Anime Update: Iron-Blooded Orphans and Unbreakable Diamonds

As mentioned in my year-end posts for 2015, I did not complete nearly as many anime series in 2015 as I had hoped, despite my best intentions. However, I intend to make up for that in 2016, and I’ve already hit the ground running, finishing series that I started last year, and doing my best to catch up on as-of-yet-ongoing series.

First out the gate was One Punch Man, and that is almost certain to be the subject of my first anime review of the new year. I also viewed the second film in the Berserk Golden Age trilogy shortly after Christmas, and plan to follow up with the third film before the end of January. I will be reviewing that trilogy as a whole, as opposed to providing three distinct reviews for each individual film. For my first direct exposure to anything from Berserk, it’s proven decently entertaining, though the films are hardly consistent in quality, which is a point that I will cover more in-depth in my full review of the trilogy.

I’ve also devoted some time to the two latest Mobile Suit Gundam series, Iron-Blooded Orphans and the four-episode OVA known as Gundam Thunderbolt. While I only have five episodes of Iron-Blooded Orpahans under my belt, and there has only been a single episode of Thunderbolt released as of yet, I feel both are off to incredibly strong starts, and bring a wonderful mix of ‘something old, something new’ to the table. Meanwhile, I’m itching to get back to Ninja Slayer, as it was one of the most utterly bananas shows I’ve viewed in many years.

In April, the fourth part of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure will see its anime debut with the first episode of Diamond is Unbreakable. Stardust Crusaders crushed the competition in 2015, becoming one of my all-time favorite anime series. I can’t wait to see Okuyasu, Josuke, Koichi, and Kira animated, as David Production has done an absolute knockout job with adapting all of the previous parts of Hirohiko Araki’s long-running action/comedy series.

Other series on the horizon include Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, Gundam Reconguista in G, season three of Sgt. Frog, and the original Mobile Suit Gundam. All of these are series that I have watched within the past year, but have simply been watching with a lower priority. But, considering that I am nearly halfway through each of them, and they have proven quite entertaining, by and large, I feel compelled to follow them through to completion.

Perhaps there will be other series that join the pool in 2016 – the Digimon reboot is something that I would like to look into, and Daisuki has proven a strong go-to website for the general variety and quality of anime it is hosting. Depending on the release schedule of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, it may also join the ranks of my 2016 reviews. And I have yet to view Tekkon Kinkreet, a movie that I purchased a couple of years back, and have neglected to pop into my DVD player, despite hearing only good things about it.

Anime Update: The Red Comet and Star Platinum

Yesterday, I watched the first entry in the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin series of films. While I would not say that this first episode kicked things off to quite as strong a start as the most recent Universal Century OVA, Unicorn Gundam, it was a well-written and entertaining view nonetheless. Despite the name matching up with the recently-popularized manga retelling of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, which expands upon the story of the One Year War, this four-part anime release appears to be a prequel to that, seeing all the major players rise to their respective iconic roles.

This first film, Blue-Eyed Casval, deals almost exclusively with characters in the space colonies who will ultimately end up fighting for the Principality of Zeon, namely the Zabi family and Zeon Zum Deikun’s children, Casval and Artesia, who would later come to be better known as Sayla Mass and Char Aznable respectively. To finally see Zeon Zum Deikun’s death and the rising political tensions that led to the Zabi family’s rise to power and eventual declaration of war on the Earth Federation was long-overdue but no less impactful animated sequence as the first major events leading up to the One Year War. I certainly enjoyed seeing a younger Ramba Ral worked into the story, as his actions gave me a greater degree of respect for him as a character, while Char’s determination and focus at such a young age set the wheels in motion for his plans to exact revenge on the Zabi family for the death of his father. The occasional overly cartoony moments might appeal to younger audiences, but I found them a bit unnatural, even clunky in execution, given the more serious and tense atmosphere of Blue-Eyed Casval on the whole.

Despite my habit of sometimes picking up a longer anime series to view, watching for a while, moving on to another anime, then coming back again many months later to pick up where I last left off, I am now a mere five episodes from the finale of Victory Gundam. I intend to finish this soon, as I want to give the current G-Reko series a shot, but not before I’ve finished my viewing of Victory. While Gundam AGE and the Build Fighters series both failed to entice me, G-Reco’s highly-creative mobile suit designs and certain sensibilities that seemingly harken back to Turn A Gundam have me intrigued. As G-Reco is currently airing and thus not yet complete, I will likely balance my viewing of that with at least one other anime – be it one of the two remaining Gundam series I have yet to watch in full (Mobile Suit Gundam, ZZ Gundam) or something entirely unrelated to Bandai and Sunrise’s long-running franchise.

I’m still loving the current run of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, and if the most recent two-part encounter with D’arby the Gambler was any indication, the best episodes may yet lie on the horizon. Strong as the series has been since the beginning, the first season of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure displayed a similar increase in quality in later episodes, with the Battle Tendency arc being more of both a visual and narrative spectacle than its precursor, Phantom Blood. While I was plugging away at Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 this Winter, it has since been removed from Netflix’s offerings, and thus I will have to find another means of viewing the series if I intend to see it to completion.

I found myself rather disappointed with the original Ghost in the Shell’s narrative suddenly dropping off at the end of the 1995 film, but the recent reimagining known as Ghost in the Shell: Arise is currently available on Netflix, and I decided to give the first hour-long episode a try. Unfortunately, it did as little to keep me entertained as the few episodes of Stand Alone Complex I have seen ever did. Arise’s blundering gaps in logic as well as its obsession with not including viewers in on what would seem like prominent chunks of information have led me to effectively resign the entire Ghost in the Shell franchise as one of those properties that thinks itself much smarter than it actually is, and subsequently a property that I will not be wasting any more of my time on.

I intend to take my time with the third season of Sgt. Frog, as it is the last season that was localized by Funimation for North American release. There is a strong chance that I may see this third season to completion by the end of the year and review it accordingly, as I do love the series’ wacky humor in its pop culture references and the general behavior of the characters. With all of this in mind, the rest of the year is largely a blank slate with regards to my anime viewing plans, as Unicorn Gundam has entirely wrapped up, and other recent series I was viewing, like The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, I have since completed.

