Fairy Tail

Author: Mashima Hiro
Review Type: manga
Status: ongoing
Genre: Shounen, Fantasy

Synopsis

T.H.I.N.K M.A.G.I.C!

Follow the adventures of the Fairy Tail guild for magicians. The story introduces the young Lucy who aspires to be a famous mage, arriving at a town called Harujon. She embarks on a quest to search for the infamous fire breathing Salamander of the Fairy Tail guild. There her fate is intertwined by another mage, Natsu who owns a flying cat called Happy and has a problem with motion sickness. Later as the manga progresses, she finds out that Natsu is Salamander and joins the guild.

They embark on jobs with bounties, each having its own class to suit the current level of each mage. Natsu and Lucy inevitably pair up for each assigned task. Later they are joined by ice mage Gray who happens to be Natsu's rival and cosplay warrior Erza. The plot thickens as a there would be competitions and attacks from other magic guilds, Natsu's quest in searching for his father whose a dragon! and the issues surrounding a few other mages.



Rempit's Vrooming Review

Well if your a die hard fan of One Piece and Rave you'd first notice the similarity in art. And even though Mashima Hiro is the author of Rave, it wouldn't hurt less to be a bit different. Somewhat with what Inoue Takehiko and his works on Real, Slam Dunk, and Vagabond.

Plus there are overlapping characters from Rave and Fairy Tail. So you've guessed right, Plue the cosmic puppy with a coned nose is also featured in here. And you'd be begging to find out what other similiarities there are, and thats for you to find as you venture into the manga. Even Natsu relationship to Lucy and the ice mage Gray is somewhat in retrospect of Haru Glory with Ellie and Musica. So if you'd hate the similiraties, stop here and source out for a different manga.

The author however does an excellent job in character development. Through the manga, you'd slowly begin to understand abit on each character and would have an idea on their personalities, traits and current struggles. It practically abounds with the common shounen themes and if you'd like some adventure then you can deserve an entertaining read. The characters in nature, too, are originanl in nature; Natsu the fire breathing mage, etc.

Despite all thats said, I would still follow Fairy Tail on a regular basis, because again its shounen-ness is different from the mainstreamed ones of Naruto and Bleach. And if you're a sojourner like myself, than you'd add this into your collections.

Rempits Review

Storyline: 4/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 2/5 ( Because of the similarities it shares with Rave and One Piece)
Structure: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Kekkaishi

Author: Yellow Tanabe
Review Type: manga/anime
Status: ongoing/completed
Genre: Shonen, Supernatural

*note the color codes for manga and anime.

Synopsis

The understand the story, you need to understand what happened 500 years back in the current manga script.A feudal lord was attacked by demons seeking to harness the inner power within him to control the human world. The feudal lord sought Tokimori Hazama for aid. Hazama brought two of his students to save the feudal lord and the land from rogue demons. The effort was a success but it had its repercussions. Tokimori Hazama and his proteges fell ill and the feudal lord was killed but his power was buried with him at a site called Karasumori.

Now forward to the where the manga begins, Karasumori has become a land of contention. Demons are still drawn to the place for its ability to make them stronger. But now there exists a group called the Kekkaishi or barrier masters. There are two clans responsible for this duty; the Sumimura and Yukimura respectively. They are basically in charge of exterminating demons that would seek to harness Karasumori's power.

Yoshimori Sumimura and Tokine Yukimura color the manga as the main protagonists of the comic as the current ones to guard over the land. The story takes this simple plot a step ahead by introducing Yoshimori's idealistic anthem of gaining the power to not only exterminate demons but to save the world from being entirely controlled by them. It also produces a political flavor by having demon organizations contending with the kekkaishis in a power struggle for ownership of the land and its powers.







Rempit's Vrooming Comments:

The story basically is a typical shonen fair. You would have the ideas of a weak hero for a starter, a trying to get stronger hero with a stronger rival for an entree and a miraculously strong hero for an appetizer. Much like Naruto. Yoshimori fits this description but this time the rival is none other than Tokine; a much more focused and skilled kekkaishi. The relationship here however is not a Sasuke-Naruto or a Naruto-Sakura type. So that would be a breath of difference and relief.

Unlike Naruto's Sakura or Bleach's Orihime, Tokine provides a point of difference by first not being a big-boobed bimbo, but by actually being extremely skilled at her trade. With the fact that she has a mother syndrome, watching over Yoshimori at all times. Though there are hints of romance between the two, the manga hasn't provided us the privilege of a love stint between the kekkaishis.

Yoshimori's character in contrast with Naruto, starts with a lazy, cake loving and not enthusiastic kekkaishi. Naruto on the other begins with a rejected, low self esteemed, i-want-to-be-the-best syndrome.

Other characters are fairly introduced and Yoshimori's contemporaries provide a decent flavor to the manga. They don't introduce this Gambate feeling. Unlike your other typical shonen flicks.

To end it, well give Kekkaishi a try both on manga or anime. It is pretty interesting, especially in the manga as how the story develops. Check the ratings below if you are still contemplating on the subject.

Rempit Rates:

Character Development: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Structure: 4/5
Art: 4/5

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

Writer: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Production House: Sunrise
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Mecha

Synopsis

The year is Universal Century 0088. Directly after the end of the Gryps War, Haman Karn and her army of Zeon remnants on the asteroid Axis begin their quest of reviving the lost empire of the Zabi's, and proclaim themselves as the Neo-Zeon. With the Earth Federation as hapless as ever, only the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) is able oppose the plans of Neo-Zeon. In need of all the help it can get after being decimated in the previous war and losing many of its key members, the AEUG ship Argama enlists the aid of a young junk collector from the Side 1 colony of Shangri-La named Judau Ashta to pilot its newest mobile suit, the Double Zeta Gundam.



