New anime

Beelzebub

Beelzebub (べるぜバブ Beruzebabu) is a manga written and illustrated by Ryūhei Tamura. It was first published in Weekly Shōnen Jump’s 2008 volume 37-38, then serialized in 2009 and is ongoing. An OVA was announced in July 2010, while the anime adaptation by Studio Pierrot aired from January 9, 2011 (Sunday) with a scheduled 12 episodes.

The opening and ending theme are:
1. “DaDaDa” (だだだ) by Group Tamashii
2. “Answer” by no3b

The story is an action-packed, supernatural, comedic series starring protagonist Tatsumi Oga, the “strongest juvenile delinquent” in a school filled with delinquent.

During a trouncing of thugs by Oga at the riverbank, he finds a man (a transporter between worlds) floating down a river and pulls him to shore. The man promptly splits in half and a baby boy emerges. The baby is the son of the Great Demon King who the transporter, Alain Delon, has chosen based on his prowess as an “evil” human. Later, Baby Beel chooses Tatsumi as his guardian and care giver when the heir to hell’s maid, Hildegarde, comes to retrieve him. It then becomes Tatsumi’s quest to find a replacement caregiver for baby Beel. But first, he has to find someone from school more evil and stronger than him.

Watched the premier episode in Japan with no clue what it was, but found it extremely interesting and adorable. Didn’t realize that these new series are aired at the weirdest hours, most likely for insomniacs. Definitely will continue with the series.

FULL STORY | beelzebub

Dragon Crisis!

Dragon Crisis! (ドラゴンクライシス!) is light novel written by Kizaki Kaya and illustrated by Akata Itsuki since 2007 and is ongoing. It is adapted into anime by Studio DEEN and airs from January 11, 2011 (Tuesday at 1:30 am) with a scheduled 12 episodes.

The opening and ending themes are:
1.  Immoralist (インモラリスト) by Yui Horie
2. Mirai Bowl (ミライボウル) by Momoiro Clover.

Fifteen-year-old Kisaragi Ryuuji is unwittingly enlisted by his cousin Eriko to seize a relic from a black broker FANG. While making their escape, the case for the treasure opens and a girl emerges, only to call Ryuuji by name and burn up the pursuers. Upon returning home, the cousins realize that the girl is a red dragon, characterized by the red dragon scales on her left hand. She is thereafter named Rose. To protect Rose from the black organization, Ryuuji fights against them using his power as a relic handler. Unlike most of his family, including his parents, they are “Lost Precious” hunters.

Kind of a slow start, reminds me of Toaru Majutsu no Index. Rose is kind of irritating, much like the Index character in Toaru Majutsu. She keeps calling “Ryuuji!” the same way Index calls out “Touma!” – a very whiny little girl.

Gosick

Gosick (GOSICK -ゴシック- Goshikku) is a horror light novel series written by Sakuraba Kazuki that ran from 2003 to 2007. In Spring of 2006, a drama CD based on the first volume of GosickS was released. The series was later adapted to manga and serialized since the end of 2007. The anime adaptation produced by BONES soon followed and premiered on January 7, 2011 (Sunday at 1:23 am). Crunchyroll is also simulcasting the series.

The opening and ending themes are:
1. Destin Histoire by yoshiki☆lisa
2.  Resuscitated Hope by Komine Lisa

In a 1924 European country of Sauville, a Japanese exchange student, Kujo Kazuya, meets a mysterious but brilliant and beautiful girl who plays truant at school. She spends the day in the library, never leaving except to sleep and to solves mysteries. The school, St. Marguerite Academy, is shrouded with urban legends and horror stories.

Victorique de Blois’ brother, an aristocrat and a policeman, relies on her smarts to solve mysteries. Meanwhile, Kazuya is the youngest son of a military man, struggling to live his own life away from the shadows of his very successfully older brothers. Together, they solve new cases and form bonds and friendship with different characters.

Point to note, she smokes a pipe when thinking and solving cases – ala Sherlock Holmes.

(IS) Infinite Stratos

IS (Infinite Stratos) (IS〈インフィニット・ストラトス〉 IS (Infinitto Sutoratosu)) began in 2009 as a sci-fi light novel series by Yumizuru Izuru and illustrated by Okiura and is ongoing. A year later, it was adapted to manga by Akahoshi Kenji. Not surprisingly, a year after the manga was serialized, the anime adaptation began airing on Jan. 7, 2011 (Friday at 1:25 am). It is also simulcasting on Anime Network.

