It was announced in the 13th volume of Ookiku Furikabutte baseball manga that the 2nd season of the anime will premiere in Spring 2010! Ookiku Furikabutte is my favorite baseball anime/manga! I'm a big fan of the manga and have been following the manga ever since after I watched the 1st season in 2007. After 2 and 1/2 years, I'm really happy that the wait for a 2nd season is finally over!There are many reasons why I like Ookiku Furikabutte and the main reasons are that the characters are very lovable, the story is endearing and it's funny! ♥Here is my review on the 1st season:Story: (10/10) – AwesomeOokiku Furikabutte is about Mihashi Ren. He was the ace pitcher in his middle school's baseball team, but the truth was he only got the position because his grandfather was the owner of the school. His teammates hated him because they believed that he was the reason for their losses. As a result, Mihashi was thoroughly convinced that he's a lousy pitcher and after he graduated from middle school, he transferred to Nishiura High school with the intention to quit baseball. However, he's dragged into Nishiura's baseball team by the coach. Assisted by his new teammates, he grows in confidence and skill, helping his team excel with his own abilities.The story is simple but yet realistic and very endearing. I love how they portray baseball as a TEAM sport (unlike in Major - most of the time, it's more like a one man (Goro) sport) and how crucial it is for everyone to play their role and support one another to make up for one another's strengths and weaknesses.Characters: (10/10) – AwesomeI love the characters! All the characters (even the opponents) are very lovable! ♥ They make up the heart of Ookiku Furikabutte.Here are some of the characters I like:Abe - As his character develops, so does my affection for him! He looks really cute when he's angry! Haruna - He may seem like a jerk initially but he's actually a really nice guy. He's the most charasmatic pitcher in the series.Tajima - I love his playful personality!Hamada - In my opinion, he's the most mysterious character in the series. I hope to learn more about him.Mihashi - He's definitely not the typical main character nor pitcher. Initially, I found him extremely annoying! However, as the series continued, I empathized with him more and slowly found myself thinking that he's (more precisely, his chicken face) quite cute. Art/Animation: (8/10) – GoodThe manga art was quite bad initially but it got better and better over time. Overall, the animation was not exceptional but not too bad. The baseball games were animated pretty well.Music: (9/10) – Very GoodOokiku Furikabutte has very nice opening and ending themes. I like all the four themes and I think all of them fit the series well. I especially like the 2nd opening theme 'Seishun Line' by Ikimonogakari and the 2nd ending theme 'Arigatou' by SunSet Swish. Enjoyment: (10/10) – Awesome This is really fun to watch and it has an endearing charm. I enjoy the series so much that I went on to read the manga! Now, I'm a big Ookiku Furikabutte fan! Overall: (10/10) – Awesome A truly amazing series.
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It's been some time since I last wrote a Bleach post. Frankly, I'm not very happy with the developments in the manga. However, I'm glad Kubo sensei had revealed that the Arrancar arc will be ending soon (probably June 2010) and after that, he plans to do a mini arc and then a big arc on Kurosaki Isshin. I seriously can't wait for the end of the Arrancar arc. It started off well with the introduction of Espada and Vaizards, but it's getting more and more boring.Opps.. this post is not supposed to be a rant post. (^_^') It's supposed to be about the Zanpakutou Rebellion arc. Anyway, I recently finished watching the arc and it's surprising good. It's the best fillers Bleach has come up with. However, sadly the anime staff could not keep up with the good work as the current Sword Fiend arc is pretty crappy.Zanpakutou awards:Coolest - Hyourinmaru (Hitsugaya's Zanpakutou)Cutest - Sogyo no Kotowari (Ukitake's Zanpakutou)Most badass - Kazeshini (Hisagi's Zanpakutou)Most freaky-looking - Wabisuke (Kira's Zanpakutou) I always thought Ashisogi Jizō (Mayuri's Zanpakutou) would win this but Ashisogi Jizō surprisingly looks more cute than freaky.Most loyal - Muramasa - I like him better than some of the canon characters!!Anyway, why must Senbonzakura (Byakuya's Zanpakutou) have a mask on? I'm sure he's very good-looking since his master is.