2012 Year in Review: Anime

One of my major goals this past year was to view a number of anime considered classics by the community/fanbase. While I still feel there are a number of 'classics' I have yet to tackle, I conquered a few major titles this year, as well as some series and films that I simply wanted to watch based on my own personal interest. As a whole, my feelings toward the anime I viewed this year were rather positive - there was only one in the bunch that left a strikingly negative impression upon me. Even something like Deadman Wonderland, a series that I would probably not have otherwise watched had it not aired on the revived Toonami, proved interesting, to say the least. There are a number of series and films I hope to complete in 2013, but before I begin any of those, here is a recap of every anime I reviewed in 2012.

Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor: Her brother Shion and father having left home in the wake of a number of organizations targeting them, young Suou Pavlichenko is left confused as she finds herself wrapped up in the affairs of Contractors. Misaki Kirihara is still present, though her role is scaled back in order to balance the story between Suou's coming of age and learning what being a Contractor is all about and Hei's rediscovering his own aims as he has become a shadow of his former self. The question of where Contractors and humans meet at crossroads is brought back into the spotlight, manifesting more prominently through Suou but also drawing out some comedic moments from the doll July, who grows attached to the lead cast over time. Though the last few episodes feel forcibly convoluted, this sequel series as a whole is far more streamlined and focused than the first. My rating: 9

The Animatrix: An interesting collection of short anime episodes, The Animatrix presents many different interpretations of The Matrix. Some tales focus on events that precede the core films, while most are side stories that bear loose or even zero connections to the major players of the series. There are a few lackluster tales in the batch, but for the most part The Animatrix proves a solid collection. My rating: 8.25

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: Sequel to the series that effectively defined the rules of the mecha genre, Zeta Gundam takes the vision of space colonies and mobile suit combat a step further and puts a more serious and notably darker tone on the story. Many years after the end of the infamous One Year War, the Earth Federation has set up a sort of police force known as the Titans to keep the colonies in line and prevent further uprisings. Unfortunately, the Titans abuse their power, sparking the forces of the A.E.U.G. (Anti-Earth Union Group) to retaliate and expose the Titans' trail of tyranny and terrorism. Lt. Quattro Bajeena, ace pilot of the A.E.U.G., takes aspiring Newtype pilot Kamille Bidan under his wing while hero of the One Year War Amuro Ray takes a backseat to other cast members new and old. As a series originally released in 1985, Zeta Gundam has its silly moments, but it is a classic sci-fi epic through and through and delivers a fantastic sequel story to one of the most groundbreaking anime of all time. My rating: 8.75

Akira: What served as inspiration for other highly experimental anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion has become, in and of itself, a classic of its genre. Tetsuo and Kaneda are rebellious teens who engage in gang races and fights from the seats of their futuristic motor bikes. That is, until Tetsuo is taken away by an unknown organization and subjected to all manner of testing. His kidnappers hope to find a new host that can rival Akira, a legendary child whose mental abilities far surpassed those of any other human. Meanwhile, Tokyo is on the verge of civil war, with protesters going toe-to-toe with police and civilians getting caught in the crossfire. Determined to find out just what happened to his friend, Kaneda seeks out one rebel group in hopes that their connections and skill set might provide him the edge he needs. My rating: 9

Resident Evil Degeneration: Though the trailers for Resident Evil Degeneration highlighted a zombie outbreak in an airport, that is only half the story. As series' veterans Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield peel back layers of the larger story, they discover two separate leads - Leon attempts to track down local Curtis Miller, who was spotted in the airport moments before the outbreak occurred, while Claire looks into a pharmaceutical company named WilPharma. The character models are well-rendered, with plenty of attention to detail like scuffmarks on battle gear and loading mechanisms on firearms. The character models tend to look better when in a heated action scene than when casually walking and talking, however. The action scenes themselves are intense and exciting, if not over-the-top ridiculous. Degeneration revisits territory plenty familiar to Resident Evil fans, but serves as a decent tie-in film. My rating: 7

Sgt. Frog (season two): Avoiding the few low points that came into play during season one, the second season of Sgt. Frog has better footing from the outset. Keroro and his Armpit Platoon have still not yet managed to conquer Pekopon (Earth), but there are plenty of half-baked plans waiting to be hatched. Season two focuses less on parodies of other works, due in large part because the show has better defined itself since the first outing. That said, the parodies it does execute in season two cover a wider range, from the likes of Evangelion to Saturday Night Fever. The show maintains its signature style of humor, with most jokes being appropriate for viewers of all ages but also sneaking in a few that will be better appreciated by older viewers. My rating: 9

Ghost in the Shell: Considered one of the most important and influential anime films of the 1990s, Ghost in the Shell follows Motoko Kusunagi and her team as they seek to unravel the mystery of a hacker known as the Puppet Master. In a world where humans are comprised as much by electronic components as they are organs and flesh, it becomes clear that the Puppet Master is no ordinary criminal, as each lead pulls back another layer of the plot. The idea of the lines between man and machine blurring are familiar to the sci-fi genre, and Ghost in the Shell explores them at only the most basic level. The story simply ends at the moment it is getting good, leaving the whole experience disappointing and seemingly incomplete. My rating: 6.5

Cowboy Bebop: Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein make up the ragtag crew of the Bebop, and whose dynamic ultimately plays out like one comically dysfunctional family. As they chase bounties across the galaxy, they run into many different individuals and organizations, most of whom end up bringing along more trouble than Spike and company planned on. But the rounded skill sets the crew possesses is sure to get them out of any pinch, and there's always a few catchy tunes to accompany each action-packed episode. Each planet the crew visits paints a distinctly different vision, from a dusty desert to a giant space casino. My rating: 9

Redline: In the vein of F-Zero, Redline sees racer JP competing at ludicrous speeds with other racers that use anything from traditional wheeled vehicles to crawlers and transformable mecha. The film is hyper-stylized, intensely colorful, and a real visual treat. The story of JP and his partner Frisbee's ties with the mafia make for a decent backstory, while the hidden secrets of Roboworld are considerably less inspired. The film begins innocent enough in nature, though the second half makes clear the fact that this is not a film meant for younger viewers, with a sudden and substantial inclusion of mature content. My rating: 7.25