Set in UC 0088, this Gundam ZZ (pronounced 'Double Zeta') is part of the Universal Century timeline, taking place immediately after the events in Zeta Gundam. The Titans have been defeated, but the Zeon descendants of Axis are still around and with a seemingly full strength military force whose numbers were relatively unaffected during the Gryps War. With the AEUG and Federation forces suffering heavy losses during the war, Haman Karn moves towards the destruction of the entire Earth sphere in the name of the Zabi family.

The Argama, which had taken heavy damage, carrying seriously injured pilot Camille Bidan, docks at Shangri-la, a backwoods and almost ghetto like colony. Initially one of the first of the colonies constructed, Shangri-la is now largely unmaintained and abandoned, and had become the domain of poverty stricken space junk salvagers like Judau Ashta and his friends. Judau originally planned on stealing the Zeta Gundam and selling it for scrap, but ended up joining Captain Bright Noa in their futile fight to stop Neo-Zeon's plans on annexing the Earth.


Chibi's critique

After Zeta Gundam's heavy wartime drama filled with hardship and tragedy, Double Zeta's 'for kids' character design and storyline is just unbelievably... irksome. The entire first half of the anime just trudges along with the 'Neo-Zeon attacks, Judau comes to save the day' template with no story or character development whatsoever. Everything that made Zeta Gundam such a well recieved anime with its incredibly gritty and dramatic plot gets subverted into a play world for Judau and co, and even incredibly serious characters, like Captain Bright Noa and the ruthless Yazan Gable, are reduced to little more than a couple of gullible bufoons for Judau's hijinks. It pissed me off to no end, which was why the sudden shift in tone halfway through the series as Tomino-sensei got the approval for the Char's Counterattack movie and rewrote Double Zeta to accommodate the movie's mood was a Godsend.

As always, first impressions go a long way, and this anime makes a very poor one. The first quarter insults the viewer's intelligence by giving us a cast of incompetent teenage morons. It is irksome to see a bunch of buffoons eating food whilst being shot at, and it is even more annoying to watch certain characters give 'prophetic' sermons on honor when they are out to kill people. The misplaced comedy might be more suited to other mecha shows such as FLCL or Gurenn Lagann, but in no way whatsoever does this franchise need comic relief, which in turn creates grave situations undermined by misplaced comedy. Due to the poor introduction, it is hard to take the characters seriously for the first half of the series.



The show slowly starts pulling itself out of the fire during the second quarter of the series, but unfortunately the characters do not take definitive roles until the second half. One is still subject to the annoying humor before it finally starts to take itself seriously (which happens only from episode 20 onwards, when i was at the end of my rope trying to comprehend Tomino-sensei's motive in this installment). The anime manages to regain face after the 'comedic' antics are dropped, the characters become easier to relate to, and the drama (a prerequisite to any Gundam saga) picks up. The second half of the show is where it gets a little more interesting, where we finally see the futility of AEUG's fight to resist Haman's Axis forces. A civil war then breaks out between Haman and another Neo-Zeon faction led by Glemy Toto, which was the only thing preventing from Neo-Zeon having absolute power over the entire Earth sphere. Unfortunately, as a result of the anime's dire first half, the development of Glemy Toto from useless lovestruck rookie pilot to ruthless power-hungry warlord happens too fast, and the huge personality changes of characters like Mashima Sero and Chara Soon had to be justified using seriously idiotic brainwashing theories. The action in the second half of the series also becomes more exciting as certain characters begin to love, fight, and die. There's also considerable change in the animation, looking like something from the mid 90s rather than the late 80s, and the aesthetics compliment the fight scenes. To put it simply, the show transforms into a gritty Gundam series during the second half, but after 20 episodes of making a mockery of the franchise, the damage is done.



The mecha designs in Double Zeta are incredibly super-robot like, with the exception of the previous Zeta Gundam designs and the Neo-Zeon ones. The transforming Double Zeta is incredibly block-ish and ugly (honestly, it's an abomination to make the Double Zeta the feature mobile suit of the series) and the control system is absolutely idiotic, with the double beam cannon cockpit actually able to take over control of the entire Gundam (golden rule : all mobile suit cockpits are located in the torso and should be the only place to pilot them). It's a great relief that the Double Zeta is the only new Gundam of the series. The design of the Double Zeta is later borrowed for the blueprint of Gundam Seed Destiny's Shin Asuka's Impulse Gundam, which in my opinion is still visually unappealing.



Tomino-sensei approached Zeta Gundam attempting to create an epic drama, and he succeeded. He then approached Double Zeta Gundam attempting to make people laugh… and he succeeded. This entire idea is heavily overshadowed by the tiny little fact that comedy and war do not mix well. Gundam ZZ had the potential to achieve the greatness of its predecessor, but it fails because it never generates the momentum it needs to become something truly special.

Gundam ZZ is technically the third installment in the Universal Century timeline (or as I'd like to call it the Char-Amuro rivalry series), and this is the only reason to watch it. Neither Char nor Amuro appear in the series (Char was scheduled to make an appearance in Double Zeta in the second half of the series, but Tomino-sensei decided against it after he got the go ahead for Char's Counterattack) so missing it will have absolutely no impact on how well you understand Char's Counterattack.

Do not watch this anime expecting another Zeta Gundam, as the series will never be as engaging as its predecessor. Also, I recommend not watching it without first seeing the original Gundam and Zeta Gundam, while the show boasts a new cast, the historical references and the cameo appearances would be lost on you without prior knowledge. If you could survive the abominable start of the series, you will find that Gundam ZZ is another above par anime that deserves its place in the Gundam universe, although not quite as high as the stars.



Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ was written and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise. It ran from March 1986 to March 1987, spanning a total of 47 episodes.