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I finally finished Umineko no Naku Koro ni! The ending is really... Unsatisfying!!! Throughout the series, I was looking forward to twists which might disprove the theories of magic and witches, but sadly, the many twists only further reinforced the existence of magic. Even though I'm disappointed with the ending, I'm certainly hoping for a second season as it will most certainly solve most of the mysteries/puzzles.Story: (7/10) – Fairly GoodThere are four arcs in Umineko no Naku Koro ni. The arcs are meant to introduce the mysterious circumstances surrounding Rokkenjima and the legend of the Golden Witch. Each arc in this series contains all the previous arcs.I believe the setting of the story is perfect for a mystery. However, the execution is lackluster. Throughout the series, it's heavily implied that magic really do(?) exist (i.e. all the servants aka furniture have special powers =.=), and it made the battle between Beatrice and Battler seem really meaningless. I hope if there's ever a season 2, it will prove what I said above wrong.Characters: (7/10) – Fairly GoodFrankly, there's no one in this series I particularly like. However, there's a character I really hate: Maria!! Her uh-uh is really IRRITATING!Ok.. let's forget about Maria and skip to the 2 main characters:Battler - He's supposedly an intelligent and logical person. However, the anime certainly did not portray him that way. Beatrice - She's supposed to be badass but in the end, she turned out to be more tsundere than terrifying. =.=!Art/Animation: (7/10) – Fairly GoodThe animation quality varies from time to time, but most of the time, it's not too bad. I especially like those parts with the red/blue text. As for the art, it's not sometime I like. Also, the character designs lack originality.Music: (8/10) – GoodThough the Opening theme and Ending theme are not my cup of tea, they fit the mood of the anime very well. Enjoyment: (6/10) – Good The anime started off pretty well and I did enjoy it but towards the end, it started moving at bullet train speed and it felt that some important details were left out.Overall: (7/10) – Fairly Good In all, the setting of the story is good but sadly, this anime made a murder mystery story look more like a confusing fantasy story.
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Man U won the Carling Cup! Yay! Anyway, Whistle! is the second football anime I finished watching recently. Between Whistle! and Hungry Heart Wild Striker, I prefer Whistle!. I like the characters and I also like Whistle! become of its realism, and its portrayal of how real strength is gained.Story: (8/10) – GoodWhistle! is about a boy named Kazamatsuri Shou. He transfers from Musashinomori School to Sakura Josui Junior High School for better hopes to make it into the football team, since he was not chosen as a regular at his old school due to his small stature. Other than his lack of height, Shou is also a poor player. Shou struggles to improve his skill so he can make it into the team at his new school. With the support of his new friends and teammates, his strong determination, and lots of hard work, his football skills develop rapidly and setting Shou well on his way to achieving his dream.The story is a typical underdog story. I like the realism of the story and matches. The players are all only in Junior High and it's good that they do not possess fantasy-like tactics/skills (like those Junior high students in POT!).Characters: (8/10) – GoodI love the characters! Though they are not exactly original, they are lovable! Here are some of the characters I like:Shige - In my opinion, he's the cutest and coolest in this series! He's my favorite!! Tatsuya - I like his character development.Seiji - I like his outgoing personality!Special Mention:Shou - Well, he's the main character so I think I should just talk a little about him. He's a very typical underdog and I do admire his determination. However, he's too goody-two-shoes for my liking, and also, he narrates/thinks too much! It gets really irritating at times.Art/Animation: (8/10) – GoodWhistle! manga has good drawings that show the characters move around with the football during matches. However, I think the anime did not do the manga justice. The art is pretty good but the animation is just mediocre.Music: (7/10) – Fairly GoodThe opening theme, 'Double Wind' by Komukai Minako, starts with 'Ole Ole..'. It's pretty appropriate for a football anime but it somehow doesn't fit the song well. The ending theme, 'Sweet Days' by Komukai Minako, is a little better. Enjoyment: (9/10) – Very Good This is quite an inspiring anime to watch. I enjoy the series so much that I went on to read the manga! Overall: (8/10) – Good I personally think this is one of the better football anime. If you only want to watch 1 football anime, you should watch Whistle!. It has only 39 episodes.