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation: a retelling of the 1985 classic mecha series, this three-part film compilation becomes more visually pleasing as it progresses, with the second and third entries utilizing far more digital animation than the first film. Though there is a lot of content cut out in order to accommodate for each film running a little over an hour and a half, most of it is the back-and-forth battle sequences, and thus the films are able to retain the core content and most memorable moments from the original Zeta Gundam anime. The new visuals look gorgeous, though the old animation is layered over with a grainy filter that makes it look unnecessarily aged - something that the original anime's DVD release did not have. With Bandai having put so much work into rendering scenes with new-school animation, it begs the question as to why they didn't remake the films in their entirety. That said, the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation trilogy is a huge step up from the typical 'cut-and-paste' approach that most compilation films adopt. My rating: 8.25

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: A retelling of the Fullmetal Alchemist story, now more closely tied to the manga source material, FMA: Brotherhood once again sees brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric searching for a means to return their bodies to normal after a fateful attempt to revive their dead mother cost Edward an arm and a leg and Alphonse his entire human body. The first dozen or so episodes speed by, with Studio Bones apparently under the assumption that most viewers are already familiar with the 2003 anime. From there, however, the pacing is handled darn near perfectly, with Ed, Al, their allies in Amestrian military, Xingese prince Ling, Ishvalan rogue Scar, and the mysterious Homunculus earning sufficient time to develop. Brotherhood carries a darker tone throughout than the 2003 anime, but is also host to storytelling of a more consistently high quality. In short, Fullmetal Alchemist is a modern fantasy epic that can go toe-to-toe with giants of the genre, presenting a genuinely emotional and human story from start to finish. My rating: 10

Deadman Wonderland: An experimental prison facility/amusement park serves as a twisted and shocking environment for young Ganta, a student who has been wrongly accused of mass murder. Ganta learns that, even with his superhuman Deadman powers, he will need to rely on the help of friends and allies if he hopes to break out of the prison. Though a highly original concept, the creative team seems to trip over themselves at times, with the subplots that would actually prove beneficial to the grander story left unexplored in favor of those that explore less important (and subsequently less interesting) supporting characters. My rating: 7.5

Durarara!!: A presentation of modern day city life in Japan with elements of fantasy and folklore sprinkled throughout, Durarara!! is host to a broad range of characters, each of whom sees a surprisingly full development during the series' twenty-six episode run. There are two major story arcs - the first focused on the headless rider Celty as an urban legend, while the second delves deeper into a dark fantasy scenario as well as the game being 'played' by antagonist Izaya that everyone is seemingly a part of. There are many different perspectives presented as the plot unfolds, so while it might seem like one subplot has been resolved in a single telling, this is not always the case. There are a couple of loose ends left by the series finale, but as a whole the anime does well to wrap up each character's story. My rating: 8.25

Serial Experiments Lain: A product of the late 1990s grunge culture and revival of science fiction anime, Serial Experiments Lain is an existentialist piece that explores the familiar territory of the dividing line between man and machine, albeit in a much different manner than one might expect. The Wired (the series' parallel to the World Wide Web) is a medium through which the titular character seeks information on the suicide of her classmate, as well as a number of experiments and theories surrounding the possibility of the Wired as a separate, yet fully realized world. As Lain becomes increasingly concerned about her own well-being and paranoid about the actions of people around her, she begins hacking and heavily modifying her Navi computer, and in turn discovers the true potential her psyche holds when exposed to the Wired. A trippy show, no doubt, but Lain is by far one of the most complex and thought-provoking of all the landmark anime that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. My rating: 9

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos: A sidestory to the larger Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood tale, The Sacred Star of Milos is actually quite removed from Ed and Al's struggle with the Homunculus. There are brief appearances by Mustang, Hawkeye, and Winry, but the film is primarily concerned with siblings Ashley and Julia Crichton, whose parents were skilled alchemists murdered many years ago. There is a rumor that implies that a philosopher's stone may be held somewhere within the curious border locale of Table City, and constant skirmishes between the Black Bats - a rebel squad from the slums - and the local Amestrian military are as much of a threat to the region's stability as the forces of Creta that lie just beyond the border. The film is notably dark, not unlike the later episodes of the main anime, though the primary villains all fit stereotypical 'evil mastermind' roles. My rating: 7.75

Iron Man: As is typical of Madhouse, the animation in Iron Man is fantastic. Unfortunately, the story ends up getting confused, as the initial problem of Tony Stark's new Iron Man Dio suit being stolen is sidetracked by the appearance of the forces of Zodiac to the point where it is almost forgotten entirely. Each time Tony Stark faces off against one of the members of Zodiac, he gets his butt handed to him before he manages to gather his bearings and defeat the menace of the day. Created first and foremost for fans of Iron Man, this anime falls prey to a number of cliché subplots and simply does not stack up to the quality of the comic books or live action films from which it draws inspiration. My rating: 6.75

Casshern Sins: A most gorgeous vision of a world headed toward extinction, Casshern Sins is one of the most original post-apocalyptic works to be realized in any entertainment medium in recent years. The focus is placed on Casshern, a super-powerful being who is not entirely sure who he is or what he has done, though nearly everyone else seems aware of Casshern having killed Luna and in turn bringing about the Ruin, a disease that slowly rusts away the remaining robots. There are few humans left, and now that the robots are effectively mortal, they begin to adopt human characteristics - or, at the very least, behave in ways they believe to be human. Casshern's role as both villain and savior is an interesting combination, and he must learn to control his destructive nature before he can trust his companions as well as himself. My rating: 9.25

Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon: The warrior Tapion was once trapped in a music box as a means to seal away a great beast known as Hirudegarn. When a deceitful alien tricks the Z Fighters into opening the box, the threat of Hirudegarn is unleashed on a nearby city and the Z Fighters attempt to fight it while Tapion hopes to keep the creature at bay with his magical ocarina. Tapion acts as a sort of Big Brother to Trunks, and their interactions echo through events in the main series. My rating: 8

Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest: Dr. Wheelo, now freed from his icy prison, seeks to evaluate the power of the world's strongest warriors, gathering Master Roshi, Piccolo, Goku, Krillin, and Gohan in his massive scientific research facility. Dr. Wheelo intends to pit the Z Fighters against his own artificially-created warriors, and then implant his brain in the body of whoever comes out on top. The 'mad scientist' routine is underwhelming, but the fact that the cast is limited to a few key characters helps it stay on track better than some of the later Dragon Ball Z films. My rating: 7

25 Days of Anime - #7: Sgt. Frog

When Sgt. Keroro and his ARMPIT Platoon land on Earth, they have no idea just how far their conquering of the planet will be set back. Keroro initially sets up shop in the Hinata household with school-agers Fuyuki and Natsumi, and their mom Aki. The Sarge would have the audience believe he rules the home with an iron fist, but the opposite is true - Keroro performs daily chores for the Hinatas and has had his nefarious jack-of-all-trades Kero Ball taken from him for safekeeping.