Soundtrack of the anime is composed by Nanase Hikaru. The opening and ending themes are:

1. “Straight Jet” by Kuribayashi Minami (released Jan. 26, 2011)
2. “Super∞Stream” by Hikasa Youko (2nd and 3rd episode ending by Youko and Yukana) (released Feb. 16, 2011)

Not too far in the future, Japanese scientists have engineered and created an exoskeleton called Infinite Stratos (IS). To avoid war, IS can never be used for military combat, and only women can operate it, thus creating a society dominated by women. Ten years after its creation, the world enters a new age of peace. It is momentarily shattered when they discover that 15-year-old Orimura Ichika, brother to legendary IS pilot (Orimura Chifuyu), is capable of operating an IS.

Ichika is then forced by the government to enroll in an elite academy that specializes in training IS pilots from all over the world. Things prove challenging to this shy adolescent who is suddenly surrounded by girls.

Unfortunately, I fell asleep watching the first episode – I blame it on my time traveling and unable to adjust my sleeping schedule. It was relatively interesting, but on a tried and true premise of amassing a harem and everyone liking the protagonist in the end.

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? (Korezom)

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? (これはゾンビですか? Kore wa Zonbi Desu ka?, lit. Is this a Zombie?) is a light novel written by Shinichi Kimura, and  illustrated by Kobuichi and Muririn since 2009 and is ongoing. Like many longer-named series, this series has been abbreviated to  Korezom (これゾン ). In the same year. a drama CD was released by Marine Entertainment. A year later, this magical, action-packed  story was adapted to manga (by Sacchi) and has three different manga adaptations to it. On January 11, 2011 (Tuesday @ 1:30 am), Studio Deen’s adaptation of the series was aired with a scheduled 12 episodes followed by an OVA as the 13th episode. Crunchyroll is simulcasting the anime.

The opening and ending themes are:
1. “Leave-It-To-Me. Tonight” (魔・カ・セ・テ Tonight Ma-Ka-Se-Te Tonight) by Iori Nomizu
2.  “Realize, Mr. Zombie, I am your Classmate” (気づいてゾンビさま、私はクラスメイトです Kizuete Zonbi-sama, Watashi wa Kurasumeito Desu) by Rie Yamaguchi

Protagonist Aikawa Ayumu is a normal high school boy going about his own business until he is killed by a serial killer and resurrected by a necromancer Eucliwood Hellscythe. Procceding to act as Eu’s servant, he unwittingly absorbs Haruna of her magic powers and is now not only a zombie but a forced magician in place of Haruna, while searching for his killer who is continuously terrorizing the neighborhood).

Quite a hilarious comedy, especially when he is forced to cross-dress ala Haruna. Seeing girl’s panties in Japanese animation is pretty common, but when they zoom up into the guy’s backside, with his stripped panties in full view, it totally evens the playing field!  Definitely a watch! Eu (Yuu) is as quiet as Haruna is rambunctious. However, both just want to be fed. Wait till all the girls emerge. Trouble will truly come a knocking!

FULL STORY | korezom

Level E

Level E (レベルE Reberu Ī) is a sci-fi/comedic manga created by Togashi Yoshihiro and was serialized from 1995-1997. It is adapted to anime by Studio Pierrot and David Production and aired January 11, 2011 (Tuesday at 1:45 am). Crunchyroll is also simulcasting the series.

The opening and ending themes are:
1. “Cold Finger Girl” (コールドフィンガーガール) by Kuriyama Chiaki
2. “(Yume) ~Mugennokanata~” (「夢」～ムゲンノカナタ～) by Vivid.

A high school student, Yukitaka Tsutsui, who is a gifted baseball player finds himself with strange company after moving into his new apartment away from his parents. Yukitaka is unwilling to believe this stranger’s claim of being an alien, a Prince nonetheless from another planet. It seems that earth is populated with an array of aliens, who know of each other’s existence and try to coexist peaceful. The humans, however, do not know of their existence until the crash of Prince’s craft onto earth. Yukitaka soon becomes the target of Prince’s torment (who had momentarily lost his memories after the crash).

This is what sleeping with the enemy means. It’s a double-edged sword that has humorous consequences: with the aliens trying to keep peace with the other alien races and this one human that has become the Prince’s (Baka ki El Dogra from the planet Dogra) involuntary roommate.