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At first sight, Cromartie High School did not seem like something I will like but I decided to watch it anyway because Freddie Mercury (lead singer of Queen) is in it! I'm glad I did as Cromartie High School is surprisingly funny! Story: (8/10) – GoodThe story follows the everyday life of Kamiyama Takashi, and his odd classmates at Cromartie High School, an infamous school for delinquents.The anime is episodic and there's not much of a plot. It starts off a bit slow, but it becomes funnier as the series continues. The deadpan humor, along with the originality of this series make it a pretty funny short series (each episode is only around 10 minutes long). Characters: (9/10) – Very GoodA gorilla! Freddie Mercury clone! A robot! What more can we ask for? The anime introduces many unique characters and Cromartie wouldn't be Cromartie without its characters.Here are some of the characters I like:Kamiyama - I love his deadpan jokes, even though it's never deliberate. LOLFreddie - A name given to him by Kamiyama! Kamiyama certainly knows how to give names.Hayashida - I love his purple mohawk!Mechazawa - He's a robot but he doesn't know that he is. (How could he? It's in his name!)Art/Animation: 8/10 – GoodThe artwork is really rough but it suits the characters as it makes them look really badass!Music: 8/10 – GoodThe OST is quite fun to listen to. I especially like a certain character's theme ^.-Enjoyment: 8/10 – Good I enjoy watching the interaction between the different characters and I like the deadpan humor. However, the jokes are often repeated and this makes some episodes a little boring.Overall: 8/10 – Good It's fun to watch badass looking delinquents in hilarious situations! All in all, Cromartie High School is a comedy anime worth watching.
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I love watching football (soccer) and my favorite team is Manchester United FC (Go Red Deviils!!). Though I love watching football, I hardly watch football-related shows or anime. As you may have noticed, recently, I'm especially into sports anime and I've been watching mainly sports anime. The one that I recently completed is called Hungry Heart Wild Striker. It's by the same person who drew the famous Captain Tsubasa, which I haven't watched as I couldn't find any website that has it. (Please leave a comment if you know where I can watch it! Thanks! ^^)Story: (8/10) – GoodKano Kyousuke had been living under the shadow of his successful brother Seisuke, who is playing professionally for AC Milan, all his life. Tired of being compared, he abandoned playing football until a boy from his new high school discovered him and asked him to join their team. Kyosuke joins it and befriends two other first year players named Rodrigo and Sakai, who have the dream of becoming professional soccer players themselves.The story is very typical and quite predictable (especially the romance part). However, the good thing is that the outcome of the matches are not as predictable and that makes this anime quite interesting to watch.Characters: (8/10) – GoodThe most outstanding character is definitely Kyousuke - he's loud, has dyed Orange hair and receives the most air time! The other characters also do get their fair share of air time and that's good as I doubt I can finish all 52 episodes if the story focuses mainly on Kyousuke alone.Here are some of the characters I like:Sakai - He's easy on the eyes and is indeed the most good-looking character in this anime.Seisuke - My biggest qualm is that he gets too little air time! I want to see him more in his AC Milan jersey. (My favorite player, Kaka used to play for AC Milan but is now with Real Madrid. (v.v) I very much prefer him to play for AC Milan.)Kyousuke - Frankly, I hate his orange hair! However, I do admire his never-say-die spirit!Art/Animation: 7/10 – Fairly GoodIt's common for a sports anime to have repeated frames, but this anime has too much of it! I always felt like I was watching the same exact match from an earlier episode, just with a different opponent. Football action wise, the animation is not very smooth at times, but it's not too bad. Music: 8/10 – GoodCurrently, the first opening theme, '2nd Stage' by Kids Alive, is stuck in my head. Of all the themes, I like the first opening theme and the first ending theme, 'Mi Title' by Utaibito Hane the best.Enjoyment: 8/10 – GoodIt's a pretty long series (52 episodes). There are exciting moments (the matches), boring moments and there are moments when I felt inspired by the players' game play. I did enjoy the series but I probably won't spend time watching it again.Overall: 8/10 – GoodAs a sports anime, Hungry Heart Wild Striker is not too bad. It's pretty entertaining to watch and the ending is quite satisfying too.
