Blogging, simply put, is the defining tool of a new era of journalism, both inside of geekdom and outside it. It puts power in the hands of the underdogs: no matter who you are or what your education is, if you start a decent blog and pimp it hard enough, you’ll get your word out.

It also provides for discussions and social interactions unlike any other media form out there… and that’s why I started blogging. August 2007 was the month I began homeschooling, which did quite a number on my RL social life, obviously. I was determined to meet other people fascinated with Japanese animation and comics, just like me. Needless to say, that experiment worked pretty well: I now have some of the greatest friends in the whole world, and my baby is getting 25,000 pageviews a month with 250+ RSS feed subscribers.

But now I’m walking away. A third-degree existential crisis hit me yesterday, and though most of it was mainly about real life stuff, some of it was about my blogging. To sum it up, I’ve hit the point where blogging isn’t doing anything for me anymore, and it’s conflicting with my RL goals. I really hate to leave this behind, because I don’t want things to change; I don’t want to move on. But it’s happening, and this post goes a bit more into why. It’s a little tl;dr, but I’m explaining it all in hopes that maybe it’ll prove to be inspiring for someone else. I don’t want anyone else to quit aniblogging, obviously, but the emotions and logic in this post are fairly relevant to a lot of things besides blogging.

And in the words of my AP US History teacher, no, this ain’t gonna be a “sit around the campfire and sing kumbaya” post. (Of course, I guess that depends on your definition of one…)

My retirement has been a long time coming. Since October (or even before,) blogging has become a chore to me, to put it bluntly. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to watch the anime, per se, it was that I had begun not seeing the point of summarizing or reviewing the episode. Before that, I hadn’t blogged as much simply because of a lack of time – volleyball was in full swing, senior year had just started, I’d been taking college classes, and OH YEAH, I had mono. That was fun.

This whole spiral began with a disenchantment with the anime that were premiering at that time, and grew to a general discontentment. I became more and more interested in people and things IRL, and began reading and watching various entertainment sources less. This wasn’t too much of a bad thing, and I knew it was mainly happening because it was my senior year of high school. (For anyone who hasn’t been a senior in high school yet: it will be worse than you think it’s gonna be. Trust me.) Multiple hiatuses occurred, both formal and unannounced, because my priorities had shifted. I didn’t know why, at the time.

The drama over the past few months wasn’t even all that disenchanting; as I said on Twitter, I know I have my allies and my enemies, and that’s that. But as I sat down to blog Durarara!! late on Saturday, I suddenly wondered:

Why does this even matter?

I won’t explain the train of thought that finally put my emotions into words, because really, I don’t think I can. I just suddenly got to thinking about my real life goals, and what blogging’s really about, and how blogging can help me achieve those goals. It hit me pretty bluntly that honestly, it looks like blogging can’t do much else for me.

Don’t get me wrong: Blogging over the years has been absolutely amazing. I have loved making new friends and improving my writing skills, all while feeling like I was kinda “giving back” to fandom. I was homeschooled when I started this blog, and writing here was kinda what kept me sane. I loved it for a long, long time. I loved paneling, I loved conventions, and most of all, I loved the art form that is anime.

But now the entertainment has worn off. I’ve grown up quite a bit. I almost wish I hadn’t.

I’m now trying to pursue a double major in Criminal Justice and Japanese. I want to be an FBI Special Agent or something like that. I have real-world goals now, and real-world friends and values. It’s not that you guys aren’t important, it’s just that I need to step back and really refocus on using my talents to the fullest. I’m at the point where I’ve ended up asking, “Is there a point to blogging, especially if I’m no longer enjoying it?”

There’s a point to blogging, of course, it’s just not right for me anymore. And it’s not even that I don’t love anime anymore; I just love other things more. I want to love writing and the social aspects that come with them, but when I compare those things to the RL things that matter more, I can’t keep spending 5+ hours a week managing a blog.

As I’ve made clear over the past week, I’ve stopped caring about the social aspect of blogging… and that’s turning out to be a good thing. If I’d had this epiphany back in December or so, I probably couldn’t have handled it. But now I’m simply looking at it and wondering, “Wait, why DO I care about what 100-odd quasi-anonymous people think about what I think about Durarara!!’s fictional characters each week?”

I want the aniblogosphere to thrive. I want it to be full of people that love journalism and anime, and combine those two loves into something useful and beautiful. I just don’t want to be a part of it, anymore, because it’s not in line with my real-life goals and loves. It’s crowding out my other, more useful loves; and while hobbies are good to have,, they’re also supposed to be fun and beneficial to your real-life health, intelligence and relationships. This one’s only helping the third, and it’s pretty minimal, at this point.

I’m rambling, at this point (sorry ^^; ) and I guess I’ll just summarize the changes that are probably going to happen with me and the blog:

Am I deleting the blog? Heck no. xD
Am I leaving the blog to Rakuen? Yes, but not effective immediately. Him and I have talked things over, and I’ll tie up a few things I want fixed (in old posts, etc) before fading into the background. I’ll still be around to fix typos and such, and maybe chip in for a convention post, if I go to any more (see final question.) But for 95% of the posts, I’m done.
Am I leaving because I’m mad/sad/disappointed? I’m disappointed that I’m not having fun anymore, and that this all boils down to the fact that I’m growing up. But other than that, there’s no negative feelings here.
Am I going to stop reading manga and watching anime? Oh, heck no. I’ll probably cut back a fair amount; but despite being fiction, anime and manga are art forms, really, and I can’t just abandon them. Besides, subtitled anime is good for reinforcing the Japanese I’ve learned. <3
Am I leaving Twitter/LJ? Nope. I’ll make my Twitter a lot more RL-oriented, probably, and LJ will probably become that way as well. But I’ll still make fangirly tweets and posts when I discover shiny pretties or an episode of something simply blows me away.
Am I still going to write fanfics/make icons/do cosplay? 90% no to all 3. It seems sudden, yeah, but… Anime is fiction, and for me, making it a huge part of my lifestyle is ridiculous. I might bring out my Rohfa or Ema Skye cosplays one more time, but no more; fanfiction is pointless to me now, and LJ icon-making will only happen if I find extraordinarily shiny pretties. (Which is all too possible. MARIIIIIIIII <3)
Am I going to go to conventions anymore? … This one is harder to answer. I have already committed to doing Anime Blogging panels at Matsuricon this fall, but after that, I’m not sure. I might just go to Ohayocon as a fan and relax a lot more, and not worry about cosplay/panels constantly, especially since Ohayo’s a great place for me to see my friends.