Chibi's Review


Storyline: 3/5
Character Development: 3/5
Art: 4/5
Structure: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Ouran High School Host Club

author: Bisco Hatori
review type: anime
status: completed
genre: romantic comedy
episodes: 26
original run: 2006

Haruhi Fujioka is a student at Ouran High School, and is the only student on a privilidged scholarship to that school. This is because Ouran High School is a prestigious school for children of the elite, super-rich high class society of Japan.

Being in a school where money matters more than brains, Haruhi, being an A+ student, tries to find a moments peace to study, but ends up in a last place any normal student wants to be, except girls, The Ouran High School Host Club.
After a brief encounter with the club members, and an obvious accident incident, Haruhi becomes a servant to the club, doing daily chores to pay back for the damages incurred. Little by little, the club members shows Haruhi the secrets of living of the rich, and they learn Haruhi has a secret as well.


Baboon Bites

Character Development: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Cowboy Bebop

Writer: Keiko Nobutomo
Director: Shinichiro Watanabe
Production House: Sunrise
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Mecha, Shounen

Synopsis

The year is 2071 AD. With the systematic collapse of the old nation-states, a mixed jumble of races and peoples were driven out of their terrestrial Eden and spread to the stars, taking with them the now confused concepts of justice, freedom, violence, and love. New rules were established, and a new generation of bounty hunters came into being. People referred to these bounty hunters as 'cowboys'.

Meet Spike and Jet, a drifter and a retired cyborg cop who have started a bounty hunting partnership. In the converted ship The Bebop, Spike and Jet search the galaxy for criminals with bounties on their heads. They meet a lot of interesting characters, including the unusually intelligent dog Ein, the bizarre hacker child prodigy Ed, and the voluptuous and vexing femme fatale, Faye Valentine.



The crew of the spaceship Bebop are a partnership of bounty hunters, called "cowboys", who travel the solar system trying to apprehend bounties. Jet's the owner of the Bebop, but has partnered with Spike for his diverse combat skills. Though he is reluctant to admit it, Jet has also come to rely on Spike for companionship in the normally solitary field of bounty hunting.

Most episodes revolve around attempts to bring in a specific bounty. Some of the Bebop's varied targets include small time thugs, gangsters, hackers (known as 'net divers') , religious leaders, psychopaths, genetic experiments, mutant creatures and petty thieves. Occasionally the Bebop crews' pasts catch up with them, and the show regularly views the history of the main characters and more general past events, in flashbacks. For example, Spike's past as an assassin for the syndicate appears in a number of episodes.


Chibi's Bebopping Comments

I'll just get straight to the point with this one. As a longtime anime fan who has seen it all, from lengthy chronological series like Naruto, One Piece and Bleach to arthouse favorites like Akira and Tekkonkinkreet, to visually stimulating explosive CGI extravaganzas such as Karas and Appleseed, I can say that Cowboy Bebop is, hands down, one of the finest anime ever produced for the small screen.

The writing in this series (Keiko Nobumoto receives the 'Screenplay' credit, which I guess means that she was the head writer) is just flawless and the translators did a great job of carrying over the feel and expressiveness of the Japanese dialogue in English, rather than just translating it word for word (this applies to the subtitles, I NEVER watch dubs and yes, I speak a little Japanese) . The individual episodic plots are meticulously well written, and there's the ever present shadow of the overarching main plot, which is never truly revealed throughout the story. The characters are very realistically written, interesting and three-dimensional, with the notable exception of Ed, the hacker, whose annoying presence is probably a plan by Sunrise in order to appeal to a particular type of audience (loli, bi-shounen or yaoi freaks i guess). Fortunately, Ed does not feature much throughout the series while the other three, Spike, Faye and Jet, are so cool and appealing that an episode could consist solely of the three of them sitting around, playing Mah Jong and it would still have enough sexual tension and banter to keep it enthralling.



Cowboy Bebop also demonstrates it's versatility in writing with a wide range of character in its episodes. Some are funny, others action-packed and others quietly introspective, or a mix of all three. The anime takes place in a world that is both futuristic and retro, and the realism of the series in making this world believable is uncanny. With so much attention given to detail, watching the show really makes you feel as if such a place does exist.

The direction and look of Cowboy Bebop are just simply cool and breathtaking. If you're a fan of the jazz era, you'll love the color scheme, the inking and the lines. Director Shinichiro Watanabe does an amazing job of creating the feel of coolness from days gone (most notably the Brat Pack's big band era; the Brat Pack being Frank Sinatra and a few of his peers at the time) by while keeping you all the while, decidedly in the future. A bevy of angle shots, rapid cuts, stills with voiceover, extreme close-ups and many other techniques, some of which can only be accomplished in an animated production. The CGI was also executed to great effect, which not only helps the futuristic feel of the series, but also gives Cowboy Bebop certain special effects that few other animes have. You can feel that Sunrise isn't pulling any punches from just viewing the opening credits. It's no surprise that Cowboy Bebop was one of the more expensive anime series ever produced.



Now for the music. It features music from quite possibly the most-talented, versatile and interesting composer in Japanese Jazz and certainly one of, if not the greatest composer for anime soundtracks today; Yoko Kanno. The score to Cowboy Bebop takes all the best elements of jazz, pop, rock, classical and blues and mixes it all up in a score so catchy and wonderful to listen to that it is impossible that any anime series anywhere that had a better one (trust me I've looked, and the closest to come to it is either Naruto or Bleach, and even bleach uses bands and singers and not really compositions) . If you're interested in the feel of the series, but don't want to commit to a DVD, try one of the soundtrack albums and I guarantee you'll pick up the DVD the next day.

In short, this is one of the few animes that I have ever seen that really is cool, fun and never, ever insults your intelligence (Naruto fillers anyone?) . If more animes were like this god only knows how I'd get anything done, much less have a girlfriend. For a good long time since I started watching anime again almost all of my measuring of a good series will be against this one. This is the epitome, the penultimate, the incarnation of everything that is good about anime. Do yourself a favor and buy it, and you'll be gushing as much as I did.



