Hello!
Welcome to The Anime & Manga Review!
It has been my dream to create a world on TheO where users can go for anime and manga reviews and finally here it is! I plan to make this world an active, exciting and helpful place for learning about and finding entertaining manga and anime to read/watch.
Towa no Quan
Sometimes seen as Towa no Quan and Towano Quan
Towano Quan is a series of 6, 45 minute (Time wise it works about to be the same as a 12 episode anime) movies about a group of humans with supernatural ester (they're psychic) abilities. They are hiding out from a secret organization that is hunting them down, capturing some and killing others depending on their ability and danger level. The organization uses cyborgs to fight these dangerous "inhuman" espers. Anyways, to delve into the plot a bit more, the main character Quan, is the appearingly young leader of the group of espers. He has a dark secret and idealistic dreams as he and the other espers try to learn to control their power and survive while fighting this secrete organization and cyborgs. (How can you not want to see that?!) Also the cyborgs have a very fleshed out story arch themselves and produces my favorite character in the series.
This series has a lot of similarities to things like X Men and Tokyo ESP. So if you like those or are a fan of action/supernatural this is absolutely one to watch!
The animation is really cool! Especially a certain flashback scene that is stunning and different!
The story has quite a few anime cliches but this didn't bother me at all. I didn't think the recognizable cliches distracted or detracted from the story and I found them very enjoyable!
So in conclusion this action, supernatural, cyborgs, and scifi movie series is a really fun, action packed anime is really worth a view and I kinda even want to watch it again as I'm writing this.
Check this one out its worth it!
~Tsu
ps. Sorry this review is a bit shorter than usual as I am currently a bit busier than usual.
Next week I plan to do something WEIRD! So yeah look forward to that! ^.~
Not the best trailer but it does showcase the animation and basic plot of the first movie.
Hello all! I recently finished reading Vampire Knight (probably the most popular shoujo vampire series) and I thought to myself "Golly!" (I spent a while in a place where they say golly) "What are people going to read to get their vampire fix now?!" Then I realized I know tons of vampire series, shorts and one shots, and hey I can totally help out! XD
So long story short, I have searched through my surprisingly long list of vampire manga and have collected what I think are some of the best for every genre, because let's face it, no matter your favorite genre you need more vampires in your life!
(oh and I am not counting Vampire Knight on this list)
(This list is in no particular order)
Vampire Princess Miyu
By: Kakinouchi Narumi
Shoujo
Vampire Princess Miyu is a classic Japanese vampire series, I believe the anime version of it was the first vampire anime, and it does not disappoint!
Following the story of the vampire Miyu and her servent/protector Larva, this manga combines traditional Japanese myths and demons with Western vampire lore. (Fun fact! Japan is one of the few countries that do not have a native vampire lore, the closest thing to it are blood and flesh eating demons that usually did not resemble humans)
Miyu attends high school by day to blend in, and fights demons that are not following the rules by night. Vampire Princess Miyu is a beautiful manga that has a very engaging and unique take on vampires. (The anime is also amazing!)
Hitsuji no Uta
Also known as Lament of the Lamb in English
By: Toume Kei
Sienen/psychological
This series is another one that plays around with the idea of the vampire. In Hitsuji no Uta the vampires are a pair of siblings, and they are far from the idea of a traditional vampire. (Think Dracula for traditional) They are victims of a hereditary genetic disorder that causes pain that can only be abated by drinking human blood. It is so interesting to read this and watch the siblings dissent into darkness (both mental and physical) as the story is about this mental breaking point more than anything else.
Read this to enjoy a great dark, twisted and fresh vampire tale!
Vampir
By: Itsuki Natsumi
Techically seinen but as far as seinen go, it's very light… it's more like a weird cross between a shoujo and a shounen
Vampir is yet another non traditional vampire manga. (Can you tell I like those yet? lol) The story begins when a young guy who almost dies getting hit by a suicide jumper. He then wakes up in the hospital with red eyes and blond hair (he had glowing green eyes and snow white hair! *cough* wrong series…) It turns out he is now a half vampire or vampir. In this universe, vampires are people who have died and then had the soul of one of these powerful vampir spirits combine with their body. Rather than a complete take over, however, it is more like a combining of personalities. Since our main character didn't die all the way however he is neither living nor dead and the spirit is left in a kind of limbo.
This series is a fun read, again, with a fresh take, and I definitely recommend it.
Kurobara no Alice
Also known as Black Rose Alice
By: Mizushiro Setona
Josei (some websites say shoujo but I've read it and its more adult than the average shoujo)
The story begins with Dimitri, a famous opera singer, and his tragic love triangle, where due to his station he will have to watch his love marry his best friend. Not giving spoilers but skipping ahead a bit, he becomes a vampire, which, in this series is a corpse that is filled with bugs the animate the body. I know that sounds really gross but trust me when I say the artwork in this manga is gorgeous and the bugs aren't that bad, and I hate bugs. I would love to give more of a plot synopsis but I really can't without taking away the intensity of the beginning. So read it for a twisted romance with spice and great art!