In summary… this hurts. I’m reaching the age where I have to start living more rationally and prioritize more, and even though blogging’s not as fun as it used to be, I’d love to stick with it. It’s an escape of sorts, for me, but it’s an escape that I don’t think I need anymore.

I love you guys a lot. Rakuen, Crisu, Jenni, Dave, Icystorm, and our newest members lvlln and Raphael… Thank you so much for being here for so long. The experiences here have made me a better writer, fan, and administrator, period. I know the things I’ve learned here will help me in the long run, even if it’s not truly worth continuing. No matter what happens to this blog, you guys have all made a difference in fandom and to me.

To all of our readers… Thank you. Thank you so much for supporting me and my project and allowing me to make new friends. Everything here was worth my time for 2+ years; and it’s not anything y’all did or didn’t do that’s making me want to leave. It’s my own conscience. I hope you all will keep reading and supporting our other writers, because they’re talented and passionate about writing and anime, even though it’s time for me to distance myself from those things.

Best wishes,

CJ Blackwing

PS- No, I swear this is not an elaborate pre-April Fool’s joke. It’s not a joke at all. Sorry about the crappy timing, though… XD;

You’d think I’d get tired of Higurashi after a while… But somehow, the fresh twists on the series’ recurring premise keep me entertained time and time again. This time, Mion’s family history comes fully into play, with her twin Shion returning to town to mix things up. Plus Satoko’s older brother Satoshi is still around – because the arc actually begins a full year before the events of the other arcs. What does this mean for the murders that are destined to occur in Showa 58?

Well, it’s hard to say at this point, because the scanlation efforts of Meakashi-hen don’t seem to be complete yet. The seven currently-released chapters, though, are quite an interesting read. Yes, ‘interesting’ does include the usual gore and distorted expressions, but there’s also an element of honest humanity here that’s different from Higurashi’s normal state. Even though it’s not as well-executed as some other arcs, Shion’s story is worth reading if you’re already a fan of the series – but it’ll be pretty darn confusing for newcomers to the franchise.

The year is Showa 57, of course, meaning Keiichi’s not around – and Shion is still stuck at a boarding school away from Hinamizawa. Until, of course, a few pages into chapter one, when she makes her daring escape. She wants to return to her hometown, but that’s hindered somewhat by the Sonozaki family’s formal banishment of her because she was a twin. (Superstitions FTL!) Upon returning to town, she quickly encounters Satoshi Houjou and learns his story as she readjusts to her life of relative freedom. Mion is supportive of her moving home, but she isn’t supportive of Shion’s relationship with Satoshi… and that’s really the least of their problems, to put it lightly.

Rena, Rika and the others take a major backseat to the Sonozaki and Houjou siblings, but this isn’t really a bad thing. Instead, it makes Rena’s sporadic appearances (and resulting words) all the more dramatic. Shion and Mion deserve the spotlight in this one, and though I’m not a huge fan of Satoshi, his turmoil is worth reading too. I found Shion’s hatred of Satoko especially interesting, since we hardly see anyone dislike her (except her uncle) in the rest of the franchise.

Though Satoshi and Shion’s quasi-romance is a little cliche at first, the twist it takes in chapters 6 and 7 is just plain stunning.  It’s fascinating when considered in the context of the events of Showa 58, but even on it’s own, it’s thought-provoking and sad. It fails to be truly heart-wrenching (and I really don’t know why,) but it’s still… really sadistic shipbait, to say the least.

Mion’s actions in chapters 6 and 7 are what really stunned me, though. Since I didn’t finish season one of the anime, all of the tension between her and her twin is new to me – and holy crap is Mion insane in chapter 7. I-I mean. this is Higurashi and all, but that was just harsh. Though the arc has yet to be truly gruesome yet, the psychological elements of chapter 7 were completely riveting.

To be honest, the art is a little dull at times, but everything is decently-drawn and coherent. The color pages are gorgeous, though their composition is a little lacking; ultimately, this is not the franchise’s finest art, but certainly better than some of the other arcs. The character designs are cute as usual, and the blood and such are relatively convincing. Dramatic expressions are attention-getting in both their lineart and shading. In other words, the art portrays the horrow and drama well, but isn’t distracting – for better or for worse.

Of course, if horror and drama aren’t your thing, Meakashi-hen will probably be about as appealing as an overcrowded convention game room in the middle of July during a deodorant shortage. It has a bit more drama than some of the other arcs, so it might be enjoyable for fans of Tsumihoroboshi-hen, but the focus on different characters makes this arc its own creature. The romantic elements feel contrived and weak at times, especially in the early chapters. However, the other dramatic moments are very well done, and the seven chapters we have so far are satisfying. Non-followers of the Higurashi franchise might want to start somewhere else, since this arc doesn’t explain much; existing fans should enjoy this arc, though, despite its flaws and relative lack of thrills so far.

CJ’s Rating: 8 out of 10 California rolls

There’s nothing more romantic than spontaneous proposals. And there’s nothing more awesome than Mikado being spontaneously awesome. And there’s nothing more heart-tugging than good, original character development.

… And I won’t say anything more than that til after the cut. <3 Festivities ahoy~!

Right off the bat, Mikado calls Namie Yagiri with a demand: turn herself in to the police, or she doesn’t get Mika/Selty’s head back. Yeah, he went there. Wow.

Meanwhile, life in the city is proceeding as normal, Shizuo and Simon are arguing away, and Selty is reflecting on her conversation with Shinra in the previous episode. Selty reveals that Shinra suggested she marry him in the previous episode after the hand-holding conversation. Wow.

Suddenly, though, Mikado and Namie meet up in the middle of Ikebukuro, where Namie theoretically can’t pull anything weird. She starts attempting to verbally tear him apart, but he explains that he’s not trying to be a hero or anything naive like that: he just likes to see happy endings, even if they’re ordinary. Namie flips out further and prepares to sic her bodyguards on him, but Mikado has something else up his sleeve…

He immediately sends a mass text out to everyone in the vicinity, including Selty and Dotachin’s crew, but the message isn’t shown or explained right away. Selty is waiting on a nearby rooftop, where Dotachin suddenly appears with Mika/Selty’s head in tow. The rest of Dotachin’s crew quickly realize that the people around Mikado who all received the text are actually Dollars. One long Baccano! reference later, Namie finally realizes that she’s completely surrounded.

Backstory time~! Mikado explains how lonely and bored he felt in his hometown, and how eye-opening the Internet was for him. He implies that he started the Dollars’ “existence” (or rumors thereof) as a sort of experiment done out of boredom. He wasn’t even expecting the “members” to start calling themselves “Dollars” in real life – but when that did happen, Mikado quickly attempted to change their actions into good deeds. It worked, for the most part, and the members of Dollars quickly became happier too.