Cowboy Bebop is written by Keiko Nobumoto and directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, and is produced by Sunrise. It was originally aired from April 1998 to April 1999, spanning 26 episodes. A movie titled Cowboy Bebop : The Movie was released in Sept 2001, and was 115 minutes long. It was directed by Shinichiro Watanabe and produced by Masahiko Minami, Minoru Takanashi and Masuo Ueda. The screenplay was written by Keiko Nobumoto, while the story itself was written by Hajime Yatate. Two manga series were written following the anime and movie. The first is Cowboy Bebop: A New Story, which was written by Hajime Yatate and illustrated by Yutaka Nanten. It was published by Japan Kadokawa Shoten and Tokyopop for the United States and Canada which ran from April 1998 to April 2000, spanning 3 volumes. Another manga called Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star was realeased around the same time, and was also penned by Hajime Yatate but illustrated Cain Kuga, and also published by Japan Kadokawa Shoten and Tokyopop for the United States, and is still running.


Chibi's Review



Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Writer: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Production House: Sunrise
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Mecha

Synopsis

The year is Universal Century 0087. After the tragic One-Year War, humanity has once again settled into an unstable sense of peace. In order to maintain this status quo, the Earth Federation has given a special military division, the Titans, the authority to monitor the colonies. This division uses any means necessary to force compliance, whether it is propaganda, forceful censorship, or genocide. In order to combat the Titans’ tyranny, the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) has assembled a group a dissidents and amassed the funds and weapons to wage another war. The AEUG’s ranks are significantly bolstered when a Newtype named Kamille Bidan joins the fray in a Gundam.



Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam uses a similar plot structure as the original Mobile Suit Gundam, but the story is written by the hands of experience and maturity. Gone are the loose ends and redundant plot devices. The show has a tight script helmed by a dynamic cast. The characters are both calculating and political, but they are hindered by emotions. They know what they want and how to get it, but they never are truly satisfied. As circumstances change, people die, moral stigmas emerge and characters lose sight of their initial goals and unwittingly become pawns of other, more ambitious individuals. The continuous, almost episodic, string of fights set the stage for the all this drama to play out.



The story of Zeta Gundam centers around the life of a civilian teenager named Kamille Bidan, a successor to the previous and all time favorite pilot Amuro Ray (well all time fave for me anyways). Kamille's parents are engineers working for the Earth Federation and Titans. While traveling to the colony Green Noa to meet his parents, Kamille met with an altercation with a Titans officer, Jerid Messa, who said his name is very feminine, subsequently punching the officer in the face. The Titans by now are an opressive group initially established in order to quell the remaining Zeon remnants around the colonies, and dissatisfaction for the elite taskforce was steadily growing. A group called AEUG (Anti-Earth Union Group) then secretly emerges from the Earth Federation and Zeon remnants including Char Aznable (he's back!), now disguised as Quattro Bajeena, led by the Earth Federation Forces Brigadier General Blex Forer, is determined to fight against the Titans. An AEUG task force led by Quattro launched an attack on Green Noa in the hopes of capturing the newly developed Gundam Mk-II, which was undergoing military testing in said colony. Kamille, with his skills and knowledge from winning the champion Junior Mobile Suit competition took the initiative and piloted the Mk-II, which was initially prepared for Jerid, the Titan officer he punched earlier, and fought against the attack. As the battle escalates, Kamille managed to push the AEUG forces back, and was in pursuit of Quattro back to the Argama, the mothership of the AEUG. The Titans then proceeded to use Kamille's parents as hostages, demanding the return of the Gundam Mk-IIs, but Jerid shot and destroyed the capsules, oblivious to the contents inside, which led Kamille to join the AEUG in their fight against the Titans.



With the plot following Kamille's experiences in the war, he meets many different people from all sides, including brainwashed artificial Newtypes working for the Titans to the giant corporate leaders of Anaheim Electronics, who were secretly funding the AEUG. Several battles between AEUG and Titans ensued , and quickly escalates into a civil war after the AEUG commenced an all out attack on the Earth Federation's assembly at Dakar, with Quattro revealing his true identity as Char Aznable and went on to present evidence of the Titans' tyranny including using a nerve gas called G3 on a defenseless colony. Earth Federation court soon ruled the Titans to be terrorists and backed AEUG to hunt down Titans' leader Jamitov Hymem.



Following the loss of support from the Earth Federation, the Titans turned to its original enemy, the Zeon remnants, now called Axis Zeon, seeking an alliance with them to regain control of the Earth sphere. Axis Zeon's leader Haman Karn had a different plan, who also contacted AEUG, using the civil war of the Earth Federation at hand as a means to demand control of Side 3, the former Zeon colony, known as the Principality of Zeon during the One-Year War.



The involvement of the Axis Zeon and Jamitov's assassination by the Jupiter fleet's leader Paptimus Scirocco soon led to a battle to gain control of the Gryps colony, the Titans' home base. The Titans' base in the Gryps colony was modified to be a colony laser, weapon of mass destruction first seen in the original Gundam anime, where a full sized O'Neil Cylinder is turned into a laser. This leads to the final battle between the AEUG and the Jupiter fleet, resulting in a cliffhanger ending in order to set up the plot for Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, the successor of the anime.


Chibi's Zeonic Comments

For a production of the 1980s, the animation is remarkable. The colors may lack the distinct clarity of modern productions, but the motions are fluid and almost never redundant. The music also gives the show a boost with its forward, bombastic nature. In the end, the only 'flaws' the show has is its heavy reliance on the back story of its prequel, Mobile Suit Gundam, and its cliffhanger ending that feeds into is sequel, Mobile Suit Double Zeta Gundam.