Even after he manages to get in contact with the other members of his platoon, Keroro's plans on conquest either fail in spectacular fashion or simply take a backseat to his obsession with Gundam model kits. Neither scenario does much to please gung-ho Giroro, but has the complete opposite effect on Kululu, who revels in the misfortune of others. Meanwhile, Tamama wants to prove his worth to Keroro but finds he gets plenty of pampering and attention in his new mansion home (owned by Momoka, resident rich girl who has an unhealthy crush on Fuyuki as well as a split-personality). Dororo, the ninja frog who believes in harmony and reason over violence, is constantly left out of plans and forgotten by his squadmates.

The cast is plenty quirky, and their interactions set up for plenty of humor in themselves. But it is the writing that really makes Sgt. Frog a standout comedy anime. Keroro's portrayal as an incompetent commanding officer who has a thousand excuses as to why he can't conquer Earth (or Pekopon, as he refers to it) today, makes him an immediate target from both his platoon and his adoptive family. If he tries to make any progress, he's bound to get punished, but a lack of ideas means his troops will grow restless and the Keronian military will not look favorably upon his leadership skills (or lack thereof).

Most episodes are parodies of other works - some more direct than others - and include nods to Mobile Suit Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Saturday Night Fever, and Dragon Ball Z, just to name a few. Meanwhile, both the cast and the cynical narrator (whose role in the series is more involved than most) crack jokes regarding the ridiculous plotlines of certain episodes and reference/poke fun at other works like Indiana Jones and Macross. Sgt. Frog is a hilarious romp through one pop-culture reference after another. At the same time, though, Sgt. Frog does well to identify itself as a new and separate series from the previous works it draws comedic inspiration from, and to that end it is one of the most original and consistently funny anime I've ever watched.

Anime update: The Dollars

I mentioned back in April that my anime lineup for this summer was going to be rather free-form in comparison to the video games I planned to play and review. And that has certainly proven true thus far. Cowboy Bebop was a relatively quick watch and a fun one at that, while Durarara!! was a sort of spur-of-the-moment choice that has proven thoroughly entertaining thus far. I only have six episodes of Durarara!! left to watch, so I will certainly have that series reviewed before the end of the month. Also, I watched Redline this afternoon, and should have my review for that posted sometime this weekend.

I stated in my summer anime forecast that I had plans to continue viewing Victory Gundam. This still holds true, though it may be pushed back to Autumn in favor of my completing Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. At the very latest, I hope to have FMA: Brotherhood completed and reviewed before the end of August. Sometime shortly thereafter, I will review Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos.

There are still a few series/films floating in the mix, including the Iron Man anime and Tekkon Kinkreet. Also, despite my early impressions that I would probably drop Deadman Wonderland, I will continue to support Toonami by viewing both it and Casshern Sins in their entirety. I love Casshern Sins, and even though Deadman Wonderland isn't quite my cup of tea, I think it is good for me to broaden my horizons a bit.

I recently saw a trailer for Funimation's re-release of Serial Experiments Lain and it looks wicked awesome - trippy as anything, but a very interesting concept. I got the same sort of vibe from it that I got the first time I watch Neon Genesis Evangelion. I know not everyone is a fan of anime that messes with your head, but I am. So I will certainly be looking into that one some more, and possibly buying the DVDs when they release. Ghost Hound looked interesting - I'll have to check out a few episodes to test those waters. Also, my purchasing season three of Sgt. Frog is merely a matter of time. I do love that show - easily one of the funniest series I've ever watched.

Anime review: Sgt. Frog (season two)

The hilarious misadventures of Sgt. Keroro and the Armpit Platoon continue into the second season. For those not familiar with the back story, Keroro is the leader of a small team of space frogs whose mission is to conquer Earth (or as they refer to the planet, Pekopon). Fortunately for humanity, Keroro's track record is less-than-spectacular and his motivation is frequently sidetracked due to his obsession with Gundam model kits. He ends up living with the Hinata family under the pretenses that he take care of daily chores, act as inspiration for mother Aki Hinata's job printing volumes of manga, and not attempt to conquer mankind. The first season saw Keroro yelled at by his own subordinates, beaten to a pulp by Natsumi Hinata on multiple occasions, and the Armpit Platoon hatching many plans to conquer Pekopon, each one failing in spectacular fashion.

Season two picks up some unspecified time after the end of season one. The first season made it pretty clear that, while some episodes might chronologically occur after others, it isn't really necessary to view them all in order to grasp the general story of the anime. The same is true with season two. There will be plot points referenced by the ever-amusing narrator, but it's just as easy to pick up season two from the first episode as it is from the halfway point.

As luck would have it, Keroro and his troops have not yet managed to conquer Pekopon. But they still have plenty of half-baked plans to put into action. Some of the funniest moments in the first season were due to the show's tendencies to parody other media, and this carries over to season two. Keroro and company parody a wide range of films and television shows, from Evangelion to Saturday Night Fever. Some of the jokes, like those regarding Macross and Gundam, will only hit home with some viewers, though the general irony of the zany situations the characters find themselves in is sure to hit a funny bone with just about every viewer.

Season two does not carry out as many parodies as season one did, however. This is due in large part to the fact that the show has defined itself and has a more concrete idea of where it is going from start to finish. Because of this, the parodies and satires are not always as direct as in the first season, but are still relevant to the greater plot of whatever episode they are being worked into. The high points of season two may not be as high as the best bits in season one, but the low points are not as low. While the first season only stumbled a few times, they were significant enough to render at least one whole episode practically worthless. Thankfully, not a single episode in season two falls as flat as that particular one did last time around.