It turned out Mikado had also struck a deal with Selty and Izaya, but the specifics aren’t revealed. Back in real-time, Selty confronts Mika/Selty and asks her name, to which Mika/Selty replies “Selty.” Seeming enraged, Selty gets back on her bike and goes after Namie, who’s still in the middle of a crowd of people. Chaos erupts after Selty’s helmet flies off, and the crowd disperses… allowing a knife-wielding Seiji Yagiri to attack Mikado.

I quasi-LOL’d at this part, because it might be hilarious seeing exactly who saves Mikado’s butt next week. I really, really loved this episode, though – partly because of the insane amounts of, well, insanity, and partly because Mikado’s role as head of the Dollars finally gets explained. At the end of last week’s episode, I was a little skeptical regarding Mikado’s true character and his reasons for being head of the Dollars. I figured the author had written himself into a hole character development-wise, and had pretty much turned Mikado into the ultimate Mary-Sue.

But… I can’t say that anymore. Now that the smoke has quasi-cleared, every single part of this quasi-plotless, formerly annoying show has begun to make sense. Mikado is 4chan’s new idol, according to my sources, and he’s kinda mine too. Heck, what kind of guy accidentally starts a “team” because he’s bored, creates an online community for it, and then doesn’t run away when it starts to get out of control? It’s his twisted sense of determination that makes him a likable (yet perfectly believable!) character.

And that’s why this is the best episode of Durarara!! yet. Rakuen reminded me earlier of how I came thisclose to dropping the show, and now I’m glad I didn’t. Sigh. I love being impatient. Hopefully, this show won’t burn out too early – we’re apparently less than halfway through, after all. Let’s root for a Selty/Shinra endiiiiiiiiiing~~

CJ’s Rating: 9.5 out of 10 California rolls

… Hey, I’m kind of on a roll with the movie/OVA-to-manga adaptations…

Anyway, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo was probably the most hotly anticipated North American release of 2008 (although I personally didn’t care about it,) and Bandai licensing its manga adaptation made a lot of sense. There’s a minor problem with Bandai being the ones to release it, however: they’re idiots who can’t proofread things worth crap. The finest example is “Makoto” being spelled “Makot” at one spot on the back cover.

Kindergarten-level proofreading skills aside, though, I’m glad someone brought the TokiKake manga stateside, because some of us prefer the sensation of holdign a book in your hands to watching a DVD. Don’t get me wrong, I bet the movie’s great and everything, but I’m perfectly content with the manga. Despite the typos and confusing beginning and end, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is an enjoyable read, if you’re not in it for character development or major philosophical ponderings of any kind.

In case you’re been living under a rock, the premise is something like this: Makoto is 17 years old, energetic, has two best guy friends, and gets hit by a train. Sort of. It’s during this near-miss with a train that she discovers her ability to leap backwards through time and re-live whatever she wants! She begins using this ability to fix her mistakes and mess with her own love life as well as others’, but there’s an unknown limit to her power – and what will happen when she learns it the hard way? Will one of her handsome BFFs come to the rescue?

Sort of. And that’s all I’m going to say about the ending, which actually almost made me cry. (That’s saying something, since the last manga to almost make me cry was The Voices of a Distant Star.) In this oneshot, the plot’s not so much about a girl who time-travels as much as it’s about a girl who can’t handle relationships. Makoto’s not annoyingly naive, just immature enough to be a flawed, likable character. Her character development is somewhat lacking, but that’s sort of to be expected in a movie adaptation.

Kousuke and Chiaki, on the other hand, are a bit more interesting, especially in regards to their reactions to the changes Makoto’s abilities cause. Take, for example, Makoto’s interference with Kousuke’s love life, which adds another dimension (however small) to his character. Chiaki’s involvement in the plot is a lot more direct – but it’s never properly explained, it seems. (Or maybe I just didn’t get something? Keep the comments spoiler-free, though, please!) They’re both likable enough characters, and I actually shipped Makoto with Kousuke a little, but they fail to really capture my imagination. Makoto’s aunt (who is implied to be the Kazuko chick) is a standard aunt figure with no real memorable characteristics, but she fails to be annoying in any way, so she’s likable enough.

I wish I could compare the manga to the movie, but alas, I have yet to see the film. Hopefully the movie more thoroughly explains some of the weirder parts of the plot – like the aunt, Chiaki’s ending, and the Kazuko chick at the beginning and end. The manga’s more like a glimpse into a larger universe, sort of like some of the Star Wars novels are of their respective universe. There is a A Girl Who Runs Through Time spin-off (?) that apparently explains the Kazuko chick, for example, and I hope to check that out sometime. Until then, I’ll just sit here contemplating how hot Kousuke is with his glasses on. Sigh.

It’s hard to sum up my feelings for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, especially since some of it is seriously muddled. It is, however an interesting look at the concept of time-travelling – and its potential impact on relationships. It’s a cautionary tale as much as it is a character study (albeit a shallow one,) which may turn off some potential readers. The bittersweet ending and the interesting characters, though, made the TokiKake manga worth reading for me. It’s a nice rainy-day oneshot for fans of the movie or curious shoujo or sci-fi fans.

CJ’s Rating: 8 out of 10 California rolls

If I had to pick a high point for these episodes, I probably couldn’t. Despite the continuing lack of a cohesive plot for episodes 7 and 8, all four of these episodes have thoroughly cemented my faith in this series. Though some of the characters are still fairly underdeveloped, most became considerably more well-rounded through the ~100 minutes of these episodes. They were great characters to begin with, and now they’re rivaling those of Fullmetal Alchemist and some of my other all-time favorite series.

Not to mention the ever-deepening mysteries, which continue to perplex as much as they amaze…

[Spoiler-free post ahead! Aren't you proud of me? :D]

Rakuen already talked about episodes 7, 8, and 9, so I’ll avoid summarizing those… but ohmigosh the amount of character development and general awesomeness of those episodes was amazing. I liked Shizuo fairly well before episode 7, but diving deeper into his past and his issues with Izaya was oddly well done. Naturally, the episodicness of it annoyed me, but I was able to overlook that fairly easily.

Episode 8 was epic as well, but in a slightly different way. This was another Selty-centric episode, which the fangirl in me loved, and the Selty/Shinra bits made my day. On a deeper level, though, I also loved the tension in this episode, especially with the revelations regarding who Shinra works for. Shinra and Selty continue to be my favorite characters, despite a fair amount of Selty angst this episode.