A couple of old faces are also featured in this installment, you get to see Amuro Ray and how the war has affected him, Char Aznable as the awesome Quattro Bajeena, who now is on the same side as the Earth Federation (watch his new mobile suit Hyaku Shikki in action), casting a new light on him and also cementing his status as one of the franchise's most loved characters, even the old crew of the White Base get a little screen time as a few of them were drafted on the Argama. We also get to see the introduction of Axis Zeon's charismatic leader Haman Karn and her mobile suit the Quebeley, which in my opinion remains as one of the best designed mobile suits ever in the franchise's history. However Haman's role is pretty minimal after only appearing towards the end of this series, but plays a huge role in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ.


Chibi's Zeonic Review

Now for the hard part. Getting an accurate read on a show like Zeta can be hard due to all the hype that surrounds it. It has been alternately called the best Gundam series ever and the best anime series ever. I went into this with extremely high expectations due to all the things I had heard and ended up being a little underwhelmed. After sitting through the entire 50 episodes, I came to a few conclusions. This is not a series that packs in a lot of visual effects, and, unlike some of the more recent Gundam entries (Wing, Seed and Seed Destiny, and most recently 00) , it doesn't fall back on the awesomeness of numerous Gundams to make up for poorly choreographed battle sequences. It's not a show that blows you away from the get-go or will quench your thirst for action. It is, however, a deep, quality piece of work, a stand out in an already stand out crowd.



Zeta's much hyped characters are kind of a hit and miss, in my opinion. Depending on what you're looking for, they could be the franchise's best or its worst. Zeta's characters are, for the most part, complex, subtle people, often with conflicting desires and aspirations. These are not the typical slew of characters who so often reside in stories like this. They are unique individuals with their own eccentricities and strange idiosyncrasies, like any real people would have. They are probably some of the franchise's deepest characters, and one could easily spend hours exploring the many facets to their actions and motives. I think that this is where Zeta is at its most artistic, displaying a level of thought and planning one doesn't normally find in this type of story. However, I also found them to be possibly the franchise's least likable cast. Most of them come across as cold and unapproachable for much of the series, which I found to be rather odd (with the exception of Amuro and Quattro, who are in their sophomore roles this time round). I found that Quattro really carried the show for me in terms of engaging characterization. However, these complaints of mine are pretty superficial, as the characters really are some of the franchise's best once you get to know them better. It also has two very memorable villains (two of Gundam's best, in my opinion), in Paptimus Scirocco and Haman Karn. It's almost worth buying the DVD just to see the normally composed Quattro yelling, 'Haman Karn!' and flying into a wild rage.



Tomino-sensei's really outdid himself with this one. With the sheer complexity of the plot and the deep character development, his work demands a high level of attention and critical analysis on the part of his audience, more than one might normally devote to mecha animes before this, to my absolute surprise and joy. I find it to be a breath of fresh air from the 'connect-the-dots' style of some other directors, who seem to think their fans are either retarded, or themselves paying so little attention to detail that every little plot point and implication needs to be explained many times over in order for the point to get across (a feature i so painfully recalled in both Gundams Seed and Seed Destiny).



Those complaints, however, do little to affect the overall quality of the anime. Zeta Gundam is an intelligent, thought provoking series, and one of the better Gundam sagas out there. Like any good classic, it isn't a story to be watched and forgotten, but one to be experienced again and again and thought about for a good long time. Even if you don't like the franchise in general, this classic will convert (or at least confuse) even the biggest detractor. A must see for any mecha fan.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam was written and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise. It was initially released from March 1985 to February 1986, spanning a total of 50 episodes. A movie trilogy of the series had also been released from may 2005 to March 2006, and is planned for a Blu-Ray disc release in early 2010.


Chibi's Review


Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Mobile Suit Gundam - The Movie Trilogy

Writer: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Production House: Sunrise
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Mecha

Synopsis

In the year Universal Century 0079, humanity lives in space colonies called Sides. Side 3, the Principality of Zeon, has declared war on the Earth Federation. After the initial fighting, an 6-month stalemate occurred. However that stalemate breaks when Amuro Ray stumbles into the Gundam, the Earth Federation's secret weapon. Now Amuro and the crew of White Base must stand up to Zeon in order to end the war.


Chibi's Mecha-nised Comments

This is it folks. The series that singlehandedly started the entire super robot craze that spans movies, manga, video games, model kits, artbooks, you name it. If there was one anime series that defined the mecha aspect of the genre, this would be the penultimate one. Dubbed as the Japanese Star Trek, this anime by far exceeds its American counterpart so much so that in my opinion it makes the comparison totally unfair. The impact that the original Mobile Suit Gundam series and the movie trilogy have had on anime is simply impossible to measure. Stylistically, Gundam is the prototype for the hundreds of mecha anime that followed, from Armored Trooper VOTOMS to Macross to Patlabor to Neon Genesis Evangelion. Each of its successors, even including the dozens of Gundam spin-offs, such as War in the Pocket, 08th MS Team, and even Gundam Wing, boldly took the original's basic concepts in different, and wildly entertaining directions. With all the television series, theatrical features, novelizations, manga, and merchandise that made it one of the most popular properties in film history, Yoshiyuki Tomino's landmark mecha series Kido Senshi Gundam (Mobile Suit Gundam) was not a success when it aired in Japan in 1979. But when the series was re-cut with new animation into three theatrical features in 1981 and 1982, it connected with audiences (and me), sparking a craze that climaxed with near-riots in Japanese toy stores over Gundam merchandise, and made me Gundam crazy for the first time in my life at age 26, buying all sorts of Gundam stuff i could get my hands on, which was so abundant circa 2003. This was largely in part of the unavailability to get my hands on a subbed copy of the DVD for the longest time (since childhood to be exact) due to licensing issues, and was the very first anime I watched after a significant 12 year layoff.



