Not Dead!

Yo everyone (no one)! Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not dead. I just kind of lost interest in this blog along with Level-one Start after taking care of the Dudebro site for so long. I planned on going back to LOS but not here. However, I just marathoned a great series by the name of Psyren and I realized I should have an outlet to talk about whatever my current obsession is in the world of anime and manga. Should have a post about it pretty soon :D

The Sadistic Harem Returns: Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

While this season hasn't exactly been stellar, it's definitely an improvement over the last few. One notable title is Ichiban Ushiro no Daimou, a magical harem series. I know what you're thinking; the harem genre isn't exactly synonymous with quality. I'm not going to lie; this is no different. However, it is enjoyable due to the colorful cast and pure ridiculousness of the setting and how things play out.

The main character, Sai Akuto, wants to be a priest. He goes to some magical school in hopes of achieving this goal. Unfortunately, it is predicted by some weird parrot that is apparently never wrong that he will be a demon lord. This throws the school into a panic. After several antics and the main character's true persona appearing, it becomes more apparent that he may afterall become a demon lord.

If I were to compare this series to anything else, it would be Maburaho. Oddly enough, the target of everyone's affection is also the target of everyone's hatred. Despite being apparently hated by the masses, Sai still finds a way to have a harem of at least 5. Some just have the hots for a demon lord while some are typical "childhood friends". Either way, the use of magic and mild action sequences lend itself to Maburaho more than anything else.

I might have more when the series finishes. Being based on a Light Novel, that probably means it will be prematurely. Either way, check out the cool opening.

New Opening Season: Epic Has Arrived

With many series entering "war" arcs or just plain actiony ones, the recent batch of openings can only be described in one word; epic. Let's take a look at the big ones.

Katekyo Hitman Reborn



With the Millefiore arc nearing its end, the animation crew went all out to depict the insanity that would unfold. The Funeral Wreaths' fight against the Vongola family is definitely one of the more intense parts of the series.

Fairy Tail (flipped)



With the tower arc coming up, Fairy Tail's new opening encompasses several stories that I'm worried will be rushed. However, that doesn't stop it from looking damn good and exciting. If you want to get someone into Fairy Tail, show them this opening.

Bleach



Now THIS is what I call epic. So much is going on that it's amazing they were able to fit it into a minute and a half intro. The Fake Karakura Town arc is just heating up as the captains take the stage while Ichigo has one of the most epic fights in the series with current nemesis, Ulquiorra. Again, this might be the opening to show if you want to get your friends into Bleach.

Naruto Shippuden



With the Pain War arc starting, this is another epic opening with perfect timing. With multiple fights happening in one scene, things are sure to get crazy and I can't wait to see how the animation team handles this series changing event.

Time For Another Bastardization: Live Action Bleach Movie

Hollywood really is out of ideas. I thought Bleach of all things would be safe for at least another decade. Guess I was wrong. Not only that but it's being produced by the guy that did 50 First Dates. Quite an odd choice.

Well, this will at least be entertaining to follow. There's probably a good chance it will fall into development hell sooner or later but I'm definitely interested in how it'll turn out. I'm really just hoping for a breakout anime adaptation within the next decade like comic books had. Hopefully we won't have to wait until James Cameron gets off his ass and makes Battle Angel.

Samurai Champloo Composer Passes Away

Lot of big names in the industry have been dying recently. The most recent victim is Jun Seba, better known by his stage name, Nujabes. The hip-hop producer was involved in a car accident on February 26. Obviously I'm a bit late but my prayer still go out to the family. While he didn't bring the genre out of the niche it holds in Japan, he produced some fantastic tunes and may have helped broaden the horizons of anime music.

I'm Not Dead

I know I haven't been posting much. It's mainly been a combination of writer's block and nothing going on in the world of anime. I should have a few posts up soon and the return of the Hero of the Week segment.

Ever Hear of Incarnate? Well the Artist is Apparently Being Accused of Plagiarizing Bleach

Title says it all. Nick Simmons, son of rock legend Gene Simmons, has an OEL manga series known as Incarnate. I have not heard of it prior to these accusations. As you can see in this article from ANN, there are a few panels that almost seem copy and pasted from Tite Kubo's Bleach. Radical Publishing has halted the series so they can get to the bottom of this. Of course I imagine they're more afraid of a lawsuit from Shueisha than anything else. Kubo seems to be more concerned with the fact that Gene Simmons' son is a comic book artist than the actual plagiarism.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Premiers on Adult Swim

Back when anime wasn't restricted to Saturday nights on Adult Swim and was actually a prominent part of the block, Fullmetal Alchemist was one of their flagship shows. The true manga adaptation has started playing this past Saturday. Other than Al's voice being changed (previous VA is too old now) and a gimped OP/ED, I would actually consider it a pretty decent dub. I'm glad AS finally acquired another flagship series if it is part of the same franchise. Maybe this could lead to more frequent acquisitions in the future.

