Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 Summary

And so, 2013 has nearly ended. It was an interesting year, in which a lot changed. The way I look at this blog has changed, and at the same time I have been making less posts. I just couldn't keep up with 12 posts a week anymore, however I still have my passion for anime, especially the good ones.



Having said that though, 2013 is the worst year for anime since the past decade, and I'm afraid that I need to say this. The big problem lied in the amount of series that aired. Every season had its gems, however when you look beyond these gems, that's where the problems lied: everything just looked the same, and there were lots of series that had potential, only to get bogged down by bad writing. This is the year I really realized that the way in which most anime are written is inherently flawed, with too few writers working on too many projects and people not really thinking about making anime whole conclusive stories that stay consistent. I've seen so many promising series this year that only ended up meh, when they could have been so much better, so it's really a shame to see this.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Crunchyroll Sets Return Dates for Ongoing Series

Not only is Japan between seasons now, but this is also a holiday break, which means that a lot of broadcasts are sidelined for specials.



Crunchyroll has now announced when ongoing series will be returning after the break:

TOY REVIEW: Figma 194

In 1990, Yoshihiro Togashi won the hearts of millions of fans all over the world with his best-selling manga (and later anime) YUYU HAKUSHO, an action-adventure epic featuring a spikey-haired protagonist with a mysterious past and a powerful father, an antisocial and vertically challenged assassin, an effeminate introvert with an affinity for whip-like weapons, and an unremarkable assisting character who ends up burying his nose in books and being left behind by the others. Less than a decade later, the famed mangaka created another bestselling series - HUNTER X HUNTER (pronounced without the "X"), an action-adventure epic featuring a spikey-haired protagonist with a mysterious past and a powerful father, an antisocial and vertically challenged assassin, an effeminate introvert with an affinity for whip-like weapons, and an unremarkable assisting character who ends up burying his nose in books and being left behind by the others.



Yeah.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Autumn 2013 Episode Rankings

Week 12! I'll be ending my Autumn rankings here, but will continue as always with the Winter 2014 season in a couple of weeks.



Down to just 16 series at this point - as well as the shows that have ended ( and ),will be taking a short breakleaving the #1 spot open for the taking!

Top 10 2013!

It's almost the end of the year 2013, and 2014 shall be coming after. So now, we will present to you top 10

of the hottest manga series, manga volume and anime films for this year, while we are waiting for the Otaku Club 2013 Anime and Games awards. Let's go!


Friday, December 27, 2013

Kuroko no Basket

Lately, I've been addicted to this manga and its anime. It began when I accidentally encounter Kuroko no Basket manga - or like the translation in my country, Kuroko's Basketball- in Gramedia book store. I enjoy playing basketball and was a part of basketball club in my college. Well, even though I'm hardly a good player since I only began to play basket in university. Ho ho ho. My dribble, pass and drive is bad but my shooting ability is terrible. My eyesight is awful and because I don't like to use my glasses when I playedbasketball, I end up almost always miss my shoot. By the way, I was feeling nostalgic when I saw this manga in book store. So nostalgic that I end up bought it. Moreover, I like Shonen Jump - I love lots of manga from there (One Piece, Bleach, D.Gray-Man, Naruto, Gintama, Hunter x Hunter, etc) - and I know that Kuroko no Basket is one of the series from Jump. I immediately falling in love with its protagonist, quickly watch its anime and love it to the point that it's almost obsessive. He he he.



Seirin High School Basketball Club

Interview with Hu Jingxuan

Things are a bit slow around here. Here is an email interview with Hu Jingxuan.



1. For those who are not familiar with your art, can you introduce yourself?

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Final Thoughts: Fall 2013

Final Thoughts Fall 2013

This has been an interesting season, to say the least. There were so many shows that started out so interesting, that half way through I just wanted to entirely drop. This isn't helped by the fact that the shows I did keep were almost all keep going past 12-13 episodes and there are another million show I am really interested in next season. Oh the problems of an anime fan, too many shows, not enough time or attention span. Yeah, yeah, I know, these are stupid problems. But really, let's get right into it. These are my final thoughts on the fall 2013 anime season.

As always, let's start with the shows that will continue into the next season.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

12 Days of Anime Day 3: Grim x Dark

Hunter x Hunter is the show I wish I got to watch growing up on a morning block. Spoiler shots abound.I find it curious how Hunter x Hunter got to keep it's morning block (with plenty of kids watching mind you) as long as it did. In this last arc alone, well, here's a picspam of stuff we've been treated to since the Ant arc got started.