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Season 1Season 2Season 3Season 4Season 52010's combined 2nd/3rd issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine had announced that the 6th season of Major! It will premiere on April 3, 2010. This is great news for Major fans, like myself!Thus far, 5 seasons (a total of 129 episodes) have been made. Frankly speaking, some seasons are great but some are just mediocre. However, as a whole, Major is a good and enjoyable sports series. Also, as each season consists of only 25 - 26 episodes and there's a hiatus between seasons, the series has no fillers!Story: (8/10) – GoodThe story of Major follows the life of Honda Goro, from kindergarten to being a professional baseball player, as he seeks and overcomes various challenges in his life.What I like most about Major is the baseball action! Other than baseball action, there are also various plot twists as well as drama. However, I do not enjoy the drama portion of Major as much, as I feel that some parts are too cliche.Character: 9/10 - GreatIt's really interesting to watch how the different characters grow up and mature as a human and as a player.Here are some of the characters I like:Toshiya - He's my favorite Major character. He's so intelligent and cute!!! ^-^ He's also one of the most selfless characters in the series.Mayumura – He's my favorite pitcher in the series. (Yes, I like him more than Goro!)Goro – He's the main character and I like him when he was young and cute. I do admire his love and passion for the game but I don't exactly like his personality now. I guess it's because I think he's too selfish!Art/Animation: 8/10 – GoodArt is not too bad. Although the animation does get a little sloppy at times, it's certainly getting better as the series progresses. I especially like the animation effects during the games. Music: 8/10 – GoodMajor has some pretty good opening themes, which match the theme of the series very well.Enjoyment: 9/10 – GreatI enjoy watching most of the baseball action. It's really exciting to watch! Even though the outcome of most of the games are predictable, the action is certainly not.Overall: 9/10 – GreatIf you like sports series, I'm pretty sure you will like Major. Even if you dislike baseball, you should at least give the 1st season a try.
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The Prince of Tennis is a highly rated anime series and I seriously do not understand why. Action-wise, it's OVER-exaggerated and too unrealistic! Humor-wise, it's not too bad. I think the only appeal lies in its characters. The series ended at the 178th episode (just before the Nationals arc). However, lucky for TeniPuri fans, around a year after the series ended, the Nationals were animated in the form of OVAs. (Sigh... If only someone can animate the Inter-High matches of Slam Dunk!!! (¬_¬) )Plot: (6/10) – FairThe story is simple. It’s about Tennis, Echizen Ryoma aka Prince of Tennis, his Seigaku's team mates and rivals. Period.I hate the fact that the mangaka loves his main character soooooooo much that Ryoma has never ever lost in a formal competitive match before. This makes ALL of his matches really predictable. No matter how strong his opponents are, he will always somehow manage to become stronger in the course of the game and come out with some ridiculous moves to win the game. Boring. Characters: (9/10) – Very GoodThe only appeal of Prince of Tennis is probably its characters - a cocky protagonist and a list of cool and lovable characters. Here are some characters I like:Fuji Shuusuke - ♥ he's such a great brother! I find him really cool whenever he opens his eyes!Kikumaru Eiji - he has such a fun personality and I enjoy watching his games.Momoshiro Takeshi - momo-chan-senpai!Sanada Genichiroh - the most samurai-looking player!Atobe Keigo - no particular reason... I just find him quite funny with his antics.Art/Animation: (7/10) – Fairly GoodThe art-style is not exactly my cup of tea but it's not too bad. As for animation, the effects complement the (ridiculous) moves/techniques of the players pretty well.Sound/Music: (7/10) – Fairly GoodI seriously can't remember much about the music in TeniPuri. I can only remember the song Wonderful Days which is sung by the seiyuu of players of other teams (ie. Sengoku, Kirihara, Sanada and etc).Enjoyment: (7/10) – Fairly GoodInitially, I quite enjoyed it. However, after a while, things get really predictable and boring. Thank goodness, new teams/players were introduced frequently and that certainly helped to make the series more interesting. However, no matter how weak or powerful the new teams/players are, Ryoma and Seigaku will always triumph.Overall: (7/10) – Fairly GoodGiven all the positive things I've previously read about the series, I'm certainly very disappointed. The only thing I like about TeniPuri is the characters.
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If you are yearning for a fun and random anime, then watch Konjiki no Gash Bell!!. It's full of humor, lame songs (so lame that I can't help but LOL ), action and also sad moments. Story: (8/10) – GoodTakamine Kiyomaro, a depressed don't-care-about-the-world guy, was suddenly given a little mamono (demon) named Gash Bell to take care of. To his surprise, Gash is involved in an intense fight which determines the ruler of the demon world. All of the demons have to find a human partner and fight it out with the other demons until one survives. Kiyomaro becomes Gash's bookkeeper, and through their many battles, Kiyomaro learns the importance of friendship and courage.The ending in the anime is different from the manga's. In the anime, the entire last arc from the manga is omitted and that's quite a disappointment. The anime's ending is not too bad but it definitely would have been better if they had not rush to finish the series. Character: 10/10 - AwesomeWhat I like best about Konjiki no Gash Bell!! is its characters. It's full of cute and funny mamono!Here are some of the characters I like:Kiyomaro - It's funny to see him in 'devil' mode!Gash – So cute!!!!!! His voice actor, Ohtani Ikue, makes his character even cuter!Umagon – Mero mero meh............... (By the way, his real name is Schneider!)Art/Animation: 7/10 – Fairly GoodThe art and animation is pretty average. The art style is a little rough but I think it's fine for a fun series like this one.Music: 8/10 – GoodSome of the character songs are really fun and some are very lame.Enjoyment: 10/10 - AwesomeAlmost all the episodes are funny! It's a lot of fun to watch!Overall: 8/10 - GoodEven though I enjoy this series tremendously, there is one thing I hate about the series - Mizuno Suzume! She's freaking irritating!