Regarding the "Hero of the Week" Segment

I apologize that I have missed last week and a few others at the beginning of the year. My original intent was to use characters from different series for an entire year. There were numerous occasions where I had to look through a list of anime/manga that I've watched/read just so I could be safe for another week. I had to refresh my memory on many of those series by re-reading parts or looking up summaries. It's hard to keep that up every week when I usually only follow 3-6 series at a time.

Well I have not given up on that segment. I still intend to have a post every week with a character from a series I haven't used until the 1 year anniversary in a few months. I am going to try my best to not miss a week from now on. Seeing as I'm reading/watching a few new series, I should have fresh character material by next week. You can look forward to it ;)

Spring 2010 Anime Season: Getting Better

Looks like the loli-fest of last season is not continuing into the warmer parts of the year. The spring season is shaping up to be much better in appealing to the non-pedophile crowd. Take a look.



There are a whopping 6 series I'm interested in on that list. I'm especially interested in how Iron Man and Heroman turned out. It isn't every season that we get an adaptation from an American comic book series or the involvement of a big western name in the graphic novel industry like Stan Lee. I'll keep you guys updated.

Highschool of the Dead Getting Anime

While I haven't read Highshcool of the Dead in 2 years, I did think it was an interesting little series for what it tried to do. With the announcement of an anime adaptation, I may give it another shot. I'll have impressions when it actually hits.

Live-Action Gantz Teaser

Here's a bit of news I apparently skimmed over. It seems seinen manga Gantz is getting a live action adaptation. It isn't a western one that seems to be sweeping the world but rather a domestic one. Check out the teaser.

Hero of the Week: Happosai

This week's hero is the original perverted old man. Okay, maybe that's not true, but he still helped popularize the archetype. I'm talking about one of the few tolerable characters in Ranma 1/2, Happosai.



Unlike the other old perverted hero, Happosai has little remorse for his actions. He knows why he's there for and occasional bursts of morality is not it. He is a lying, despicable panty thief that cares only for himself.

So how does this make him a hero? Other than being a hilarious and powerful character in a world of teenagers that need to be slapped half the time, Happosai is a "pure" character. The term "black and white" gets thrown around a lot these days, but I'd rather have a black and white character than a failed layered character. Happosai is a testament to the perverted old man and plays his role perfectly. Asking for anything more convolutes things.

Live-Action Bible Black? What the Fuck!?

While I don't know a lot about hentai, it's hard to be an anime fan without have at least heard of Bible Black. In a way, it's the 2 girls 1 cup of the anime world. You watch it just to see how fucked up it is. Some people laugh; some vomit.

Well, it seems like gross classic is somehow getting a live action adaptation. If you've seen it, you're probably just as grossed out yet oddly intrigued at the thought of this news as I am. Half the stuff wouldn't even make sense in a real world setting. I guess I'll have more news as it comes, but I honestly have no idea what to think about this.

Hero of the Week: Shinichi Akiyama

This week's hero is a genius swindler that took down an entire corporation. I'm of course talking about one of the key players in the Liar Game, Shinichi Akiyama.



So why is a swindler like Akiyama a hero? Well first of all, his resolve and ideals are similar to another hero that has appeared in this segment; L. Despite his calm exterior, he will go to great lengths to stand up for what he believes in. Oh, and when he gets revenge, he REALLY gets revenge. He took down an entire corporation to avenge the suicide of his mother. There's an eye for an eye and then there's...that.

He is also a competent leader in the Liar Game. While Kanzaki Nao steals the spot light from time to time, Akiyama is the real one running the show. His incredibly well thought out plans make for some entertaining banter between him and the arc villain. His unwavering confidence really makes it hard to worry when he's around. He'd even go so far as to shoulder everyone's debt, sacrificing himself to once again bankrupt an evil corporation.

As far as enigmatic heroes go, I would say Akiyama is right up there with L. Without him, Liar Game wouldn't be entertaining at all.

Mr Satan's (Hercule) Voice Actor Passes Away

Another big name in the anime/manga industry has sadly passed away. The voice actor of Mr. Satan (Hercule in America) from Dragonball Z was discovered by a passerby in Nakano ward with blood dripping down his wrist. While nothing has been confirmed, it definitely sounds like a suicide. My condolences go out to the family.