FULL STORY | level e

Continuing

Bakuman
Bakuman is a shonen manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It was originally published August. 8, 2008 and is ongoing. The anime adaptation is produced by J.C. Staff with a run date of October 2, 2010 until Spring 2011. It has a scheduled 25 episodes for the anime series.

The opening and ending themes are:
1. “Blue Bird” by Kobukuro
2. “Bakurock ～Mirai no Rinkakusen～” (Bakurock ～未来の輪郭線～, Bakurock: Outline the Future) by Yakyim

The series follows a talented artist Moritaka Mashiro and an aspiring writer Akito Takagi, two ninth graders, who wish to enter the world of manga. After Mashiro accidentally leaves his notebook in class, with drawings depicting his crush on classmate Azuki Miho, Takagi tries to convince Mashiro to illustrate for his writings. Join him, or he will hold on to the notebook, or worse…

Reluctant and disillusioned by the fate of his uncle as a mangaka, Mashiro is sucked into the Takagi’s dream after his crush Miho reveals she too wants to be a voice actor for animes. They promise to marry each other only after achieving their dreams. So begins Mashiro long and arduous journey of becoming a famous mangaka. After three unsuccessfully launches or different titles, can Mashiro still stay strong and follow through?

Bleach (Season 14)

Bleach is an ongoing shonen manga series written and illustrated by Tite Kubo (Noriaki Kubo). The manga began since 2001 and was soon adapted to anime on Oct. 5, 2004. This series has even branched out to movies, CDs/OSTs, trading card game, video games for different consoles, books and even a musical.

The series is about a teenage boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, living in Karakura town, who lost his mother when he was young. In the process he was able to see dead people, and the soul reapers/shinigamis (死神) who come for them. He assumes the duty of shinigami when the official soul reaper sent to guard his town, Kuchiki Rukia, is unable to perform her duties when she is severely injured in a battle with a hollow trying to protect Ichigo. Rukia then transfers some of her reiatsu (霊圧 – spirit energy) to Ichigo to enable him to defeat the hollow, but he unwittingly absorbs all her energy. Because of her lost powers, she is stranded in the human world, unable to return to Soul Society.

After a few months, the Soul Society’s higher-ups receive word of Rukia illegally giving away her powers and sends a detachment to arrest her. She is returned to Soul Society to await her false trial and immediate execution thereafter. Together with his classmates who possess spiritual abilities, Chad, Orihime Inoue, Ishida Uryuu (a Quincy) and ex-shinigami captain Shihouin Yoruichi, they travel to Soul Society to rescue Rukia. Once there, Ichigo and his classmates battle Soul Society’s elite, from vice-captains to captains and successfully rescues Rukia.

Rukia’s execution was conjured up by Captain Sousuke Aizen (3), who faked his death, to usurp powers in Soul Society. He betrays his fellow shinigamis to ally himself with the strongest of hollows, the arrancar. Ichigo then joins forces with Soul Society’s ranking shinigamis when they realize that Aizen’s next target of destruction is his hometown. Orihime Inoue is kidnapped by Aizen’s subordinate and Ichigo and a few friends are forced to enter Hueco Mundo, the hollow’s world, to rescue Inoue. Now that the forces are split, there are less shinigamis defending Soul Society, Karakura town and rescuing Inoue.

Season 15 of Bleach (of the same manga written and illustrated by Tite Kubo) will begin airing on April 13, 2010 to present. It continues with the Shinigamis facing off the Arrancar in Karakura Town. Meanwhile Ichigo and his friends fend off the Arrancar to try to rescue Inoue yet again. Aizen shows he is not only a true villain, but a exceptionally powerfully one too.

The season’s opening and ending theme are:

1. miwa’s “chAngE” (ep. 266-291)
2. SID’s “Melody of the Wild Dance” (乱舞のメロディ, Rambu no Merodi) (ep. 292-present)
3. DIGGY-MO’s “Stay Beautiful” (ep. 266-278)
4. Universe’s “Echoes” (ep. 279-291)
5. SPYAIR’s “Last Moment” (ep. 292 -present)

Will Ichigo become stronger to save his friend(s), Soul Society and Karakura Town? That’s a lot of burden for such narrow shoulders. Also, Inoue has a serious job as the resident damsel in distress. Not only that, but she’s the ultimate dumb blond (with red hair), and irritating as hell. Stop being such a timid wuss. You give girls with big boobs a bad name!! Like Inuyasha, I’m forced to watch this, just because I’ve “gone through so much” with it. It started out really good. Unfortunately, it has also gotten bad very quickly. “Kono reiatsu…”

FULL STORY | bleach season 14

Fairy Tail

Fairy Tail is a manga created by Hiro Mashima serialized since Aug. 23. 2006 and is ongoing. Season 1 of the anime began airing on Oct. 12, 2009 and will end on September 27, 2010 with a total of 48 episodes. Even though it was initially meant for only one season, due to the popularity of the series, a second season was announced and will begin airing on October 2010. This series is also being developed as a game for PS by Konami.