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After watching all 13 episodes of Miracle☆Train, my opinion of the series remained the same. This series is only good for the eyes (the bishounen!). Most of the episodes are boring and cliche and I'm glad that there are only 13 episodes. This concept of anthropomorphism works much better on countries than on train stations.Story: (6/10) – FairThis is an episodic series, which features a different station in each episode helping female riders with their problems. On-board the train, there are only gorgeous men (stations) and the train is called Miracle☆Train.The idea is actually not too bad but I think the problem lies with the execution. Most of the problems featured are pretty cliche and I find it boring to watch. The best part of this series is actually the information it gives about the different stations. Some of the facts are pretty interesting and very educational.Character: 8/10 - GoodThe characters, who are personified 'stations', are pretty well-illustrated and their character designs seem to complement their individual personalities.Here are some of the characters I like:Shinjuku Rintarou and Roppongi FumiArt/Animation: 8/10 – GoodThe art is pretty good but I can't say the same for the animation. There are many instances of still panels where the characters talk but have little or no movement at all.Music: 8/10 – GoodGiven that the opening theme "montage" is sung by the seiyuu of Roppongi Fumi (Ohashi Kenichirou), Shinjuku Rintaro (Okiayu Ryotaro), Shiodome Iku (Kaji Yuuki) and Ryogoku Itsumi (Morita Masakazu), it's not too bad. It's surprisingly quite catchy. As for the ending theme "STORIES" by Kita Shuuhei, it also has a pop feel.Enjoyment: 7/10 - Fairly GoodThis is one series I don't mind watching when I have nothing to do. However, it's not something I will want to re-watch.Overall: 7/10 - Fairly GoodThe only redeeming point of the series is the bishounen. Only watch it if you don't mind the lack of plot and enjoy looking at bishounen.
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Trigun is another one of my must watch anime series. It has quite a serious theme but is yet funny at the same time. What I like about the series is its humor and how it thoughtfully combined morality themes and pacifism.Story: (9/10) – GreatTrigun takes place in the distant future on a deserted planet. Vash the Stampede is a gunman with a reputation so atrocious that he has a $60,000,000,000 bounty on his head. However, the real Vash the Stampede is not the same man that rumor portrays him to be. He is actually very peace-loving (his favorite line is 'Love and Peace') and heroic in nature, and at times a complete and utter idiot.For the first half of the series, it's pretty episodic. However, in the latter half, it takes a new direction, a darker and more mysterious one. The story unfolds rapidly as Vash's past is revealed. I like how the story starts off slow and gradually accelerates.Character: 10/10 - AwesomeVash is a great character!! He's hilarious and goofy but can be serious when the situation calls for it. He is someone who sticks to his ideals and values of 'no-killing' no matter what happens. His idealism is constantly tested and questioned throughout the series. No matter how bad the situation is, Vash always try his very best to save everybody and kill no one but the reality is often cruel to him. However, despite all that, Vash continues to live according to his beliefs. Nicholas D Wolfwood, a traveling priest/gunman, is another interesting character. He is quite different from Vash, yet similar and just as complex. I enjoy watching Vash and him going on a shooting spree. Art/Animation: 7/10 – Fairly GoodThe art and animation is quite good considering this is from 12 years ago. Music: 8/10 – GoodThe music suits this Western-styled anime perfectly. However, the soundtrack overall is nothing spectacular.Enjoyment: 9/10 - Very GoodVash's hilarious antics and the interesting plot make Trigun really entertaining to watch,Overall: 9/10 - Very Good If you're into action, comedy, good characters and some serious drama, this is a definite must watch anime!
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