Inspired by George Lucas's Star Wars trilogy, George Pal's Destination Moon, and the films of Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu, Tomino set out to create a universe that would enable him to go beyond the standard duels and battles to explore politics, mysticism, ecology, and social prejudices, which was the exact winning formula that endeared everybody at the time to the anime, and continues to do so. Mecha in earlier science fiction anime and movies were generally remote-controlled machines owned by boys who treated them almost like pets, however, beginning with the Mobile Suit RX-78, the Gundam robots resembled massive space suits that could function as one-man space ships. Kunio Okawara's anthropomorphic designs blended the flamboyance of traditional samurai armor with high-tech angularity, and the eye-catching results added to the visual power of Tomino's well-choreographed sword fights and wrestling matches on Earth and in space. The Gundam features ushered in a new era of mecha adventures and anime fandom decades later, influencing countless other animated sci-fi epics.


Chibi's Mecha-nised Review

First off this is the best Gundam out there, do your self a favor and give yourself time to get past the dated animation, because once things get going believe me you'll think it's the way things are supposed to look. These movies cover most of the events of the series with some new footage in the second and third movies. Oh and they're long, but that's a good thing. Although there are a few parts in the original 43 episode anime that were omitted from this trilogy of movies, all of the significant and important events are included, leaving the consistency of the storyline intact. Even ignoring the historical importance of Mobile Suit Gundam, the anime, and especially these three movies, have withstood the test of time. 30 years after their original release, they are still moving, wildly entertaining, even surprising. Start with the story, the characters, the themes, then let the rest follow. Although the basic conceit of the show is the use of anthropomorphic mechanized suits of armor during modern combat, one could conceivably remove the Gundams themselves from the show and still have the heart and soul of the story intact. This is the lesson that the aforementioned series took from Gundam and applied to such great effect. Strong characters, engrossing story, exciting conflict, and above all, balance.



The first movie as all trilogy movies go, is all about introduction, with plenty of mecha battles thrown in between. The year is UC 0079. Side 3's Principality of Zeon is at a stalemate in a six month war with the Earth Federation, despite it's Zaku II mobile suits which are a milestone in military development at the time. Side 7 is host to the Federations Mobile Suit development project, and was attacked during a Zeon surviellance mission. During the confusion, 17 year old Amuro Ray finds himself the fateful pilot of the Gundam, after looking for a place to hide amidst the heat of battle, and stumbling upon the mobile suit despite not knowing what it is. Despite his inexperience, Zeon's Zakus pose him little trouble and are easily dispatched. The first mobile suit battle goes well for the Federation, with Amuro piloting the gundam and civilians in charge of White Base following the chaos of the invasion, and were given military ranks shortly after. Thus begins the main theme of the first movie.

This movie focuses on the hopeless situation of White Base as they fight for thier lives on the way to the federation H.Q in Jaburo, South America (now famously known as the journey to Jaburo), after Char Aznable (the ever so classic Gundam villain unparalleled), Zeon ace pilot forces them down into Zeon controlled territory after the first contact with the Gundam and White Base. It also focuses on the growing rivalry between Char and Amuro, and Amuro's interest in Lt. Matilda (who at times seems to be the only one in the federation who cares about White Base). As for action let's say by the end of the movie White base has a bounty on it , and the legendary Zeon Commando Ramba Ral (pilot of the Gouf, an upgrade for the Zaku that I think was really kickass) on thier tails.



The second movie takes a sad turn as several beloved main characters, from both the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, bite the dust. Despite being pursued by a Zeon Combat unit headed by Ramba Ral, White base is commanded to participate in operation Odessa, since the Federation suspects them of being newtypes (super soldiers with advanced powers of perception, enabling them to operate and execute complicated machinery or commands.....*hint-hint*) Seyla (rumoured to be Char's sibling) tries to find out if Char is her brother, and commandeers the Gundam only to nearly get herself killed and thrown in to the brig. Amuro even deserts the Federation with the Gundam , whilst some of his fits are painful to watch, but his encounter with Ramba Ral finally forces him to grow up.



In addition to great story telling this movie has several memorable battles. Ramba Ral's hand to hand combat invasion of White Base, the confrontation with the Black Tri-Stars (a Zaku commando unit), and the Zeon invasion of Jaburo. The latter of which has the best combat musical score in the series.



The final installment in this trilogy is all about resolving the fall of Zeon and all the intense battles along the way. It starts with White Base being pursued by Char Aznable, whilst repeatedly thwarted by Amuro and the Gundam, slowly dispatching his advanced fleet. After a brief stop at side 6 where the Newtype girl Lala is introduced, which apparently comes off as a love interest in both Char and Amuro, it's on to the Zeon base of Solomon for the decisive battle. The big Zam is... well you'll just have to see it. This movie wraps up the loose ends and the war, and i will not reveal any more of the details. This collection belongs in the library of every serious anime fan, so if you're feeling nostalgic, curious or just don't have anything else to watch, give this trilogy a shot. It will change all your perception on the newer Gundam animes, even mecha animes, as every and all of them pay homage to this anime by borrowing at least one idea from its legendary story.



All three Gundam movies were written and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise. Mobile Suit Gundam was released in March 1981, it's second installment Soldiers of Tomorrow was subsequently released in July on the same year. It's third and final installment was released March 1982.


Chibi's Review


Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 3/5
Originality: 5/5

xxxHolic

Writer: Tsutomu Mizushima
Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
Production House: Production I.G
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Seinen, Supernatural

Synopsis

Kimihiro Watanuki is more than a normal high school student. He possess the ability to see spirits. However, more often than not, he meets with malevolent ones that are likely to chase him and give him the time of his life. One day, he wonders into a shop owned by a mysterious woman named Yuuko, who grants people's deepest wishes and desires. She can free him of his 'ability'. However, she demands a huge price in return - he must work for her. Thus, begins Watanuki's new job in a shop that is not quite what it seems...