Crimson Cross
By: Negishi Kyoko
Shoujo (ok some sites say it is shounen ai, but as there's not even anything implied… I am going to say I don't think it counts at all, but you might be able to argue it is)
Traditional vampires done right! These vampires burn in the sun, fear the cross, drink blood, and are basically the opposite of Twilight vampires. The story follows Carl Van Helsing who has been hunting the vampire Elliot. Elliot turned Carl into a vampire as a way to pass the time and loves causing him torment.
Sooooo good! I love it, I think that other vampire fans will love it. Read it for awesome art and an amazing story! Oh and great action scenes and a couple werewolves too.
Hope these help you find a great vampire manga to read this week!
~Tsu
Next week there is a 90% chance the review will be Towan no Quan.
Today I'm sharing a manga series that is near and dear to my heart. The first time I read it my head wasn't in a good space and recently I got some troubling news about one of my cousins, he will be losing his right foot in the near future as a blood vessel in his leg was severely damaged several years back and his foot is now slowly rotting away due to lack of blood, and I thought I'd share with you guys a series that not only puts a smile on my face but I think is well written and drawn!
^-^ After all as my avatar states "Laughter is Healthy"
Ok so as mentioned I wasn't in a happy place when I first read this, nothing serious, but hey everyone has those bad months, and I stumbled upon The Violinist of Hamlin. Also, little fun fact, this is the only series that has made me cry both in laughter and in sadness. Another little fact, this series tends to be a love or hate it series. People either love the off beat humor mixed with amazing action and touching moments and totally unserious ones, and others hate it… a lot!
I am on the love side! ^-^ (I was reading the last chapters at like 3am and into the wee hours of the dawn pacing around my room worried about the characters like they were real people. I was all crying and going "If things can't end happily for them what chance does my life have?!' <--- Waaaaaay being over dramatic. lol My roommate thought I was craaazy) I get very attached to series when I marathon them and since I read this series in an amazing 2 day marathon of barely seeing daylight (or sleeping) I got my emotions all tangled up in the epic story!
Anyways lets get to the nitty gritty, before I ooze too much about why I think think this series is great, and talk about the plot. At its heart Violinist is a Dramedy (comedy drama)
The story follows Hamel a goofy (for lack of a better word) young man and anti hero, with a dark past, as he travels to the Northern kingdom of the Mozoku (the demons). He travels carrying a giant violin which he plays and uses its music to defeat foes. He eventually meets up with Flute and other new friends that will eventually help him on his quest to destroy Kestra the king of the Mozoku. (Kestra's name is a terrible pun for Orchestra and most of the characters are named after an instrument of some kind)
Sounds pretty standard for a shounen series right?
Well in some ways it is. Where this series breaks away to be, in my opinion, one of the best series, is in its character development. All the characters have serious personal flaws. (I've had a friend tell me she hated the main character because he is an ungrateful #@$^@&!.) However, how each character starts off the series with whatever flaws they may have be it selfishness, pride, cowardice, one minded vengeance, or uncertainty just makes how much they change through the course of the series seem so amazing. The author does this so skillfully and slowly you don't even notice it until you're at the end looking back. Unlike in some other series I've read, grudges are not easily let go and sadness not easily lost.
I really buy that these characters could be real people. I buy their emotional struggles, I buy their reasons for over compensating their sad times with humor and I buy their changes and growth as people. At the end Hamel says something that never fails to make my heart melt with how sincere it is. in fact, all the sincere moments just feel all the more impactful due to the way it is.
Oh and let's not forget this manga is hilarious and jokes hit just right most of the time!
Violinist plays with the extremes of comedy and drama having them play off each other and this is where the love it or hate it aspect comes into play. The very dramatic scenes and the very bloody scenes often get broken into by humor, jokes, and puns. Personally this doesn't bother me. (Think of a YuYuHakushou that is both more extreme, in terms of how much there is, with the drama and with the humor.) I think laughter in the face of great odds or sadness is important, not just to cope, to actually heal and thats so often looked over. So it doesn't bother me when they do this in the manga.
At any rate, this series made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me hopeful again. It will always have a close place to my heart and I hope you will give it a read!
If you decide to give it a shot please give it until chapter 6, thats where it really gets the plot rolling!
“Come with me and we’ll go on a journey to discover the meaning of goodbye.” This quote from the anime movie “Children Who Chase Lost Voices” sums up the general feeling of this movie nicely.
