMachi: Sword Of Oratoria

CV: Rie Murakawa

I've loved Tiona ever since her cameo back in the original DanMachi. But considering her role back then was so small, I couldn't really make up an excuse to fit her into the ranking. This time, however, that all changes. Now that Tiona has secured a major role in Sword of Oratoria, I can finally profess to the world that flat is justice and that she trumps her sister in every way possible. Deal with it. (Puts on sunglasses).

9) Yua Nakajima

Anime: Hinako Note

CV: Marika Kouno

Hinako Note is an example of one of those shows where I pick my favorite girl before the series even begins because I know none of them are going to have any development regardless. Yua is just another means of showcasing my excellent judge of character seeing as she is still my favorite past the halfway mark. Either way, she's yet another adorable tsundere girl who caters to my yuri affinity tenfold in a completely non-yuri series. Also, that hair ornament is adorable. Come on.

8) Katalina Alize

Anime: Granblue Fantasy

CV: Miyuki Sawashiro

Okay, Katalina is a total babe. I don't care what anyone says. In fact, there isn't even any other way I can think of describing her. Actually, I lied. There is. Not only is Katalina gorgeous and unquestionably high-class, her cute (albeit rare) mannerisms and the way she looks out of the rest of her team really make her the lovable character she is. Katalina would easily make the best wife on this countdown, there is no doubt about that.

7) Utaha Kasumigaoka

Anime: Saekano Season 2

CV: Ai Kayano

You know, ranking the girls of Saekano is frustrating. My opinion of them seems to change every week. Unfortunately for Kasumigaoka, this countdown wasn't published last month. Easily the smartest and most cynical girl of the bunch, Utaha is that kind of popular yet remarkably beautiful girl we all yearned for in high school. The idea of her always being so out of reach is what makes her even more attractive. Thankfully, almost half of this season has been spent on her and it has shined some light on parts of her we haven't noticed before. Either way, she is a great character and it really sucks that she isn't as cute as this next girl.she came in behind this next girl.

6) Eriri Spencer Sawamura

Anime: Saekano Season 2

CV: Saori Oonishi

Previously a Top 5 pick back in my Winter 2015 countdown, Eriri has managed to maintain the status of the ultimate tsundere years later. Despite having less time in the spotlight this time around, Eriri remains as feisty as ever while her desire to be with Tomoya begins to consume her. Not only does she have the tsun trope down, she nails being the childhood friend as well. Eriri is too well-rounded to overlook, but her lack of change in the last two years was not enough to land her in the Top 5 this time.

5) Sagiri Izumi

Anime: Eromanga Sensei

CV: Akane Fujita

If I had to take a guess, I would have imagined that Sagiri would be the anime fandom's choice for best-girl of the season. I mean, who doesn't love little sisters? With an entire series pretty much centered around her, Sagiri has way too much time on her hands to flaunt her cuteness while still proving to be the shy little anime-sister we have always wanted. Oh, and she draws porn. So there's that too. Bonus points for the dancing.

4) Yoshino Koharu

Anime: Sakura Quest

CV: Ayaka Nanase

Yoshino is this season's Aoi Miyamori and I love me some Aoi Miyamori. Considering she was born from the same studio that brought us Shirobako, I would say that this similarity isn't exactly on accident (Especially considering Sakura Quest follows the same pattern Shirobako did). At the end of the day, Yoshino is just another girl trying to find her place in the world. She has a ton of quirks that add to her cuteness but, just like with Aoi, her determination is really what does it. Oh, and that hair. You guys know I love pink/red hair.

3) Akane Mizuno

Anime: Tsukigakirei

CV: Konomi Kohara

The upper-hand that Akane Mizuno has over the rest of these girls is how realistic she is. Tsukigakirei is an incredibly accurate middle school love story and that just wouldn't be complete without a shy young girl coming to terms with her feelings. If there is anything more adorable than a girl in love it's a girl that doesn't know she's in love, and Akane hits that mark flawlessly. (I wish I could put the entire series in a spot on this countdown but TV shows are genderless.)

2) Megumi Katou

Anime: Saekano Season 2

CV: Kiyono Yasuno

If you had told me at the beginning of season one that Katou would one day be my favorite, I would have laughed in your face. And, who knows? Maybe she won't be my favorite anymore by the time this season ends. But as of right now, Katou's subtle...Katou-ness is what makes her the funniest, most enjoyable character in Saekano. In fact, even she knows she's the best. You can just tell from how much she makes fun of the other girls. While Katou isn't as animated as Eriri or Utaha, she is definitely just as interesting. And her surprisingly distinct fashion sense adds to her cuteness factor in more ways than I could imagine.

Spring 2017 Champion: 1) Ctholly Nota Seniorious

Anime: WorldEnd

CV: Azusa Tadokoro

Ctholly is love. Ctholly is life. Even though she isn't human, this little bundle of hormones right here is the most precious creature to emerge from this anime season. Being yet another girl struggling to come to terms with her feelings (Seems to be a recurring theme this countdown), Ctholly gains a grip on reality early on and decides to follow her heart. Seeing firsthand just how in love she falls with Willem is what shapes WorldEnd into the beautiful show it has become. That, meshed with the fact that she's essentially a ticking time-bomb, winds up creating a feeling reminiscent of Plastic Memories but with added fantasy and an adorable girl that trumps everyone else from the last three months.

And there you have it, everyone. The 20 cutest girls from the past few months. Now, go ahead and change your desktops, wallpapers, etc. You know the drill.

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

Feel free to browse the rest of The Fandom Post until then!