And then, in episode 9, everything goes off a cliff… The truth behind Yagiri Pharmaceuticals is (somewhat) revealed, and the girl Seiji Yagiri has been hanging out with is not who we think. Part of her isn’t, anyway. Both Seiji and his sister Namie get huge amounts of character development in this episode, but I really can’t decide if it’s for better or for worse. Seiji’s obviously unstable as heck, Namie’s a creep, and their story is just plan weird. It’s weird in a kinda-sorta good way, for now, though; hopefully they won’t throw any more extraordinarily creepy plot twists at us for a while. They’re at level 99, character development-wise…

And that brings us to episode 10, which totally threw things off a cliff… again. The very end of the episode is a spoiler to end all spoilers, though it doesn’t state anything explicitly (just makes things very very obvious through Mikado’s thoughts and what he does with his computer.) I didn’t think there was any way a certain theory of Rakuen’s could be right, but I guess it makes sense. Well played, Ryougo Narita and Brain’s Base. I do love series where nothing is what it seems; they reflect real life oh so well…

Despite the huge revelation at the end, there’s not nearly as much character development as relationship development in episode 10. I loved Kida’s quasi-casual mockery of Mikado at the beginning of the episode, as well as his and Mikado’s interactions with the boy who turns out to be a Dollar. Mikado’s relationship with Anri gains a layer, and he fully meets Selty for the first time, too.  I’m really glad this episode dropped the backstories in favor of relationship explorations, especially with Mikado’s confusion regarding Anri. I lol’d pretty hard at the stalker bit.

I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am for next week’s episode, despite the insanity of the revelation at the end of episode 10. Hopefully it’ll be properly explained, since the person it concerns isn’t the most logical person to be the… well, go watch the episode yourself. Durarara!! is a series that, at this point, I fully reccomend to anyone who has the patience to deal with the quasi-episodic nature of the first several episodes. If you can deal with a lack of definite plot direction, the characters and mysteries of Ikebukuro are well worth it.

CJ’s Rating: 9 out of 10 California rolls

I’m not a huge fan of the Shana franchise… but I am a fan of the short-tempered sword-swinging loli herself. ♥ I figured checking out the OVA would be worthwhile, partly thanks to the better (and therefore more adorable) animation. After reading about it all over the blogosphere and getting mixed reviews, I really wanted to check it out for myself, but didn’t get to until recently… and was thoroughly rewarded by the changing room scene in episode 1:

“Sakai-kun! Why are you covering Shana’s eyes?!” Abso-friggin’-lutely priceless. (Also, tons of Shana spam under the cut.)

Episode 1 of the OVA is just goofy beyond belief, but it’s actually entertaining and even throws in some plot and character tidbits at the end. Shana and Yuuji are rummaging around a room full of magical devices when Yuuji accidentally activates a telescope that switches the consciouses of two bodies. In other words, Yuuji’s mind ends up in Shana’s body, and Shana’s mind is in Yuuji’s body… much to their despair. Alastor quickly explains that they absolutely cannot let anyone find out about this, and it would be best if they fixed it right away… but before they can fix it,  Margery’s lovely cronies enter, and Yuuji!Shana is forced to hammerspace the pile of magical objects so they can find the telescope later.

Desperate for a secluded place to unhammerspace the goods and find the telescope, Yuuji and Shana begin hunting around town, only to run into a very drunk Margery. Alastor urges them not to let her know what’s going on, so they babble an excuse and dash off. Next they try their school, since it’s a Sunday… only to find Kazumi and every other school chum imaginable there for a volleyball game. Changing room scene occurs, flailing happens, etc, and Shana and Yuuji quickly depart to find another place to hunt for the telescope.

Our favorite meido-chan, Wilhelmina, shows up next, and immediately notices Shana and Yuuji’s suspicious speech patterns. She takes a shot at Shana!Yuuji, who deflects it suspiciously fast. Wilhelmina’s about to really go on the attack when Yuuji!Shana interrupts with “Wilhelmina~! DAISUKI!!” which puts the poor meido-chan into shock and allows our genderbent heroes to escape.

After finally making it to Yuuji’s house, they dash upstairs, but Shana!Yuuji is beginning to feel the side effects from the telescope. Yuuji!Shana quickly releases the items they collected, but that dumps all over9000 items onto Shana’s body… and Yuuji’s body saves it. Hence the above screencaps. Sigh. Yuuji’s mom comes upstairs, and only a hastily-cast Fuzetsu saves the pair from being caught. They finally find the telescope and set things right, just in time for Yuuji to develop severe stomach problems from all the ice cream Shana ate while in his body.

Shana asks Alastor why he wanted to keep the genderbending antics such a secret, and he explains: the telescope only works on individuals who have no barriers in their relationship with each other; in other words, people who are very close. He naturally doesn’t want any enemies to realize how close Shana and Yuuji really are.

That revelation made the weaker moments of the episode all worth it. The reality of the situation Yuuji and Shana are in continues to be made clear even through the goofy romance antics and fanservice: they’re in a world at war. Though the episode really had no action, it still managed to drive home that point. That’s an accomplishment, really.

Episode 2 is a heckuva lot more bland, partly thanks to the plot mainly revolving around Wilhelmina and Yuuji stalking Shana. (I really don’t even feel like summarizing it properly…) Sure, the resulting development of Wilhelmina and Yuuji’s strained relationship is neat, but there’s no action and no comedy. That sounds like a shallow complaint, but in a series like this, you can’t have a really fun and lulzy episode like episode 1 and follow it up with what’s essentially a slice-of-life side story. Episode 2 had its moments, alright, especially with the moeness of the last few scenes (and the hilarity of Yuuji getting yanked around by Wilhelmina, of course.) It just didn’t compare to episode 1.

Yuuji!Shana was probably the best character of both episodes, both in appearance and in commentary. Totally loved his remark about how annoyingly tight panties are (though no comment on whether it’s true or not :P). Shana’s as cute as ever, even in Yuuji’s body, and I did really love her at the end of episode 2. Just look at this:

So is this OVA worth watching? If you’re a fan of the series, the answer is a definite yes. Fortunately, there’s still two more episodes to come; if they’re both really good, that’ll make the OVA average out to a must-watch for anyone. Despite a lackluster episode 2, there’s enough lighthearted lulz combined with character development to make the OVA pretty decent so far. And if you’re one of the zillions in love with Shana… more power to you. THOSE EYES~!!!

CJ’s Rating: 7.5 out of 10 California rolls

PS: SHANA SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM

Makoto Shinkai’s first true OVA got the attention of sci-fi and romance fans on both sides of the Pacific with its beauty and tear-jerker moments. I was initially somewhat wary of its rarely-mentioned manga adaptation, partly because anime-to-manga adaptations normally suck.