Chibi's xxxComments

Now, I'm not usually a big fan of horror and super-natural anime, but I think xxxHolic had achieved something that most series in this genre have not. xxxHolic's story is based on japanese superstition and folklore, rather than another dose of vampires, zombies or psychos that seem to define said genre these days. By using superstition and folklore as the basis of the series' plotlines, it effectively strikes the viewer as believable as all of us had been superstitious at one point of our lives (mine was no sex before a big match back then), especially when we were still young. Now that we are older and wiser, we tend to dismiss it all as hogwash.



Chibi's xxxReview

xxxHolic in essence makes me feel that it is trying to bring back the traditional way of storytelling, with tales of folklore and japanese culture, in a world of anime where most plots are either science-fiction or typically shonen fare, where stories is nearly always centered on angst or finding one's identity and individuality or WORLD PEACE. In this light, xxxHolic is very original in its direction. Every episode contains a meaningful lesson behind it, whether it's the price to pay for lying, greed, or murder, to name a few. And given that it deals with the super-natural, some episodes are pretty creepy and watching it alone at night can seriously induce paranoia on the viewer, where the anime leaves you hanging at the edge of your seat in anticipation of something bad to happen, but is usually subtle enough to not scare you away from finishing an episode.

The most distinctive feature of this anime is the character design. The long limbs of the characters takes a little getting used to (fans of Code Geass won't have a problem with this as both animes came from Clamp, hence the similar character traits) and how extras are never given any features or colours beyond an outline. This in my opinion is a brilliant idea, since the extras are so unidentifiable one's focus will be emphasized on the main characters' prominence. Given this, the anime is also produced by one of the top animation studios in Japan (Production IG of Ghost in the Shell : Stand Alone Complex fame, on par or perhaps better than the country's previous animation top dog Sunrise, of Gundam and Cowboy Bebop fame). The eye-candy will really take one's breath away, especially if you have seen the movie as well. I just love the smoke swirling around Yuuko and how the wind always seems to give Yuuko that mysterious aura.

The characters in xxxHolic aren't as numerous as other animes, which makes them really well developed. There's our long suffering protaganist Watanuki. He may be bogged down by his unnatural ability but that does not stop him from living a more or less normal life of a high school student. Watanuki is a very accessible character, and more often than not you'd find yourself rooting for him, especially when he is up against Yuuko who always seems to give him the oddest chores to do. Then, there's the highly unpredictable and sarcastic Yuuko who I suspect still have tons of tricks up her sleeve that she has yet to reveal. There's the stoic Doumeki who shares a deep bond with Watanuki (emphasis on the stoic, he never belts out long sentences) and the cheerful Himawari, the object of Watanuki's infatuation.



All been said and done, I first stumbled onto the manga for this anime during my usual manga run, and had always thought that it looks pretty interesting, although the title made me think it was a hentai manga or something. After seeing the DVD on sale on one of my usual monthly anime shopping, i decided to pick it up. Needless to say I was hooked immediately, since the superstitions over at the land of the rising sun are pretty similar to mine, and it was a definite change of pace, as i was being overdosed by mecha and shonen animes at the time to the point of nausea. A great anime to watch if you want to pass the time with uncomplicated storylines, or simply would like something different instead of the usual anime violence.

The first season of xxxHolic began airing on April 6, 2006 in Japan and ended on September 28, 2006, with 24 episodes in total. Both the film and the anime series are directed by Tsutomu Mizushima. Ageha Ohkawa, Clamp's director and main scriptwriter, is executive producer of the TV series.


Chibi's Review



Storyline: 4/5
Character Development: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Mobile Fighter G Gundam

Writer: Yasuhiro Imagawa
Director: Yasuhiro Imagawa
Production House: Sunrise
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Mecha

Synopsis

In F.C. 60, the 13th Gundam Fight begins. Domon Kasshu pilots the Shining Gundam as the representative of Neo-Japan, the Japanese space colony. Along with his crew member Rain Mikamura, he battles the other countries' representatives in order to earn the right to rule Earth and the colonies for four years for Neo-Japan. However, Domon seems to be more concerned with finding his brother and the stolen Devil Gundam.

Chibi's Shining Comments

After Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (V Gundam) finished airing in Japan in early 1994, Bandai (and Sunrise) celebrated Gundam's 15th anniversary by trying something new, by releasing a Gundam series that is totally different from the Universal Century storyline (the original series, Z Gundam, ZZ Gundam, V Gundam, and at least 3 spin-off OAVs), ultimately creating the first Gundam series that is in an alternate universe. Over the years this trend continued in the form of Gundam X, Gundam Seed + Seed Destiny, and most recently the Gundam 00 franchise. Premiering in 1994, G Gundam was the first alternate universe series, and perhaps one of the most controversial. The backdrop of this series' alternate timeline is dubbed the 'Future Century'. Instead of having wars between the colonies and the Earth, a fighting tournament is held to determine the ruler of the colonies, and the tournament is held on Earth itself, where the participants are the countries all over the world. This aforementioned tournament is named the Gundam Fight, and is held once every four years by the United Colonies Federation. Each country has its own representative Gundam (you've got to check out Malaysia's Gundam, like seriously), and the Gundams fight in various locations on Earth until only one is left. G Gundam follows Neo Japan's representative Domon Kasshu, who is in the fight as much to win as well as fulfill his own mission of tracking down his brother who had stolen a mysterious Gundam, the Devil Gundam, from the Neo-Japan government.



The series takes a really drastic turn from the rest of the franchise. It has a number of Shonen elements to it, for instance characters possessing superhuman-speed and strength simply through martial arts training, and this can also be seen in the behavior of the main cast. Most of the Gundams in the series feature elements of super robots, such as heroic robot designs and voice activated special attacks, but there are still some that stay within the normal robot boundaries. It is through these changes coupled with the series' alternate universe setting that made G Gundam such a controversial addition to the franchise. Critics were quick to rip into the series, citing corny and melodramatic action scenes, and repeated sequences like the Shining Gundam's finishing move, to name a few.