Opening Themes:
1. “Snow fairy” by FUNKIST
2. “S.O.W. Sense of Wonder (S.O.W.センスオブワンダー)” by Idoling!!! DOWNLOAD
3. “Ft.” by Funkist (ep. 25-35)
4. “R.P.G. ~Rockin’ Playing Game” by SuG (ep. 36-42)
5. “Egao No Mahou – Airi” by Magic Party (ep. 49-60) DOWNLOAD
6. “Fiesta” by +Plus (61-present)

It begins with Lucy Heartfilia meeting Natsu Dragnell and his best friend, Happy a flying cat, who is searching for a dragon, Igneel. Turns out, Igneel is Natsu’s foster father, the one who raised him and taught him the skills of a dragon slayer. Shortly after their meeting, Lucy is abducted by a person posing as Salamander of Fairy Tail, only to be sold as a slave. Natsu rescues her and reveals that he is the real Salamander. He then brings Lucy into the land of Fiore, and she is accepted as a Fairy Tale Guild member. Soon after, the three become teammates, together with two more Guild members, Gray Fullbuster and Erza Scarlet. Of the lot, Lucy brings forth a saner and calmer side to the rest of the team, albeit being exceptionally klutzy.

They battle the Phantom Guild, Gérard at the Tower of Heaven and now the ever evil Oración Seis.

This is a cute magician story about impatience while striving to better oneself and never giving up on one’s friends. As Happy says, “Aiii!”

FULL STORY | fairy tail

Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls

Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls (百花繚乱 SAMURAI GIRLS) is a light novel series written by Akira Suzuki. It is adapted to anime by ARMS with designs illustrated by y Niθ. An advanced broadcast of the first episode aired on September 4, 2010. The anime series officially begins airing on October 3, 2010 with a scheduled 12 episodes. The OVA:Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls: A Maiden’s Happy Yet Embarrassing Pledge is released on November 2010 with 6 episodes (ending April 2011).

The opening and ending themes are:

1. “Last vision for last” by Faylan
2. “Koi ni Sesse Tooryanse (恋にせっせ通りゃんせ)” by Aoi Yuki, Minako Kotobuki and Rie Kugimiya

In an alternate reality, the Tokugawa Shogunate remains in power into the 21st century, thus isolating Japan from the rest of the world. It is loosely based on the Sengoku period of Japan, a time of war and chaos fought by warring leaders. Student councils in schools are tasked with oppressing its student.

Enter Yagyuu Muneakira, a 16-year-old high school student of a giant academy for children of military families at the foot of Mount Fuji. He rebels against the council with the aid of girls who carry the names of famous samurai heroes. The girls of one faction, Yukimura Sanada and Matabei Gotou rebel against the ruling student council Tokugawa Sen (Sen-hime) and Hattori Hazou (to name a few), while Yagyuu Jubei and Mineakira are caught in the middle.

Naruto Shippuden (Season 10): The Five Kage Summit

Naruto began as a manga series by Masashi Kishimoto, which was later adapted to an anime series that started airing in 2002 until present. The anime, much like the manga, is split into two parts: the time split in the manga is simply named Part I & II while the anime is named Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. The second part of the series takes place two and a half years after the first part ends. Since Jan. 2, 2009 Viz Media and Crunchyroll have been subtitling Naruto: Shippuden.

The series is about a young and rash ninja from Konohagakure, the Leaf Village named Uzumaki Naruto. The story unfolds as Naruto searches for recognition and acknowledgment from his peers and elders as he aspires to become the Hokage – leader of the village. As a baby, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox (kyuubi) was sealed in him to protect Konohagakure (the Leaf Village). However, the villagers, who were very much afraid of kyuubi, transferred that fear to the infant and eventually the child. Naruto grew up hated and mistreated by Konoha’s residents throughout most of his childhood.