But… This one was different. It totally took Shinkai’s idea and ran it in a dramatically different, slightly more political direction with a very different ending, and it somehow works. Mizu Sahara’s adaptation is just as tear-jerking as the original, but has a less ambiguous ending, which should please the softer-hearted readers. Its original characters could have been extremely annoying, but instead they flesh out Mikako and Noboru’s world quite well. Though the art is fairly weak, especially in battle sequences, there’s a couple of really nicely done color pages at the beginning of the book. It’s a must-read for fans of the OVA and shoujo fans in general.

Mikako and Noboru are middle-schoolers living in a near-future Earth… threatened by galactic war, or so it’s told to the civilians. The military drafts Mikako for a mission before she’s even out of high school, and she leaves Noboru to fend for himself. They had always been somewhat in love, but what will happen when their text messages take longer and longer to get to each other? Will Noboru forget about her, and will she die? Things are made even more nerve-wracking when Mikako’s new friends are in danger as well – and their mission turns out to not be as noble as it seemed.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no conspiracy crap to be found here, but the story still has just enough politics to be interesting to a romance-disliking (usually) cynic like me. Mikako and Noboru’s romance is typical enough, especially if you’ve already seen the OVA. But little bits of dialogue, especially from minor characters, often contribute to an overall political tension that many readers, young and old, can probably recognize. For example, one character remarks that the rescue mission to Mikako’s ship has no hope of success, and is merely being sent to appease the public. The harshness of the young pilots’ situation is emphasized as well, but fortunately, there’s no  real angsting to be found.

The manga has more characters than the OVA, partly because a volume of manga can cover considerably more plot than a 30-minute episode. Fortunately, the manga-original characters avoid being one-note cliches or just plain annoying. Hisa in particular is a great addition to the cast, partly because her injuries are a powerful reality check for both Mikako and the reader. Miwa’s a great oneechan-type figure for Mikako, and Noboru’s potential love interest back on Earth was likable enough to keep me wondering if she’d win his heart fully. (Quasi-spoiler: She doesn’t. But that’s to be expected.) Other nameless, one- or two-line characters aren’t badly done either, and I have to wonder how much effort Tokyopop poured into making this translation as natural-sounding as possible.

Pacing is only a slight issue; the end feels a bit rushed (although in this case, it’s better than too long) and some scenes just seem to have too many dialogue-less panels slowing things down. The slightly sloppy art doesn’t help things either, especially since the robot battle scenes are so dependent on the reader actually being able to figure out what’s going on. Characters’ expressions are almost always well-drawn, though, and the color pages make absolutely stunning use of sepia tones.

For once, an anime-to-manga adaptation has been produced that might just be as good as its original. Despite taking Makoto Shinkai’s concept in a very different direction, The Voices of a Distant Star’s manga shines thanks to its likable characters, attention to societal details (especially pertaining to politics), and the sheer awesomeness of its deceptively typical love story. Despite pacing and artistic issues, it’s an amazingly refreshing story compared to some of the teen angst romance stories out there.

CJ’s Rating: 8.5 out of 10 California rolls

I honestly didn’t think I’d ever recover enough to write a review about this series. I mean. That ending. T-That ending.

After a while, though, I’ve come to terms with the depressing mindscrew end, and have decided to enjoy the show (and its fandom) for what it is: a quasi-psychological sci-fi exploration of characters and “what if?” scenarios. As I’ve said before, Suou captured my attention enough to make me watch the show, but it was also worth watching thanks to the exploration of Hei and Yin’s relationship and the extraordinary plot twists. Close to the end, it seemed like Bones had written itself into a hole, but the revelations at the end of episode 11 pulled things back together surprisingly well.

(A/N: Still haven’t managed to see all of season one, but fandom has spoiled me enough to allow me to put this review quasi-in-context of Kuro no Keiyakusha. Therefore, it may contain minor spoilers for season one as well.)

The series’ opening scene was attention-getting, but I loved how it was essentially ripped to shreds by the end of the season. Throughout the first 10 or so episodes, the viewer is mainly focused on Suou, with Hei mainly being a catalyst for her development. As a new character, Suou was going to be either hit-or-miss, and I sense that a lot of fans of season one were really wondering where the heck Yin is.

Suou’s character was extraordinary well-rounded thanks to her interactions with  others, especially Tanya and (for the short time he was alive) Nika. Her worrying and confusion were rarely overdramatic, and most of her other emotions were superbly executed as well. This, of course, is partly thanks to Kana Hanazawa, Suou’s seiyuu, as well as Tensai Okamura’s directing awesomeness. The changes in Suou’s relationship with Hei at the end caught me by surprise – the two of them didn’t get along well for so long, and now he’s all huggy and stuff? Perhaps she had begun to remind him of Bai or something.

Either way, I found her quasi-hatred of Hei to be one of the most heartbreaking parts of the show. This was what made her really tragic: she had the powers (and, arguably, responsibilities) of a Contractor, but her emotions still spiraled out of control at the drop of a hat. She tells Hei she hates him, then turns to him when she can’t figure out what’s happening to her. Between that, her family-related angst, and her vain attempts to save Tanya, she’s a character I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Hei’s an odd character for me to discuss, because he’s so much less likable when he’s not with Yin. Legitly. You have him all worried and puppy-loving on Yin at the end of this season and in the OVA, but for most of this season he beats up Suou, is very unsupportive of her emotionally, and makes her do pervy dances. Some of his actions are partly justified by the circumstances, especially since he’s a Contractor, but I still wanted to slap him at times. I can’t really get a good grasp on his overall character, though, and that may be partly because I haven’t finished season one.

July, on the other hand, I could never slap… <3! I didn’t care for him much during the first 10 or so episodes, but toward the end when he apparently began to “evolve,” I found myself wishing for a happy ending for him. The shot of him in Suou’s new world was a relief, to an extent, though I’m left wondering if he was still a Doll in that world. It would have been interesting to see him continue to evolve, especially considering what happened with Yin.

All I ever hear about on LJ is how most of DtB’s female fans don’t like Misaki, but she continues to be one of my favorite characters. (Second to Suou, of course, and perhaps tied with Yin.) Maybe part of why I like her so much is her subtlety; she’s relatively calm and collected, but not unreasonably so, and that’s what makes her a believable law enforcement/detective character. She’s a little flat, but as a supporting character, you can’t be her to be super-complex or anything, can you?

Of course, some of the other side characters REALLY confused me, and that’s also partly because of me not finishing season one. Take, for example, the blonde twins that talked kinda creepy and popped up at creepy times. While I eventually figured out their general purpose in the series’ development… were they in season one at all? Or did they just magically appear in season two to be (very adorable) objects of mystery for the first 8 or so episodes? Some of the other side characters I adored without hesitating, though, especially Hazuki and Youko.