Pet humans

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Anime Season Preview

As someone who doesn't always have tons of time to dedicate to watching anime, I usually welcome the Winter and Summer Seasons as they tend to be a little less overwhelming in terms of the sheer number and quality of series airing out there. Don't get me wrong, I love the wealth of riches Spring and Fall offer, but it's nice to have some downtime during the off-season to catch up on older shows I haven't had the chance to watch yet. The upcoming Winter season is already stacking up nicely- there are definitely a handful of of potential hits, and reading through some of the descriptions of these shows, quite a few stood out and caught my interest, so I'll be checking out the first few episodes of several to see how things shape up. With a handful of series continuing into their 2nd cour from the Fall, plus with a few I still haven't started, it's looking like I'll have my hands full.



Please note the following is not an exhaustive list of what is airing this January, but a look at some series that grabbed my attention. I generally watch the first 2-3 episodes of all the shows to get a feel for what will end up being my top tier, but here's a look at what I'm looking forward to and eagerly anticipating in January, 2014:

The 4 Character Shifts I've Made In Life As Seen On Hunter X Hunter

So I spent all afternoon last week on a Hunter X Hunter marathon. I last tasted the thrill of this anime a decade ago and I was glad the feeling didn't change a bit. I still favor Killua of all the other characters (his cunning and no-nonsense take on things still speak to me like that old fave shirt we all have). On the other hand, I have developed this newfound liking for Gon; the kid's persistence is something I will never have, thus, it's a wonder to me.



Unlike the Tagalog-dubbed mess I used to endure back then watching it on GMA7, I now have the luxury to watch Hunter X Hunter in HD and with no commercials in my lappy. I know I said the thrill is still there but little did I know I will be realizing something new after watching episode 104: Did the four characters just represent the 4 phases of my personal struggle to find myself?

Autumn 2013 Episode Rankings

Week 8! And we're back to a full 19 series; there's been surprisingly few gaps this season from series skipping a week, which always makes things easier, as well as giving me more to watch.



Nyaa~1 - ( 2)

Bleach Chapter 560 Review: TEKKEN TACHIKAZE!!

Did Hisagi, Ikkaku and Yumechicka lose to this nigga in the last chapter? Is what I though in the beginning but now I know. As long as that little mini me is around this old, buff but light nigga. How is a person his size doing drop kicks. This dude bust be mad flexible. But what about Ikkaku and Hisagi wil;l we see them fight. All I wanted to see sense Kensei told Hisagi to show him his bankai is to see his motherfucking bankai. I fear that it may never happen. It may sound cliche or on some Naruto shit but now that its getting dark I hope everyone takes a brake for the night. I want to see Hisagi healed to fight again. If we don't see Hisagi's Bankai I will beat Kubo's ass. I'm not fucking playing. I will go to Japan and beat his ass until Kenpachi has to come and save him. And it was great to my nigga Kensei Muguruma beat the shit out Mask De Masculine. Kensei's bankai looked badass as usual. And it was nice of him to explain how his Bankai works. Tachikaze makes whatever it cuts explode but Tekken Tachikaze allows his fist to continuously cause explosions as long as he's touching you. That shit sounds painful as hell. I do not want to get hit with that. I wonder how many Naruto characters Kensei can take out with that. Enough of that. The next few Bleach chapters are going to be so damn epic. I can't wait until then. I'm done for now with this Bleach chapter. I gota go catch up to Kill La Kill and Hunter X Hunter 2011. See ya!
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Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio

WHAT ANIMETUBE AnimeTube gives users the ability to watch Japanese anime online for free without time limit and without having to install anything on your PC. This community was created in order to be able to offer all the Italians the opportunity kitchenaid mixer to keep up to date on the subject of culture, art and works of Japanese through sharing, kitchenaid mixer not for profit, of such works.

Suddenly, in every corner of the globe appeared the "Fleet of Fog" kitchenaid mixer (fleet fog), warships equipped with super-weapons. Humanity, unable to defend themselves, was crushed and lost the dominion of the seas, so the ability to travel kitchenaid mixer by water. At 17 years of devastating kitchenaid mixer war naval Gunzou on Chihaya and friends can take control of an enemy submarine fleet and rename kitchenaid mixer I-401. So with the help of Iona, the "mental kitchenaid mixer model" (an android) kitchenaid mixer I-401, are launching a counter-attack on the rest of the fleet of the fog.

Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio - Arpeggio of Blue Steel Streaming ITA. Here it is Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio - Arpeggio of Blue Steel Streaming Sub Ita. To access the Streaming Veoh Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio - Arpeggio of Blue Steel Ita, ie Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio - Arpeggio of Blue Steel Putlocker and VideoBB Streaming Sub Ita, simply click the link below.

MOTHER KEEPER CHAPTER 39-41 REVIEW: CHAOS TIDE

I am kind of disappointed; it's a good thing these three chapters snuck on me because each of them was ridiculously short. But maybe i should be rejoicing that is still on gong. For a few months now i was convinced it had been cancelled, or gone on one of those indefinite hiatuses Hunter X Hunter is widely known for.