Naruto, together with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura are placed in Team 7 lead by Hatake Kakashi. Even though the team seemed mismatched at first, the soon find that they complement each other. The noisy idiot, with the skilled genius and the quick-tempered thinker quickly become one. However, Sasuke has a one-track mind – he vows to avenge his family and clan by killing his beloved older brother. When the chance is presented upon him, he takes it and leaves the village forever. Naruto vows to bring Sasuke back to Sakura, but to do so, he have to become stronger.

Unfortunately for Naruto, he is not the only one with a goal in mind. The Akatsuki is out to capture him, to drain him off the sealed Demon Fox.

At the start of Naruto Shippuden, Naruto returns home from his training with Jiraiya, having learned the Rasengan developed by the Fourth Hokage. Sakura is well-versed in the arts of medical jutsu thanks to Tsunade. Sasuke may just have surpassed the group in skills, training under Orochimaru. History, it seems, is about to repeat itself. The dreaded Akatsuki is on the move, and Gaara, an old friend, is the first of many targets. Soon Team Kakashi gets a new team member as a replacement for a departed Sasuke. Everyone is suspicious of him because he is recommended by Danzou, the person vying for the Hokage seat. Team Kakashi’s new mission is to seek out Sasuke while getting acquainted with a recluse newbie, Sai. While tracking the death of Asuma‘s old friend, Konoha ninjas go up against two immortal Akatsuki members – Kakuzu and Hidan. Naruto improves on the rasengan and creates a new jutsu under the careful tutelage of Kakashi and watchful eyes of Yamato, called the Rasenshuriken. Shikamura learns the horror of wars and finally lives up to his fullest potential to avenge a beloved mentor. Finally, Sasuke overpowers and absorbs Orochimaru. Unfortunately, Jiraiya sacrifices his life to learn the truth of Pain, the puppet leader of Akatsuki. Sasuke forms team Hebi to avenge his clan, while Naruto is forced to become stronger just to get a brother home and avenge a beloved teacher and god-father.

The tenth season of Naruto Shippuden (Part II of the manga by Masashi Kishimoto) begins airing in February 2011 to present. The Leaf Village learns of Danzou’s treachery of claiming the Hokage seat while the Fifth is still unconscious. Meanwhile he puts out an edict calling for the assassination of Sasuke as he is now considered a missing nin. Gaara of the Sand Village tries to protect Sasuke, on behalf of the absent Naruto, warning them that anyone who touches one hair on Sasuke will have to answer to him. However, events roll down hill thereafter and the Fourth Shinobi War is declared by the ever conniving and power hungry Madara. Sasuke meets the bandaged Danzou and questions his involvement in the elimination of the Uchiha clan: the real Sharingan battles the impostor in a fight to the death. Soon, the prodigal student meets the teacher and his fading eyesight proves to be a hindrance.

The season has a few opening and ending themes.

1. Nico Touches the Wall’s “Diver” (ep. 197-present)
2. Aqua Timez’ “Mayonaka no Orchestra” (真夜中のオーケストラ, “Midnight Orchestra”) (197-present)

This series gets better with each season. The storyline is so well-written and the characters very well-developed. It’s like peeling an onion – layers upon layers of tear-jerkers. Everyone’s rooting for you U-Zu-Ma-Ki Naruto! Ganbatte! Fight-O on!! Underdogs of the world unite. Perseverance, patience, friendship and loyalty are all good themes and moral to learn. You watch as all the characters grow from young tots to responsible and courageous teenagers, learning and flourishing with every new challenge thrown at them. Friends become foes, and enemies become allies. History is never learned but doomed to repeat itself. “Dattebayo!”

FULL STORY | naruto shippuden season 10

Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto
Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto (STAR DRIVER 輝きのタクト Sutā Doraibā Kagayaki no Takuto) is a machinery action anime created and animated by BONES and produced by Aniplex. The characters are designed by Yoshiyuki Ito and Hiroka and Misa Mizuya. The anime first televised on Oct. 3, 2010, with Aniplex of America premiering the first episode at the New York Comic Con/Anime Fest on Oct. 9, 2010. It takes over the time slot of Sengoku Basara 2. It is scheduled for 25 episodes.