Generally speaking, Funimation tends to do a solid job in designating voice actors to their respective roles. Sgt. Frog has a standout English cast, one that is - in many ways - superior to the Japanese cast. Todd Haberkorn is absolutely masterful in his portrayal of Keroro, embodying the frog's persona through each line and delivering jokes with perfect timing. The rest of the cast does not follow far behind, and all of them make the viewing experience so wonderfully enjoyable. The soundtrack is simple but fitting for this comedy anime, while the animation is at approximately the same level as it was last time around. The art style is visually pleasing and each episode presents itself well enough. But it isn't the visual treat of any Madhouse or Studio IG production.

Anyone who might have had qualms about Sgt. Frog's humor dwindling in the second season can lay their worries to rest. While it's true that the best moments are not as great this time around, this is still one of the funniest anime series around - most of the humor remains in territory friendly toward a younger audience, but every once in a while borderline-adult comedy sneaks into the mix, making the show enjoyable for a broad audience. If you enjoyed the Armpit platoon's antics in the first season, strap yourself in and prepare for the zany antics to continue. Season two is just plain fun to watch and laugh at.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

Anime Forecast: Summer 2012

As I mentioned in my summer gaming forecast, I’m going a bit more free form with regards to what anime I plan to watch between May and August, so expect there to be some 'wild card' reviews here. I have found that, with school still going on, it tends to be easier for me to knock a film or two out of the way than a whole series (regardless of how many episodes it is) any given month. That is a large part of the reason that Akira and The Animatrix were among the earliest of my 2012 reviews. In keeping with this, Resident Evil: Degeneration and Ghost in the Shell will be the two anime I will be watching and reviewing toward the end of spring. I have only two episodes left in season two of Sgt. Frog, though, and that may end up getting reviewed before summertime as well. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a key series for me, and I will likely be viewing the remaining episodes of that along with Victory Gundam and Cowboy Bebop. I’m going to sort of juggle the three over the summer, and because of that I cannot say for certain which one will be reviewed first. However, I think it is relatively safe to assume that I will complete FMA: Brotherhood and Cowboy Bebop prior to Victory Gundam.

There are a few other films and series that I am considering for later this year, though I have not made any definite decisions on them as of right now. The only two that I will say that I would like to check out this year as part of my plan to view every Gundam series ever created are ZZ Gundam and the Zeta Gundam film trilogy. Aside from those, the only other Gundam series I have left to view are the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Gundam AGE. And from what little I’ve seen of Gundam AGE so far, the original Mobile Suit Gundam looks infinitely more appealing. Rest assured that I will be reviewing Gundam Unicorn upon the release of the final episodes. At present I have watched the first three episodes, but I do not wish to write up any sort of incomplete review of the OVA.

Anime update #5: Fly Away, Now

I'm placing FMA: Brotherhood at the front of the pack with regards to which anime I most want to watch and finish. I'm a fanboy of the both Brotherhood and the 2003 series, and even if I tried to cut myself off for a while to put greater emphasis on other series, I know it wouldn't last long. That said, I will still be viewing Darker Than Black, season two of Sgt. Frog, and Panty & Stocking at a more casual rate. And since Panty & Stocking only lasts thirteen episodes, it's quite likely that I will actually finish it before I finish FMA: Brotherhood.

There are a number of other episodes that I am in some stage or another of watching. I'm five episodes into The Count of Monte Cristo: Gankutsuou, while I've only completed the first couple of episodes of Hero Tales, Eureka Seven, Nabari No Ou, Samurai 7, and Beck. I don't usually feel that the first episode of any given series is enough to give me a strong feel for what te series as a whole is about, so I will certainly be watching more of each to determine which ones I want to stick with and which are simply not my cup of tea.

Which brings me to another point - series that I have dropped. I really tried to like Lucky Star, but I feel like it sells itself as a comedy when, in reality, it is more of a slice-of-life series. And since there are only a handful of slice-of-life series that I actually enjoy, I find it unlikely that I will continue with Lucky Star. If however, I do choose to pick it back up at some later date, I will of courseprovide a review. I also tried watching and sbsequently dropped Rainbow (which proved far too slow-paced for my tastes), Sengoku Basara (which proved far too ridiculous for my tastes), and Moribito (which suffered from both pacing and vagueness, though that series stands a better chance of being picked back up by me than Lucky Star does).

As far as Gundam is concerned, I'll get back to it when I feel like it. It's not that I've completely abandoned Zeta Gundam or my plans to complete every Gundam series in existence. Rather, I just feel like I need a break for a bit to explore other series and genres; mix things up a bit for both myself as a viewer and you as a reader. I am also considering a rewatch of the first anime series I ever watched, way back in 1999: Ronin Warriors. I will probably do 'In Progress' posts if I choose to go through with that.

On a side note, the trailer for the upcoming Gundam AGE leads me to believe this could be the single worst Gundam series ever. But I will still give it a try when the time comes. Gundam: The Origin, however, sounds far more promising (I am somewhat partial to Universal Century over alternate universe series, generally speaking).

So there you have it. Certainly some ambiguity in this posting, but at least you all know what I am prioritizing for viewing and reviews.

Funimation to release season three of Sgt. Frog

The third season of Sgt. Frog will release stateside on June 28. This announcement comes not long after Funimation announced re-releases for the first two seasons of the show. The cover art follows Funimation's trend of giving a single member of the platoon the central focus, and will this time feature Tamama. The first box set for season three will include episodes 52-65.

Funimation to re-release Sgt. Frog

Funimation recently announced their plans to re-release season one of Sgt. Frog as a single box set. This box set will include 26 episodes, whereas the original releases of season one, part one and season one part two included 13 episodes a piece. MSRP for the new season one box set is $49.98, though Amazon currently has it priced at $36.99. The box set will be released on February 15, 2011.