Speaking of Youko… holy crap, a lot of people died in this show. Did this many people die in season one? You have Nika, Tanya, Shion, July (arguably,) Suou (arguably,) that one chick in episode one, Youko (; A ;), and a couple of quasi-random characters, clones, civilians, etc. The violence in the series didn’t surprise me, but I expected it to mostly be concentrated at the end, not scattered throughout.

The final two episodes do a nice job shifting the focus from Suou to her relationship with her family, Shion’s powers, and Yin’s fate. It had all the potential to be a trainwreck of an ending, but Bones managed to tie things together without totally closing off the potential for another season or OVA placed after the events of this season. Yeah, it was an absolutely heartwrenching final episode, but it was the kind of heartwrenching that made sense (sort of) and didn’t feel too horribly cheap. The shot of the Yin look-alike waking up at the end was especially tantalizing, as was the shot of Hei carrying away Yin. I sort of didn’t like the part with Misaki randomly hovering over Hei and Yin; was that a reference to something in season one that I didn’t get? It seemed like a deus ex machina to make Misaki (and the viewer) think Yin and Hei were possibly dead.

Regardless of the possibilities for another season, Darker than Black season two is surprisingly well-plotted and creative. The whole Izanami/Izanagi prophecy thing was arguably a bit uninspired, but when executed in the Darker than Black universe, it works pretty well. The characters are what make this series continue to be outstanding, despite the changes in the main cast (and over9000 deaths.) Hopefully the new OVA will help explain the more confusing parts of this season a little better, especially with regards to Yin; but even if it doesn’t do a particularly good job, Ryuusei no Gemini should still be hailed as an impressive accomplishment by Studio Bones.

CJ’s Rating: 8.5 out of 10 California rolls

First, the obvious: I’m off hiatus. Expect a few fun new things from me within a day or so.

Secondly and slightly more importantly, I got my college plans worked out… and I will be attending school in-state! This means good things for my convention schedule, because I will still be able to attend Matsuricon and Ohayocon each year. Theoretically, I’ll even be able to add Sugoicon, Anime Punch or another Midwest convention, if I can get rides. ^__^ Paneling, especially Anime Blogging 101 and 201, should continue, and maybe I’ll even manage to work with Rakuen, Dave, or others to do a new panel or two.

The bad news is that I have to start classes in the summer… but that’ll be okay, since it’s Japanese 101 and 102, which I could have tested out of but decided against because there’s big holes in my writing abilities. ;_; Sigh.

Thirdly (and even MORE importantly~) Borderline Hikikomori has two new writers! Raphael will start posting shortly, but lvlln jumped in already with a Dance in the Vampire Bund post since I dropped the series. We’re all looking forward to working with them and the fresh insights they’ll bring us!

~CJ

PS – Spring Preview will be up by Monday!

Title says it all! CJ’s facing scholarship and other college-related drama over the next two or three weeks, so she won’t be doing Durarara!! posts, Manga Monday or any of the Catch-Up posts she’s been trying to do. Sorry guys! Luckily it’s gonna be a short-term break just to get stuff back on track, and it wouldn’t even have come to this if my work schedule weren’t so nuts…

The good news is that we’re accepting applications for new writers~! It’s nothing serious; just send a review/news article sample to CJ’s email (cjblackwing -at- gmail -dot- com~) with a bit of info about yourself, what series you like, etc. We’re not picky about writing skills, as long as you’re coherent and quasi-committed to this whole blogging thing (help with Season Preview posts, Shameless Shipping and 12 Days of Christmas series as needed; besides that, do whatever you want~)

Anyway, CJ will hopefully survive the scholarship crap (Please be kind to me, WUSTL~!) and manage to get back to new writers within 2-3 days after they email her, so you don’t have to worry about her leaving you hanging for 2 weeks. Don’t be scared; let us know if you want to join us~!

I finally dove more thoroughly into VIZ’s Ikki online manga “magazine” this past week after sort of ignoring it for a few months. The first series on my reading list was Kumiko Suekane Afterschool Charisma, which I had heard a lot about in various places on the net. After plowing through all 7 chapters posted, I found myself craving more, because it is an extremely interesting series so far. It has its unbelievable moments (“Almighty Dolly?!” Please tell me that’s just a poor translation!) but its unique setting and fascinating plot are keeping me hooked.

The only problems? The lack of professionalism by the site’s staff. In addition to not posting a mature content warning regarding the naked boobs in AC chapter 2, the site’s serialization efforts went on an unannounced hiatus for the “holiday season”… and still has not returned from break. According to my poking around, the manga were last updated on December 24th (for some of the series; a few were earlier than that) and don’t seem to have been touched since. It’s February 15th. The “holiday season” ended over a month ago, guys. Additionally, the blog post acknowledging the hiatus is dated January 16th. (Insert snarky commentary here.)

I only bring this up because I hate getting into series that have serialization issues (a la D.Gray-man)… and had I known that VIZ was having issues, I would have held off on starting the series. (Especially with the occasional nipples. I’m a minor, guys!) There doesn’t even seem to be any scanlation efforts out there, though it’s possible one escaped my research. Normally I wouldn’t worry much, but this unannounced hiatus could indicate licensing issues or some other conflict that could affect future publication of all the site’s series. Consider this a warning to anyone looking to get into the series, especially those of you who hate when a manga ends up unfinished.

Anyway, onto the actual review…

Afterschool Charisma’s premise is simple: in the near future, there’s a boarding school full of clones of famous historical figures. Queen Elizabeth I, Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, Napoleon Bonaparte, Sigmund Freud, Mozart, even Adolf Hitler… The clones all exist for research purposes, as well as to perhaps make the world a better place. One boy, Shiro Kamiya, is only there because his father runs the school. He’s not even a clone! So how does he fit in with everyone there… and what will he do when a mysterious organization suddenly announces their intent to slaughter the clones?

Okay, so maybe that’s not particularly simple. There’s assassinations, fathers who may not be all that they seem, clones who rebel against their predecessors, quasi-cults that obsess over Dolly the sheep (yes, for srs,) Freud analyzing the crap out of people…  You get the point. Despite its strengths, the concept alone isn’t enough to carry this manga; the series’ attention to detail and originality are what make it an okay read.