Pretty boy Tsunashi Takuto swims from the mainland to the island of Southern Cross Isle for a better life. He later enrolls into Southern Cross High School as a senior and befriends Agemaki Wako, a shrine maiden, and her fiancee Shindou Sugata. Beneath their school in an ancient ruin, lies the mysterious and gigantic humanoid robots (22 of them), Cybodies, which can only be activated by shrine maidens like Wako. A mysterious organization known as “Kiraboshi Juujidan” or Order of the Glittering Star Cross abducts Wako for the purpose of powering the robots, but Takuto goes to her rescue with his own Cybody Tauburn. They are soon caught in the web of secrets, while trying to prevent disasters or worse war!

Tegami Bachi Reverse

Tegami Bachi or Letter Bee is written by Asada Hiroyuki and originally serialized in the now defunct Monthly Shonen Jump since January 2007 until February 2010. This shonen manga, entitled Tegami Bachi: Hikari to Ao no Gensou Yawa (Letter Bee: Light and Blue Night Fantasy) was adapted to anime in the fall of 2008. The television series soon premiered on October 3, 2009 and ran with 25 episodes. A second season of the anime, Tegami Bachi Reverse, began airing October 2, 2010 with a scheduled 15 episodes. A drama CD, aptly named “Drama CD Tegami bachi,” on Jiggy Pepper was released on February 2009.

The opening and ending themes are:

1. Chisana Mahō (小さな魔法 Little Magic) is by Stereopony
2. Wasurenagusa (勿忘草 Forget-Me-Not) is by Piko

The series revolves around Tegami Bachi / Letter Bee, or to be exact, letter carriers, and their fight against armored insects, Gaichuu, to deliver letters in the surrounding land of Amberground. Gaichuu feeds on human hearts and are attracted to the letters that Letter Bees carry because the letters have “heart” in them too. Once a human is attacked and drained off its heart, it becomes a soul-less vessel that doesn’t respond or eat. That human then dies from starvation.

Gauche Suede is a Letter Bee (a postman) at the Bee Hive. He finds a boy of 7, Lag Seeing, marked as a letter to be delivered to the boy’s aunt, Sabrina Mary, in Campbell Litus. Lag’s mother was kidnapped and brought to a place called Akatsuki. Coincidentally this is the same place that Gauche’s sister, Sylvette, will be able to find cure for her paralysis. Gauche aspires to be the Head Bee to enable his sister to walk again one day. To that end, he goes out of his way to get his jobs done as efficiently as possible to hasten his climb up the ladder. He also reasons that because each letter carries with it the “heart” of the sender, the letters have to be protected and hand-delivered to their destination in one piece.

Little Lag, the underwear-less Niche and emergency food supply Steak are all ultra cute. However, the anime can sometimes be a sleep inducer. It did pick up towards the end, though, with the reappearance of the idolized hero, Gauche, who seems to have had an amnesia.

FULL STORY | tegami bachi reverse

Toaru Majutsu no Index II
Toaru Majutsu no Index (とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス, A Certain Magical Index of Prohibited Books), is a sci-fi cum fantasy light novel written by Kazuma Kamachi and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura first published on April 2004. Three years later, it was serialized into manga that is ongoing. The first 24-episode anime adaptation, produced by J.C. Staff, aired on October 2008, followed by a second 24-episode season airing October 8, 2010. The second season will be streamed on Nico Nico Douga. A side story of the manga series, A Certain Scientific Railgun was serialized in 2007 and later adapted to a 24-episode anime, which aired on October 2009. An ova of Railgun will also be released on October 29, 2010 and a game for PlayStation will be released on January 27, 2011. Funimation is licensed for the series, which will be released in 2011.

The opening and ending themes are:

The series is set in Academy City, a technologically advanced Academic city, which studies scientifically advanced superhuman students with magical powers. Their students are called espers, ranked from a level 0 up till 5. An esper is an individual capable of telepathy and other similar paranormal abilities.

Protagonist Kamijyou Touma is a level 0 esper at Academy City, located west of Tokyo. His right hand, the Imagine Breaker, can negate all magic and psychic powers, as well as his own luck. He finds a young nun named Index from Necessarius, a secret magic branch of the Church of England, hanging from his balcony railing. After saving her, he learns that she has been implanted with the Index Librorum Prohibitorum – 103,000 forbidden magical texts the Church had removed from circulation. His chance meeting with Index leads him into the secret world of science and magic, while uncovering the hidden truths of the Academy City and Index.