Trailer for the re-release (if you've seen the trailer for the original releases, it's the same trailer):

2010 Year in Review: Anime

2011 is a mere day away, so I present my year in review of every anime series, OVA, and film I completed in 2010, as well as a brief summary of my thoughts on each and my ratings (out of a possible 10). There are some that I am still working on, and others where I have completed a season but not the entire series, and as such those series will not be included. Many of the series, OVAs, and films mentioned here already have reviews posted, so you can check those out at your leisure. For those that do not yet have reviews posted, expect them sometime early 2011.

- Ergo Proxy: A dystopian sci-fi series set in post-apocalyptic world, Ergo Proxy follows Re-L Mayer and Vincent Law in their search for the truth behind mysterious and incredibly powerful beings known as proxies. The animation quality is some of the best I've seen in any series, though the lighting effects can occasionally leave a scene darkened and difficult to see. Aside from two episodes that feel rather out-of-place, the story chugs along at a steady pace, blending action and plot to deliver a thoroughly entertaining and cleverly planned narrative. My rating: 9.0

- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack: The final chapter in the struggle between Char Aznable and Amuro Ray sees Earth and its colonies thrust into a desperate struggle once again, and the return of a number of familiar faces. In terms of animation and the accompanying soundtrack, these are superb for a 1988 release. The plot, while interesting, seems a bit rushed, even with the film clocking in at over two hours in length, and might have benefitted from being formatted into a short OVA series instead of a standalone film. My rating: 8.0


- Spice and Wolf (seasons one and two): A seies that opts to play out its tense moments with quick thinking and cleverly planned out trades and transactions as opposed to violence, Spice and Wolf is an odd formula that ends up as a far superior series than it seems to aim for. Lawrence and Holo make a hillarious duo and the situations they find temselves in time and time again are as entertaining as they are gripping and suspenseful. With a phenomenal soundtrack and some high-end animation quality, this unorthodox series is defenitely worth checking out, even if math and economics aren't your strong suit. My rating: 8.5

- Turn A Gundam: With some of the most creative (and admittedly some of the strangest) mobile suit designs of any Gundam series and a story that focuses less on military combat than its brethren, Turn A Gundam is the black sheep of the franchise. With a complex series of relations that tie the many characters together as well as a deep and often thought-provoking plot, the series brings plenty new to the familiar Gundam story. Top that off with a beautiful soundtrack and some serious attention to detail in the animation, and the end result is arguably the single best alternate universe Gundam series to date. My rating: 9.75

- Castle in the Sky: Between their encounters with pirates and the military, Pazu and Sheeta find themselves caught up in a race to find the lost city of Laputa, a castle that floats high above the clouds. Combining sci-fi and fantasy motifs, the series is as creative as it is enjoyable. There is plenty of action and humor to keep younger viewers entertained, and Castle in the Sky caters to older viewers with one of the stronger stories of Miyazaki's films. My rating: 8.75


- Samurai Champloo: Laying a hip-hop soundtrack over a beautifully artful and action-packed series, Samurai Champloo is one of the stronger TV-MA anime released to date. While there is plenty of flash and flair presented, Fuu, Mugen, and Jin play off one another through a very amusing dynamic and meet a number of eccentric and quirky characters during their search for the samurai who smells of sunflowers. While most viewers will probably seek out Samurai Champloo with the intent of finding a quick action fix, the story is surprisingly strong and the art style and music make the series all the more fluid in its execution. My rating: 8.25

- Blue Submarine No. 6: While quite a major achievement for its time, the hybrid of traditional animation and CGI shows its age. The story, while creative, comes across as a bit preachy at times, but there is plenty of action and a few surprises to keep viewers entertained along the way. My rating: 7.0

- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust: With a title that includes the word 'bloodlust', this film isn't particularly over-the-top in regards to the blood and gore portrayed therein. The story, while a bit slow in the beginning, is thoroughly entertaining and brings some new twists to a familiar formula. Couple that with a cast of diverse and overall well-rounded characters and you've got an entertaining and original dark fantasy film. My rating: 8.0

- MS Igloo: The Hidden One Year War: The crew of the Zeon vessel Jotunheim is tasked with overseeing the testing of various experimental equipment and mobile suits during the later days of the One Year War. Engineer Oliver May provides viewers with the necessary information on each piece of equipment at the start of an episode, and is then shown interacting with his fellow crew members, wherein viewers are given a look at the varying personalities that make up the Zeon forces (explored less often in the Gundam metaseries than those of the EFSF). Fully rendered with CGI, the series looks better and better with each episode and gives and intersting look into the desperate measures taken behind the scenes during the One Year War. My rating: 8.75

- Gundam SEED: The first Gundam series to be fully rendered through digital animation, Gundam SEED provided a sort of hybrid between the alternate universe and Universal Century series. While the animation and soundtrack are both solid, the characters are almost entirely 'hit or miss', and the story feels like it is dragging on at times. My rating: 7.25

- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: Mixing teen drama and sci-fi genres isn't something that's always easy or successful, but this modern take on a high school girl who explores the possibilities of time travel is executed nearly flawlessly. It's by far one of the prettiest looking anime films released to date, with an equally solid story fueled by a small cast of quirky and entertaining characters - the strongest of these being lead character Makoto. My rating: 9.0


- Sgt. Frog (season one): A hillarious romp through pop-culture references and the zany situations which Keroro and his A.R.M.P.I.T. platoon find themselves in time after time makes for one of the funniest anime I've seen to date. Aside from one relatively weak episode, I found myself laughing the entire way throuh the series, which, while geniunely funny, doesn't seem to force its humor too much on viewers. My rating: 9.5

- Dragonball Z: Fusion Reborn: One of the Dragonball Z films tied less directly to the main storyline of the series, Fusion Reborn follows Goku and Vegeta as they fight a powerful evil entity known as Janemba and attempt to restore the natural rhythm of Earth and the Other World as the barriers between these have been broken. The story is rather basic in its premise and tries to dish out as much action as possible in less than an hour. While the conclusion is a bit abrupt, the pacing overall is decent and a few nods to the original Dragonball along the way mix things up a bit from the standard formula of most DBZ films. My rating: 7.25