Chibi's Shining Review

In spite of all the negative press and so many differences from all the other Gundam series that i was so used to, I decided to give this anime a shot. The result was pleasantly surprising, as this stands as one of my favourite Gundams after sitting through all 49 of its episodes. It might have been the kid in me, or i might just be biased to all things Gundam, but i honestly confess that despite it's flaws, this addition to the Gundam family has huge fun written all over it. What's not to like? A whole load of Gundams coming up with special moves while duking it out? Check. Cool looking Gundams and pilots? Check. Dark brooding hero types? Check. Finishing moves galore? Double Check. I must admit, every single criticism on this Gundam installation aren't baseless, in fact it's right on the money, but this series is what I'd like to call the best in cheesiness. If I had to watch an anime with various cliches on it, it'd be this one.




Domon Kasshu himself is a very likable character. As the brooding tortured hero, the trials and tests that he endures throughout the anime would leave the viewer wanting and asking, does Domon ever find his brother and even if he wins the Gundamn fight. The character looks so appealing in design, you just cannot help but like this guy, think Alucard from Hellsing or Vash the Stampede. Look out for the sermon he gives before finishing off the enemy and erupts into an echoing, "SHINING FINGER!!!" (Voltron anybody?). It might not be some people's cup of tea but that move gets me every time. You might think that this might get repetitive if it goes on for 49 episodes, but it's actually just the tip of the iceberg of the anime. What makes up for this is the great character development of the entire cast of the series, where each pilot has his own story to tell, or reasons to ally themselves with rival pilots, to even a greater plot unfolding in the latter stages of the series. There's even elements of a love story thrown in for good measure. In short this Gundam series does not takes itself too seriously, and would rather focus on the combination of the good aspect of Shonen animes and Gundam animes, and watch to see what happens. If you're looking for a more straightforward and lighthearted Gundam series, this one's for you. Trust me, it's a lot of fun.

Mobile Fighter G Gundam is a Japanese animated television series directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa (Giant Robo, Getter Robo Armageddon). Mobile Fighter G Gundam aired from April 1, 1994 to March 31, 1995, totaling 49 episodes. The English language version aired on the American Cartoon Network from August 5, 2002 to October 16 of the same year. Please note that the names of various mobile suits were changed for the American release.


Chibi's Review



Storyline: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Basilisk

Writer: Masaki Segawa
Director: Fumitomo Sizaki
Production House: Gonzo
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Shounen, Martial Arts

Synopsis

The era for this anime is set during the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1500s, also known as the beginning of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, where two rival Ninja clans, the Iga Tsubagakure and Kouga Manjidani, are engaged in a bitter blood feud that has spanned for centuries. The fighting finally ends when Hattori Hanzo the 1st (personal aide and Ninja entrusted to protect Ieyasu at all costs), succeeds in forging a cease fire between the two clans by employing both into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu (who became Shogun and the one man able to unify all of Japan during the feudal era). Regardless, hostilities and bad blood remain between Kouga and Iga, ensuring a strenuous co-existence at best.

Now 1614; Ieyasu has retired from power (although still controls a considerable amount of influence in the government) and relinquished control to his son Hidetada. This however has resulted in a succession dispute, concerning which of Ieyasu's grandsons are decided to succeed the throne when their father finally decides to step down. The various government retainers are beginning to take sides and the Tokugawa Shogunate is on the verge of tearing itself apart.

In order to solve the problem before it spirals out of control, Ieyasu orders the ceasefire pact between Kouga and Iga to be lifted , commanding each clan to send 10 of their best ninja to enter a ruthless and bloody competition of kill or be killed.


Chibi's Basili-Review

In short, this anime is kind of like Survivor in feudal Japan. Only in this one the contestants die if they get knocked out of the competition. What i like so much about this anime is the many facets to the story, when the main plot in itself is straightforward. The two heirs to the Ninja clans (Gennosouke Kouga for the Kouga and Oboro for the Iga), are actually in love with each other, and plan to marry in the hopes of ending the centuries long feud between their clans. This in turn causes the members of both clans to object, albeit silently, as their scars run deep from the years of conflict. The Kouga specialize in stealth and assassination with techniques that, for the most part, rely on subterfuge. Even abilities designed for battle, such as Gennosuke's Dojutsu, tend to be defensive in nature. The Iga prefer more direct methods and their techniques tend to be mostly offensive to better give them an edge in close combat situations.



Each of the ten Ninjas are unique in their own right, with special techniques that are exclusive to themselves, for instance Nenki Mino's ability to manipulate his hair to grab and strangle opponents for the Iga and Shogen Kazamachi's (Kouga) techniques involving mimicking the attributes of a spider, so much so that he himself looks like an arachnid.



As one of the first animes i've watched since a long break a few years back, this was one of the series that reintroduced me to what makes this genre so awesome. The crisp fluid animation, the dramatic soundtrack, the storyline that kept you hooked even after finishing the series all meshed together so brilliantly it's hard to point out this series' shortcomings, except maybe a few more episodes. Highly recommended for hack and slash anime fans as this one has a lot of violent scenes and everybody dies pretty terribly, which is a huge plus in my book, and another huge plus for me is the writers had entertwined this fictional tale to real life historical events, me being a huge Japanese history buff myself.

Basilisk was an adaptation of a manga of the same name running from February 2003 – July 2004. The manga was also an adaptation from the author's original novel titled Basilisk : Book of the Kouga Ninja Arts by Masaki Segawa. The anime adaptation was released in 2005 with a run of 24 episodes.


Chibi's Review



Storyline: 4/5
Character Development: 3/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 3/5