It has all the potential to be an annoying, pretentious sci-fi romp full of wangst and fail, but it’s somehow not. It’s dark, and has a few minor futuristic technology bits, but it’s actually entertaining at times. It’s serious, but isn’t afraid to have a few shameless fanservice moments (usually involving boobs.) The educational bits are nice as well, especially if you’re into history (or Hetalia, perhaps~)

My favorite character so far has to be Florence, because she’s a cute, fun female lead who’s actually believable and not pure fanservice bait. Her emotions are fairly well-executed, even she is being fanservice bait. Shiro’s not the most annoying lead character out there, and even has his moments of real likability. Freud and Hitler fascinate me the most, though, partly because of my history geek side and partly because of their… how do I phrase this… uniqueness.

Of course, there are some major believability issues in other areas. Take Joan of Arc, for example; why on earth would she of all people worship Dolly the sheep?! She’s as Catholic as it gets! The whole Dolly thing is really bizarre and unrealistic, but considering the fascinating direction it pushes the plot in, it’s almost a worthwhile ploy by the author. The morbid turn of events after Mozart’s rejection of Dolly makes me wonder if that “cult” will continue to influence things for a while.

Though there’s not enough good things about Afterschool Charisma to make it a must-read, it’s certainly an interesting “what if?” sort of story. The characters and plot twists are enough to keep me hooked despite the major believability issues at some parts. Hopefully it’ll keep up its solid execution of a mildly lame premise. Of course, all this might not matter if SigIkki effs up its serialization if the manga; let’s just hope VIZ gets its act together and maintains its release of all the SigIkki series.

CJ’s Rating: 7.5 out of 10 California rolls

The first episode of the Darker than Black OVA was released with much fanfare… especially after the trailer showed a tender embrace between Hei and Yin. After that, the fangirls did not shut up until the day the raws were finally online for us to screencap/squeal over.

And rightfully so. Though some consider the pairing to be somewhat squicky due to Yin’s apparent lack of a free will (as a Doll,) the first OVA episode – and the end of Ryuusei no Gemini, for that matter – indicate that Yin is no longer who she seems to be. This changes the dynamics of the couple greatly,and they’ll surely continue to evolve as the new OVA is released.

(Yes, this post is going to be fairly spoilery, OVA-centric and fangirly… happy singles’ awareness day!)

At the beginning of season one, Hei and Yin are fairly straightforward characters: Hei’s a Contractor who inherited his powers from his sister, and Yin’s a quasi-blind, emotionless Doll. They evolve as characters throughout the series, but their statuses don’t really change at all. Their relationship doesn’t have any romantic element to it, partly due to Yin’s lack of free will (or so we think) and partly because of all the other crap going on.

Season two, Ryuusei no Gemini, begins with plenty of Hei hanging out with a certain loli… and no Yin. Hei ends up spending a fair part of RnG pursuing Yin, who has been kidnapped by the government for mysterious reasons. The twelve-episode season ends with Yin’s new powers/persona/something being shown but not really explained, and her and Hei don’t get anything remotely resembling a happy ending.

Which is why it’s a darn good thing Bones quickly announced an OVA set between seasons one and two to explain just what the heck happened. Especially since the quasi-loss and regaining of Hei’s Contractor powers (and therefore his “logical” state of mind) greatly pertains to his relationship with Yin. The canonity of the pairing will fall back upon A) whether or not they’re alive at the end of all of this and B) whether or not they can actually feel emotions.

The OVA has begun to make it clear that Hei is actually a very caring man between seasons one and two – even though he’s clearly still a Contractor. Yin begins disobeying Hei in odd ways, and some of her actions even seem to be done in an attempt to protect him. Take, for example, when she wakes up in the middle of the night to check on “Amber” and claim it isn’t really her. What caused her to do that so suddenly? Did she suddenly have a gut feeling and decide to act on it, despite not being ordered to – or, better yet, was there a feeling of jealousy or annoyance that made her want to find something amiss? All this makes me thing criteria B has been fulfilled, but there’s always criteria A… which season two, needless to say, doesn’t do anything for.

Since the OVA is still in-progress (and the rest of the series is convoluted as heck,) there’s not much else to say about this pairing… yet. Regardless of what path the OVA takes, though, the end of season two kinda leaves things at a standstill canon-wise. Let’s hope for a full season three (or maybe at least a manga? please?) to give all the characters a proper ending – especially these two. Moar hugs, plz.

~CJ

Yep, I’m goin’ there. Despite a relative lack of canonity (aside from them living together) shipping Celty and Shinra seems like a pretty awesome choice to me. Mikado and Anri go okay together, but they’re both far too deredere to actually be in a relationship. (Nut up or shut up, Mikado!) Anyway, Celty/Shinra probably can’t/won’t be canon until she gets her head back, but until then, we can always dream…

Shinra first encountered Celty thanks to his father, who made him dissect her a bit as she lay strapped to a cold metal table. Not only did he get to see her naked (and the viewer really doesn’t, but I left the screencaps out anyway because OTL) but he also learns a heck of a lot about her – and that’s presumably what caused him to want to study her more as he got older.

Though some would argue he’s only living with her for scientific reasons, there’s sincerity in his words and actions that wouldn’t come from a mere love of science. He expresses regret when a mission he sent her on goes awry, tells her to be careful before she leaves on an assignment, and occasionally takes a semi-flirtatious (depending on your interpretation) tone when talking to her. And then there’s his peeking on her in the shower; whether he meant to try to see something or not, Selty’s relatively calm reaction indicates she trusts him.

Celty’s a lot harder to read, partly because of her lack of facial expressions, but she seems like a calm and collected tsundere to me. That would compliment Shinra’s fairly easygoing nature well. I have to wonder what else she does besides butt-kicking, though – there’s got to be down-time for her, right? Does she do anything besides talk (er, IM/visually communicate) with Shinra? Hmmmm.

In the latest episode, I noticed a bit of an odd gender role-reversal for Celty and Shinra – Shinra takes messages and goes grocery shopping, and Celty does the butt-kicking. That really only serves to make me ship them harder, since I love anything that kicks traditional stereotypes to the curb and row row fights the power. Plus, it’s not like Shinra’s a pansy or anything. He just doesn’t mind playing the role of a dutiful housewife in exchange for a little research… and perhaps love. (He’s no Newton; he presumably doesn’t want to die a virgin, amirite?)

Hopefully, these two will continue to get the character development and fandom love they deserve. After all, how often do you find an easygoing, coffee-drinking, quasi-normal scientist in anime? (Last I checked, not since KOMUI~!) And how often do you get a headless fairy who kicks more butt than all of the male characters combined? (Last I checked, NEVER~!) Even if these two don’t end up being a canon couple, I’ll be more than happy if they get a happy ending. Then the fangirls can draw (and write!) their own conclusions.