- Axis Powers: Hetalia (seasons one and two): One of the most creative interpretations of the events surrounding World War II, Hetalia portrays each nation as a single person and stereotypes them based on national traditions and culture. The main character is Italy, and as such the majority of the first season spends more time focused on the Axis Powers, but the Allies get their fair share of screen time in season two. Each episode clocks in at roughly seven minutes, so the series is relatively short, but at the same time geniunely hillarious. My rating: 9.0


- Full Metal Alchemist (season one): One of the most popular and critically acclaimed anime series of all time, Full Metal Alchemist follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric as they search for the Philospher's Stone in order to try and restore their bodies, which they forfeited most of during a failed attempt to resurrect their dead mother. During their journey, the brothers deal with the state military, Ishbalan refugees, and Homunculi (creatures of a human nature, but still distinctly inhuman). The animation is some of the best for its time, and the story is sure to keep viewers drawn in all the way up to the season finale. My rating: 9.75

- Howl's Moving Castle: A young woman named Sophie finds herself caught up in the conflict between magician Howl and his ties to the state and military. Like many of Miyazaki's works, the story includes a lot of fantasy elements and can easily be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. However, a few loose-ended story elements and a clunky conclusion drag this film down a bit more than most of Miyazaki's other works. My rating: 7.75

- Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles: Part sequel, part resurrection of the Robotech series, The Shadow Chronicles is an intracite conspiracy that invloves the humans who want to regain control of Earth from the Invid, and the ever-watchful Haydonites. The story is entertaining, though a bit predictable during latter scenes. The characters play off one another interstingly enough, and the animation quality is fairly impressive for a 2006 release. While overall the film is good, some cheesy elements make it fall short of being great. My rating: 7.75

- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: As important a role as Gundam Wing played in introducing North American viewers to Bandai and Surise's wildly popular metaseries, the characters therein lack any apparent depth or believability. The animation is sub-par for 1996 and the soundtrack lacking creativity. It certainly had its place during the late 1990s, but in comparison to other series in the franchise, Gundam Wing hasn't aged particularly well. My rating: 6.75

- Dragonball Z: Bojack Unbound: In the midst of a major fighting tournament, Bojack and his minions - previously imprisoned by King Kai - arrive to try and spread chaos. Once again, the Z fighters are called into action to stop this threat. Unlike some of the other DBZ films, Bojack Unbound is quite closely tied to the events of the main series. Heavy on action, the film includes a fair amount of humor and doesn't try to take itself too seriously during lighter moments. My rating: 7.5


- Paprika: Following the theft of the DC Mini - a device capable of recording dreams and allowing others to enter a user's dream through simultaneous use - Paprika, alter ego to Dr. Chiba Atsuko, begins searching the dream realm for whoever stole the device and what they intend to with it. As the film progresses, the lines between reality and dreams begin to blur. With a creative soundtrack and a number of twists along the way, Paprika is one of the most brilliantly executed anime films released in years. My rating: 9.75

- 009-1: A sort of spiritual sequel to Cyborg 009, the plot and mood of 009-1 are darker and more mature, borrowing many inspirations from James Bond and other spy films/books of the 1960s and 1970s. More often than not, the characters of 009-1 fail to see their full potential achieved, as the story is almost exclusively focused on agent 009-1 (who, in turn, is very well-rounded by the series' finale). Each episode is a distinctly seperate narrative, though some attempts late in the series are made to tie subplots together with marginal success. All in all, the series is more about action with flash and flair than it is about a deep story, and it executes the former in a most dazzling manner. My rating: 7.5

- Azumanga Daioh: A slice-of-life comedy that follows a group of girls through their high school education, Azumanga Daioh caught me by surprise due to how genuinely funny it is without forcing too hard the delivery of said humor. The characters are all eccentric and quirky enough that they play off one another nicely, but hardly ever reach the point of being downright annoying. There isn't much that connects any of the episodes until late in the series, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as casual viewers can enjoy it just as much as more hardcore anime fans. My rating: 8.75

- Paranoia Agent: The first and only series helmed by Satoshi Kon, Paranoia Agent follows those affected (whether directly or indirectly) by a baseball-wielding assailant on rollerblades known as Lil' Slugger. As the series progresses, the question of who Lil' Slugger really is and what he is capable of becomes increasingly prominent. Part psychological thriller, part mystery series, Paranoia Agent proves once again the genius of Satoshi Kon through inventive plot twists, a colorful cast of characters, and narratives that viewers must piece together along the way. My rating: 9.5

- MS Igloo: Apocalypse 0079: Picking up shortly after The Hidden One Year War, Apocalypse 0079 shows how the Zeon forces became even more desperate and dependent on their experimental technology as the EFSF began dominating space battles. The characters are more believable this time around, and Monique Cadillac receives about as much screen time as Oliver May. With a phenomenal soundtrack that empasizes the series' desperate and tense mood, and CGI quality that surpasses its predecessor, Apocalypse 0079 is not only a fantastic Gundam OVA, but a great sci-fi OVA as well. My rating: 9.75

- Death Note: A constant battle of wits between high school student Light Yagami and master detective L serves as the premise for one of the most critically and popularly acclaimed anime series in years. With an interesting and believable cast of characters fueling the events that unfold, top-notch animation quality, and a powerful soundtrack, it's no wonder that the series recieved as much praise as it did. Even with some issues during the final third of the story, the pacing of Death Note is nearly perfect throughout. My rating: 8.5


- After War Gundam X: One of the stronger of the alternate universe series released in the late 1990s, Gundam X depicts a post-apocalyptic world in which scavengers known as 'vultures' roam the recovering wasteland of Earth. Garrod Ran serves as one of the youngest and most entertaining lead characters in any Gundam series, and the remainder of he cast is fleshed out via colorful and relatively believable characters. The animation is solid, but the series really shines through with arguably the best soundtrack from any series in the entire franchise. My rating: 8.5

- Mobile Suit Gundam F91: Originally planned to be a full series, then scaled down to a short OVA, and finally released as a two-hour movie, Gundam F91 works well as a bridge between the events of Char's Counterattack and Victory Gundam. The main characters a quite entertaining, though admitedly some of the secondary and tertiary characters come across as a bit flat. Despite its fast pacing, the story is quite solid and dishes out an excellent balance of action and plot while paying homage to older Gundam series. My rating: 8.25

Anime update #4: "Is there a moon?"