I bought this DVD and a lark from amazon without watching it first because it look pretty. I don’t regret it! It’s awesome!!!
The plot follows a girl as she goes on a journey to Agartha, the afterlife, to bring her friend back to life. She joins up with man who is also looking to resurrect somebody and a boy from Agartha who is trying to stop her and together they learn about the true meaning of life and letting go. The story is incredibly engaging and wonderfully told. The creatures in this fantasy have a distinct look and are really amazing to look at.
I often find that movies that take me to an after life end up letting me down with their visuals, (as the afterlife needs to be amazing somehow) but I can honestly say I felt that Lost Voices had a fleshed out and beautiful idea of what the underworld might be. The visuals and plot take a lot of cues from Greek mythology and I think that that only makes the whole movie a stronger piece.
I simply can’t talk about this movie without also talking about the absolutely beautiful animation! Every scene is just stunning and the movie is worth watching just for that! The images are unique and create a mood all their own.
Every scene is pure eye candy and it has an amazing story!
The director Makoto Shinkai definitely deserves more attention! (Actually the back story of how his first movie Voices of a Distant Star was made is really fascinating, but I’ll focus on this one for now) This movie is comparable to any Miyazaki work in beautiful artwork and story, however Shinkai has his own flare that raises him to a level that would not put his work as a copycat, but rather as an equal. I feel he’s an animator and director to keep an eye on. His other works including 5 centimeters per second and Voices of A Distant star are now officially added to my watch list and I can’t wait to see more!!!
10 anime I’ve never seen, but are on a ‘top ten anime you should see before you die’ list, looked good and now I am watching them.
For those curious what they are here's a link to the list I'm using: LINK
Man that’s a long name for my first ever segment on this world! But I do think this is a good place for a review site to start! As I watch these anime I shall be posting who would like it, who wouldn’t, and my opinions on them! My personal rules for these are 1.) I must finish the anime (every last episode!) before I can post! 2.) I must give no spoilers 3.) I must watch them in a timely manor! No more than 20 days between posts! If I post on the 1st of the month I have to post again by the 20th! 4.) If I break a rule I must make a wallpaper for every person that's commented on any post in this series of posts. (Luckily I’m not expecting many commenters! ^-^)
Ok let’s do this!!!
First up Paranoia Agent!
Ok Paranoia Agent… where to start?
Well first off I enjoyed it and it was weird. I had wanted a nice normal first review for my new world… but oh well, at least this anime was interesting!
Created by Satoshi Kon. Having seen a lot of his work I can tell it is very much his style. In case you don’t recognize the name, some of his other famous works are Tokyo Godfather, Millennium Actress and Paprika. Paranoia Agent is actually kinda similar to Paprika in style of story and art. If you’ve seen Paprika you know what I mean, for those who haven’t here’s a bit of a plot synopsis.
Paranoia Agent follows the evolution of Shounen Bat, a boy who has been (seemingly) indiscriminately riding his golden roller blades and attacking people with his ku shaped golden bat (ku looks like this “く”). His victims don’t die but they do get injured. Each episode focuses on a different victim and the events that led up to the attack. The real fun in this anime is seeing how all of the victims are related in a chain, showing you really are just three people away from knowing everybody!
Ok opinion time!
My initial reaction to watching the anime occurred during the opening credits to the anime… “Hmmm” I thought, “all the characters are laughing and smiling! But something’s off about it…” As the show progressed I came to the realization that they were laughing with tears of desperation. The theme is really a microcosm for the anime in that all the weird imagery in the opening makes complete sense at the end. Watching all the pure strangeness of this anime come together to a glorious conclusion is really very fun! (This is something I noticed Satoshi Kon likes to do.) In addition to that this anime explores a vast verity of plots and animation style that make it special and unusual.
Overall?
I’d say it’s for people who like a good physiological mystery and drama but also for those who want to try out something different, unique and odd. If you’re a fan of Paprika or Inception or other things like that then this is a must watch!
You wouldn’t like this anime if 1. Weird’s not your thing… you want a straight forward reality in your anime 2. You aren’t looking for a drama 3. You’re not looking for something that will make you have to think a bit.
Rating: If it were to play in an American theater it’d probably be PG-13 for violence, some adult situations and cursing. All in all it’s not as violent as the plot synopsis would make you think. There is a little sexual content but not much is shown so much as suggested.
Hehehe Here’s a fun section I am going to try to put at the end of reviews! (May contain slight spoilers and this doesn’t count to my no spoilers rule)
Things Learned
(But are only funny after you’ve seen the anime and maybe not even then…)
The bond between a girl and her dog can be a dangerous thing…
Trains hurt more than you’d think.
Golden roller blades look kinda cool…
Red capes, goggles, and a radio. That’s all you need.