THE PLOT:>

Really ridiculous how little actually happened in these three chapters. But again, i shouldn't be complaining. When i last left off months back Lint had confronted Ricalna in the graveyard about his loyalty to Eden, aiming his gun at Ricalna's forehead. A terrorist attack had occurred shortly after.

12 Moments 2013

Mamoru Hosoda's film Wolf Children made its Japanese theatrical debut in 2012 but most people in the West, , likely saw it sometime this year - whether in a theater, on home video or through other means. I liked it when I saw it subtitled in San Francisco as part of the inaugural Japan Film Festival but haven't had a chance to re-watch it with the English dub.



Though there were a couple of moments from the film I could discuss, the one I want to highlight occurs fairly early.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

TechSource: Best Android Apps for Anime Fans

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:52 PM PST Anime is hugely popular not only in Japan but all over the world. Animated character with big eyes and over-the-top mannerisms is perhaps the best way people characterize this Eastern sensation. However, there's more to anime than that. Anime, thanks to its engaging storylines, relatable characters, has made itself known not only to kids but to grown adults as well.



There are a lot of anime resources out there on the Internet. Unfortunately, to keep a tab at them is somewhat impossible if you are always on the move. That's where Android apps come in handy. These apps let you catch up with the latest anime news, reviews, gossips, and even episodes right on your smartphone or tablet computer. So, if you're looking for some Anime-based Android apps, read on as we cover some of the best ones.

Complete Series Review: Black Cat

Black Cat is an anime about a 23 year old young man named Train Heartnet who is known as the Black Cat because of his cat like reflexes and the fact that he likes to drink milk in the middle of the night on the roof of his apartment. He also feeds stray cats up there to. But he's apart of this organization called Chronos which the members carry out secret assassinations. Train uses a gun called Hades to kill his opponents. Train himself is heartless and cold. He one day meets a bounty hunter named Saya. Bounty Hunters in this series are called Sweepers. Saya's voice in the dub is great. When she sings she sounds so beautiful. The song she sings is just so perfect. Saya teaches Train how to love and value a human life.



On one of Train's missions he has to kill a little girl named Eve who is an artificial human and weapon. She is basically a created human girl with super human strength. I'm not going to spoil it and tell you what kind of powers she has because if you're reading it and have never seen it before than you have to watch. Especially the dub. Eve is very valuable because with her you are basically unstoppable. That is why Chronos sent Train to kill her. During this he meets a Sweeper named Sven who later on becomes a mentor to Train. Sven is able to stop Train from killing Eve. From this point on Eve starts to travel with Eve.

Characters that made my year

On this fourth day of Christmas we pay homage to the man whose crotch glows with an awesome power - Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter.



Hunter x Hunter is one of those rare shows that never seems to have a bad episode.This is all the more remarkable given the fact that this is a long-running shounen series, shows of that particular predigree are notorious for crap filler and pointless padding.Not so with Hunter x Hunter, it has been excellent this year and only continues to get better.

Hunter X Hunter 2011 Episode 109 Review:

All throughout this episode every one was putting the final touches on their plan and I was scared as hell. I know that the next episode shit will go down. Everyone is just thinking that we most likley will die inside of the palace. Know is so far gone that his hair turned white, his face is pale, and he's even skinnier. Knov has been reduced to fodder at this point. I'm surprised at Morel. I didn't think he would be this worried. And on top of that he's only at 35% of his real power. How the hell is he supposed to fight especially since Knov's bitch ass won't be helping. Knuckle and Shoot seem to be ready but what Shoot said about Killua is getting to me. He said that Killua seems happy and ready but its slowly deteriorating. This leads me into thinking that Killua might leave Gon in the middle of the fight or just give up completely. I don't want my nigga to die. Kill Knov ass instead. It doesn't matter how ready these guys are because in the middle of the battlefield anything is possibly. This is all I have for now. This was a pretty laid back chapter before things pick up fast, so I'm gonna stop here. Have a good day and watch anime. See ya!
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Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission (2013)

Hunter x Hunter The Last Mission



Thousand of fans are all delighted and excited upon hearing the forthcoming release of the new Hunter x Hunter film promoted as "Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission" scheduled on December 27, 2013. The film marks second movie to the latest adaptation of the hit and popular same name manga created by Yoshiro Togashi.

Hot Off the Press!

Highlights from the past two weeks, with commentary from the NFNT gang:



MOUSE GUARD: LEGENDS OF THE GUARD VOLUME 2 (Archaia, 9781936393268)

In defense of Kuroko and Horizon

This article almost required me to read through a whole ton of gay porn.



So, even though I didn't, you better read it.