I'm slowly but surely making my way through Mushi-Shi. I've been rather busy lately and overall the amount of anime I've been watching has dropped since school started back up for the Fall. However, I have started up on After War Gundam X, which - at least from my impressions thus far (being up to episode 13) - I find it to be one of the better alternate universe series. It has some major improvements over Gundam Wing, both in story and animation, but still holds some roots in the Universal Century mythos (which isn't a bad thing by any means).

As for Death Note, I'll get back to it when I feel like it. This final story arc is leaving a bad taste in my mouth and I feel the series should have ended shortly after the major plot twist at the end the second story arc. I understand that the creators wanted to milk the story for all it was worth (both in the anime and the manga), but this last bit being as subpar as it is really drags down the value of the series as a whole, in my opinion.

After the series mentioned above, I'm thinking of moving back to Full Metal Alchemist and Sgt. Frog (both of which I have yet to the second seasons). And from there... well, we'll see I suppose. I'm interested in viewing Eden of the East and there's a number of Gundam series, OVAs, and two films that I have not yet seen. As much as my viewing has slowed for the time being, I'm hoping it will pick back up the pace soon.

Anime review: Sgt. Frog (season one)

From the same creative team behind the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Sgt. Frog is a much less serious sci-fi series centering around the alien amphibian known as Keroro and his A.R.M.P.I.T. platoon. Keroro was originally sent to Earth to conquer the Pekoponians (his term used to refer to humans) in order to further his race’s galactic conquest. Fortunately for all of mankind, Keroro’s plans are foiled after his technology malfunctions, telling the fleet orbiting Earth to retreat and leaving Keroro and his comrades stranded.

The series sells itself as something of a kid’s series, sporting colorful, innocent-looking characters in humorous situations. To an extent this is true, as much (though not all) of the material in Sgt. Frog is relatively family-friendly. But it is because of the witty one-liners, situational ironies, and pop-culture references that this series will hit closer to home with viewers in the teenage group on up. The writers spend plenty of time early on poking fun at their brethren series of Mobile Suit Gundam, but also take time to parody other well-known anime such as Evangelion, Macross, and Dragonball Z. Even non-anime shows such as Kamen Rider get nods here and there.


Depending on which version viewers watch, the humor within will change slightly. The Japanese version tries to provide vague references at times to make the jokes more universal, but ultimately the funniest jokes in the original Japanese version of the show are aimed at Japanese viewers, as they can easily relate to the shows, films, books, etc. that are the focus of the jokes. The English dub takes a fair amount of creative liberties into account, but it pays off it an incredibly positive way. It may seem odd for an anime to be referencing and subsequently making fun of Indiana Jones and Britney Spears, but the localization works wonders for the fluidity of the show, making it ‘click’ better with North American viewers.

The characters are stereotypical enough that viewers can keep in mind that the series is a comedy, but not so flat and underdeveloped that they become boring or too predictable. Keroro is the star of the show and is such a likeable failure of a sergeant, while Giroro is the tough-as-nails soldier who inevitably falls secretly in love with Natsumi Hinata. Tamama is the platoon’s grunt yes-man, always agreeing with Keroro in competition for attention over Keroro’s friend/pupil Angol Mois. Dororo is a strong and stealthy ninja, though he argues for pacifism following the arrival of the platoon to Earth. In stark contrast to Dororo, Kululu finds pleasure in torturing others with his various inventions and experiments, most notably Keroro.

Keroro’s adoptive family, the Hinatas, keep him in the house for the safety of the others outside and have him complete chores while they are at school/work. Natsumi finds Keroro particularly repulsive at first, and this changes only so much later in the series. Natsumi’s brother Fuyuki, on the other hand, is an oddball sci-fi geek who is socially awkward and relies on Keroro as his closest friend, which Keroro uses to his own advantage on a few occasions. Fuyuki and Natsumi’s mother Aki works at a comic book company and sees Keroro and his comrades as a golden source of inspiration. She also pays Keroro an allowance for his chores, much to the surprise of her children, which Keroro spends exclusively on Gundam model kits.


The main characters are overall very likeable, though Kululu can become a bit repetitive and is easily the weakest development-wise of the platoon members. Still, Kululu does see some improvement in the second half of season one and becomes much more interesting because of this.

While the series does employ some running gags in its ongoing humor, these aren’t brought up in every episode and refrain from becoming repetitive to the point of being nauseating. The narrator delivers a fair share of humor to the show, becoming his own distinctly separate character over the course of the season. Each episode delivers a strong narrative, which is very much welcomed in a comedy-centric series - that is, save for episode twenty-three, in which Keroro clones himself and his very existence is threatened after too many clones become present. Based on the plot, one would presume this to be a hilarious episode, as one Keroro causes enough trouble by himself. But the episode portrays Keroro with a sudden lust for power and a notably minimal amount of humor is delivered throughout the entire episode. This, coupled with a weak and sudden resolution may lead some viewers to skip the episode entirely, as the narrator and characters spend a good three-quarters of the episode repeatedly telling the viewers what it is they are trying to get across.


The art style of Sgt. Frog is a bit more ‘cartoony’ than some more recent anime, but its bright colors really aid the ridiculousness of the inner-weaving stories. The soundtrack isn’t spectacular or overly-complex, but it is very fitting to such a comedic series. The voice actors give it their all in the English dub and work incredibly well with one another. Arguably, they’re better than the original Japanese voice actors, who do an impressive job all their own. Some of the choices seem a bit typecast, such as Chris Sabat (Piccolo in Dragonball Z) as gung-ho Corporal Giroro, but in the end the show is much stronger because of this.

Sgt. Frog is a hilarious romp through countless television, movie, book, and video game parodies. The characters poke fun at anything and everything possible, so long as the joke will evoke genuine laughter from viewers. The situational humor and wit therein fuels all of this further, and the series does an excellent job in defining itself as something so much more entertaining and complex than many more crude comedy anime series. Even if viewers don’t catch all of the jokes that Sgt. Frog dishes out, they're certain to find a plethora of laughs from the parts they do catch on to and the cast of characters are difficult not to find enjoyable.

My rating: 9.5 (out of 10)