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.