~CJ

Though at first this episode seems like a straightforward kidnapping adventure, it reveals a heckuva lot about the characters. Like, you know, Dotachin and Erika and them… and who they really are. Didn’t even see it coming. Crazy punks. <3

If Durarara!! keeps being this quasi-episodic, though, it’ll probably lose my attention pretty soon. The characters are great and everything, but really, where the heck is this plot going? The parts with Yagiri’s sister were intriguing enough to keep me hooked for at least a few more episodes, though, so I shouldn’t complain. If the plot turns into conspiracy-laden pseudo-gritty urban junk, though, consider me gone. (Even though I loooove Selty. More on that later, though. <3)

Spoilers below the cut. (They’re minor, since they’re mainly character-development related, but still…)

The kidnappers from episode 2 kidnap some one whose disappearance won’t be noticed… or so they think. Dotachin, Erika, Walker and Togusa are on their tails, and while they drive, the conversation in the van indicates they are actually members of the Dollars – contrary to what they said in the previous episode. Dotachin successfully forces the baddies’ vehicle into a fence, and as one of them tries to flee, Dotachin grabs him and asks him about the human experimentation they’re collecting specimens for.

Then we get a flashback to explain just what the heck’s going on. The man who gets kidnapped, Kaztano, is a foreigner (presumably an illegal alien) living in Ikebukuro who is friends with Dotachin and the others. He gets kidnapped by the baddies and shoved into the back of a van, where they attempt to put him to sleep with chloroform… but they screw up and spill the chloroform everywhere, putting one of their own members to sleep. Kaztano manages to send an incomplete, misspelled text message to Dotachin, who laughs it off.

We get a brief glimpse of Mikado, Anri and Masaomi, who are dining at the Russian sushi place. Anri isn’t convinced that Mika’s probably okay, and Simon and the boys only manage to make her feel worse. Dotachin and the others are dining there too, but they eventually leave to drop by Kaztano’s place, which they find wrecked. Kaztano’s little brother shows up and describes the baddies’ van to them.

Shinra gets an assignment for Selty: rescue a kidnapped foreigner, who turns out to be Kaztano. He writes down the license number of the van and attempts to give it to Selty… but gives her his shopping list, instead. The mix-up isn’t realized until Selty is on her way to complete the assignment.

Suddenly, we’re shown a scientist whose words to her subordinate suggest that she one of the people responsible for the human experimentation. She seems a little ruthless, but she picks up a photograph of her and Seiji Yagiri, the boy who refused to attend school the first episode, before the shot switches to that of a suspiciously familiar severed head.

Dotachin and the other Dollars keep searching for a van that matches the description provided by Kaztano’s brother. Dotachin explains that Kaztano was the one who always got Togusa prime tickets to see Ruri Hijiribe, a pop idol. (Wonder who she’s based on…) Back in the present, the Dollars attempt to call Kaztano’s cell, but Izaya picks up and explains that he found the phone in some kid’s pocket. Izaya’s chat is interrupted by Shizuo, who begins chasing him.

The kid turns out to be one thrown from the van by Kaztano’s kidnappers. Dotachin finds the boy’s own cell phone, successfully calls the kidnappers, disguises his voice and obtains the drop point for Kaztano. Dotachin goes on to narrate how he was surreptitiously initiated into the Dollars. He explains that no one knows who their leader is, since everything is relatively casual and internet-based. He suspects Izaya is the leader, though.

Finally, Dotachin and the Dollars arrive at the drop point to find the baddies… and Selty shows up almost immediately. Kaztano is quickly released, and the baddies flee. Selty ignores them, but the Dollars pursue them and finally succeed in stopping them. The events of the beginning of the episode are finally put into context, and the episode ends with the Dollars pulling up outside Yagiri Laboratories – followed by another tantalizing scene of Yagiri, his girlfriend (?) and his sister (?).

Though the execution of this episode wasn’t great, we’re getting into another layer of mysteries and character development. Selty and Shinra get some more screentime this episode, and she even gets a deredere moment after helping bust the baddies. My major problem is with the lack of focus on Mikado, Masaomi and Anri: though they’re not great characters, that’s partly because they haven’t had any time for development! Are they merely going to be vessels for telling the story of Selty and everyone else? Or are they actually going to do something at some point? Hopefully, they’ll get some character development and start to push the plot in an actual direction. While episodic drama, suspense and action is better than no drama, suspense and action at all, Durarara!!’s storytelling methods are trying my patience.

(After all, what was the point of this episode other than to establish that Dotachin, Erika, Walker and Togusa are Dollars? Couldn’t we have taken 5 seconds at the end of the previous episode to state that? They could’ve made it a cliffhanger of sorts for this week!)

CJ’s Rating: 7 out of 10 California rolls

Catching up on Hanamaru Kindergarten proved to be fun for my shipper side. Normally I don’t ship losers with anyone. Tsucchi wormed his way out of that rule because he’s a loser who tries hard and apparently likes Evangelion.

But in all seriousness, giving Hanamaru Kindergarten a Tsucchi/Yamamoto good ending would be a sweet move on Gainax’s part. They’re both kind, sweet, and slightly clumsy (in more ways than one) and their teaching experiences would surely make both of them awesome parents, right? But Denial, that fated river in Egypt, miiiiiight just get in the way of this couple…

It’s the first day of kindergarten, and after pseudo-hitting on a certain kindergartener on the way there, Naozumi Tsuchida lays eyes on the most beautifulest kindergarten teacher ever. Nanako Yamamoto has been working at Hanamaru Kindergarten for a while already, so she does her best to get the hapless Tsucchi adjusted to life there. As his crush on her develops, though, said certain kindergartener launches her attempts to win Tsucchi’s heart.

Oh, Anzu… you future homewrecker, you. orz.

Despite Tsucchi’s epic fail moments resulting from Anzu’s advances, Yamamoto begins to take a platonic liking to him, and the two become friends. They compliment each other a bit, help each other out, smile at each other, and generally show all the signs of luuuuurve…

The only thing in the way of their relationship? Yamamoto-sensei just doesn’t get it. She claims she doesn’t understand why any man would like her, and refuses to believe Tsucchi’s in love with her. (Denial, orz.) Tsucchi even offers to take her to an amusement park, but she turns him down, saying that Anzu-chan would have way more fun and that he should take her.

Maybe my ship goggles are tinted a little funny because HK’s already overloaded with cuteness. Or maybe I just really, really want Yamamoto-sensei to find happiness (although she really seems happy enough without a man…) Though Tsucchi plays far too many video games for his own good, maybe he’ll outgrow those one of these days and REALLY pursue the lovely Nanako-chan. Once she gets a clue, the only thing standing in their way will be Anzu… orz.

~CJ