In Florida

I want to keep this breif since the connection has been really shaky here. I will be on vacation until Friday the 15th in Orlando, so I most likely will not be making any posts until then. Hope everyone has a good week.

Code Geass Producer Wants to Announce Animated Project Soon, Musical Possible?

In an interview, Code Geass producer Yoshitaka Kawaguchi talks about his hopes of announcing a new Code Geass animated project soon. He also talked about the possibility of a musical adaptation appearing at some point down the line. Hell, I'd probably see it on the .000000002% chance it made it to the states.

Top 5 Manga of the Decade

Since I had a "top ___ list of the decade" over at Level One - Start, I thought I might as well do one here. Seeing as most of the series I read began in the 90s (Naruto, One Piece), I will be limiting the list to 5. Still, these series are high quality in every way. I have poured countless hours into getting caught up with each ones. As some are still going, they will obviously be judged by what is currently out.

Now let's get the ball rolling.

5. Elfen Lied



Elfen Lied turned the world of anime and manga on its head. Before this unique series, extreme violence that wasn't used as over the top comedy was restricted to particularly dark art styles. Elfen Lied switched things up by utilizing cute characters including children drawn in typical manga style being dismembered by an invisible force. Several mature themes including extreme prejudice and genocide are present in the series. The tragedy of the Diclonius and the people they murdered really makes it difficult to pick sides. It also doesn't help that one of the main protagonist is also the main antagonist. Morally grey doesn't even begin to describe half the characters in this series. Yes, there are a few no brainers like the enigmatic man, but pretty much every character will give you conflicted feelings. Lucy in particular is a fantastic character. Decapitating children one second and comforting the protagonist the next; Lucy is definitely a strong character. If you want something dark and emotional, you really can't go wrong with Elfen Lied.

4. Battle Royale



Normally I wouldn't include an adaptation from another medium in any medium-specific list, but I'll make an exception for this. This point is only driven home more when I say the enjoyment I got out of the movie doesn't even come close to that of the manga. The cast is much more fleshed out than in either the movie or (I assume) the novel. Each character has a story and like Elfen Lied above, none of them are pure black or white. It's really amazing how cruel the villains were yet still be so pitiful. A sexually abused teenage girl and a teenage boy that lost all his emotions in a car accident are usually portrayed as victims, but they are incredibly effective antagonists here. You legitimately feel bad for many of the characters and I was incredibly sad to see one of them die (hint: hero of the week). Even though you know most of them will be dying, that doesn't make the gruesome death scenes any less emotional.

3. Death Note



With all the battle manga and perverted juvenile thrills that make up the majority of Shonen Jump's roster, Death Note was a breath of fresh air. It was actually a mature and suspenseful story that really makes you question your own morality. "Is killing a mass murderer okay? Should the world be void of criminals? Is it okay to restrict our actions to the rules set by an omnipotent force?" No matter which side you choose, you're in for quite the ride. The constant mind games between Light and L are more entertaining than a good majority of the "epic" battles out there. I was at the edge of my seat with every plot twist. It was impossible to predict what would happen next. There's a major split on the ending, but I honestly thought it was amazing. Even when it was all over, I continued to think about the series for weeks afterward and still do to this day from time to time. I would say that Death Note is the perfect series to get almost anyone into anime (and manga afterward if you're lucky).

2. Bleach



Being part of the "shonen trinity", Bleach is popular for a very good reason; mindless action. There are many ways to describe this series but there's one way that everyone can be understand; Dragonball Z with swords. There are plenty of memorable battles and unique designs. Despite severe inconsistencies and plot holes, Tite Kubo is one hell of an artist. Each fight feels like a rough draft for the anime version. Obviously that makes it flow much better in animated form but the source is still fantastic. While it has as many detractors as it does lovers, Bleach is a superb battle manga that helped fill the void left by Dragonball's serialization ending.

I thought about what series would take the number 1 spot and always came to the same conclusion. Not to downplay the previous placing series, but there is a clear winner. Had it been up against One Piece, I might've struggled with the decision, but since that isn't the case, here it is.



1. Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist covers a lot of genres. It's filled with action yet also has quite a bit of thought provoking philosophical insight. The brothers' struggle in their search for a way to restore their bodies all while staying firm in their belief of "equivalent exchange" is inspiring and even a little sad. The universal hunt for the philosopher's stone and the will of the homunculi have lead to some incredibly creative battles and enjoyable character interactions. Character development is great even if it does fall back on the standard cliches from time to time. Either way, FMA is a series that all fans of anime/manga need to watch/read.


Well, there's my list. Let's hope I actually have 10 entries for the top __ of the 2010s.