Of course, he goes on to amass a harem of not-quite-damsel-in-distresses, starting off with Index a nun, followed by a shrine maiden Himegami Aisa, a level 5 esper Misaka Mikoto and her 10,000 sisters Misaka Misaka, and finally an illusion called Hogyoku. “Fukou da!”

Returning

Baka to Test

Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (バカとテストと召 喚獣, lit. Idiots, Tests, and Summoned Beasts) is a light novel written by Inoue Kenji and illustrated by Haga Yui. It was first released on January 29, 2007 and has seen a total of nine written volumes. On October 30, 2009, the series was adapted to manga. The anime adaptation was soon released and began airing on January 7, 2010 with a total of 13 episodes.

The opening and ending themes are:

1. “Perfect-area Complete!” by Natsuko Asou
2. “Baka Go Home” by Milktub and BakaTest All Stars
3. “Hare Tokidoki Egao” by Hitomi Harada, Kaori Mizuhashi, Emiri Katou and Tomomi Isomura.

Protagonist Yoshii Akihisa is Fumizuki Academy’s certified idiot / “Baka” – hence the title of the series. The school and staff are stringent in dividing the students based on their academic performance. Students are sorted into classes ranging from A to F based on their entrance exam scores. Class A has only the élite students, and their classroom reflects their high standards, while Class F doesn’t even have proper desks and chairs, as the students resort to using orange boxes as desks and flattened sitting cushions for seating.

Akihisa, together with the rest of his F-Class classmates are embroiled in Summoned Being Wars for many reasons. For Akihisa, it is to get intelligent girl Himeji Mizuki back into the class where she belongs (Class A) since she failed her entrance exam miserable after falling sick. The others, like class rep Sakamoto Yuuji, just wants to prove to others that there are more to life that just being book smart. Perverted ninja Kouta Tsuchiya, bishounen Hideyoshi Kinoshita and tomboyish Minami Shimada just want privileges that goes along with winning each war.

Aside from this caste system, the students of the academy can also conjure up Summoned Beings (Shoukanjuu). The Beings are used for battles between classes to up each other’s standings. The state and prowess of each Summon Beings is based on the knowledge of the Being’s owner.

This is a silly, but entertaining comedic series. Akihisa is constantly used as a punching bag for everyone, except Himeji who finds him endearing. The love-hate relationship of the F & A Class reps is physically painful, yet emotionally soothing.

Second season is under development and is scheduled to air sometime 2011. Two OVAs will be aired from February to March 2011, under the title “Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Matsuri”

FULL STORY | baka to test

Kimi ni Todoke 2

Kimi ni Todoke: From me to You (君に届け) is a romance manga written by Shiina Karuho and was first published in 2006. In 2008, it won the Best Shojo Manga award. The manga is ongoing, but in March 2009, the authoress took time off for her pregnancy, and resumed as of October 2009. This manga has since been adapted to anime on Oct. 6, 2009 with 25 episodes (which ended on March 30, 2010). The manga has also produced a series of light novels and a video game for Nintendo was released in October 2009. A live-action film adaptation of the series was also released in Japanese theatres on September 25, 2010 starring Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura (Bloody Monday). The second season of the anime begins airing January 4, 2011.

The opening and ending themes are:

1. “Kimi ni Todoke” by Tanizawa Tomofumi
2. “Kataomoi” is by Chara

The series is about a girl, who is feared and misunderstood because of her appearance but finds an unlikely champion in the school’s most popular and outgoing boy. With this new attention, more people are drawn to her, and as the love grows between both of them, there are others who are jealous and, instead, throw a wrench in their new-found relationship.

The main protagonist, Kuronuma Sawako, who is called by her classmates as Sadako (from the Ring) is a painfully shy but honest person. In comes super popular and good-looking school idol, Kazehaya Shouta, who is not only well-liked, but is kind to Sawako. He takes her under his wing, teaching her to speak up for herself. With this new-found confidence, she earns two new friends: Yano Ayane and Yoshida Chizuru. After the seating arrangement in class is changed, where Kazehaya, Yano, Yoshida and a new boy Sanada Ryuu surround her, things begin to look up for her.

Another beguiling series, on the same line as Hatsukoi Limited and KimiKiss – Pure Rouge. Both characters are shy, but one’s been living under a rock for ages and suddenly sees the light of day. Finally caught the movie on the plane ride to Japan. Mikako Tabe is the epitome of Sawako.

FULL STORY | kimi ni todoke 2

Back to top