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Goodness Gracious, What a Troublesome Bunch

Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan 2nd Season (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. 2) Introduction

Saiki is just like every other student at his high school. Well… save for the fact that he has pink hair, sports green glasses, has these weird antennae attached to his head, and, oh yeah, he has psychic powers. Saiki just wants an easy life but the people around him do not make it easy. Whether it is his parents needing a favor, dodging Kokomi’s ego, trying to figure out the nonsense that Riki Shun, or Aren is spouting, or just avoiding being exposed as a psychic, Saiki has his hands full! He just wants to eat coffee jelly in a cockroach-free environment and be left alone by everyone including his genius older brother.

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1. You Like to Laugh

While Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan isn’t Manzai since you need two people only to perform it, everyone in the show is the boke, or idiot, to his straight-man act. The show is riddled with joke after joke meaning that there is always someone who is about to pop up and make their set joke while somehow causing some sort of problem for Saiki. Everyone is delusional in this series and since Saiki can see into their minds, he knows it and we have the joy of laughing at all of their ridiculous interior monologues as they go on and on about something they want or think.

2. Saiki Season 2 Builds on Season 1

It’s hard for a series to continue to build on itself, and that goes doubly for a series that is comedy like Saiki. Imagine having over 300 episodes and forcing jokes that were told in season 1. That would be rough. Saiki, however, manages to keep the funny coming by rotating through the series’ characters and making more and more introductions. It gets even better with the introduction of Mikoto Aiura who is a fellow psychic like Saiki and sees right through him. Her one-liners are some of the funniest in the series but she always lends a hand making her a great staple.

1. You Don’t Enjoy Fast Dialogue

The zingers in Saiki come at you with lightning speed, a lot like manzai comedy, so if you do not give the series your undivided attention, a 15 second look at something else can leave you completely lost and in the dark. Not to mention too, there can be so much back and forth, that you really do need to keep your eye on the series. Saiki’s seiyuu seems to speak at a neck-breaking speed. Be sure to pay attention!

2. You Dislike Shounen

The humor of Saiki, while funny, is certainly something that can be missed on an individual if you don’t like cheap humor. Because Saiki is aimed for a shounen demographic and not a seinen, the jokes can be a bit puerile if you don’t enjoy jokes that re-appear frequently. For example, jokes about whole buildings disappearing because Saiki saw a roach or Kokomi being incredibly self-absorbed while coming off as caring, are things that come back often. That and Riki’s quip about “let’s go eat ramen.”

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this review of Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan 2nd Season. It’s almost bittersweet seeing this series go. As the series no longer has any more source material being made, it is safe to assume that the series is over. Still though, this has left enough of an impression on the anime community that it will be remembered for years to come. We really enjoyed Saiki’s antics and Mikoto’s presence this second season that build on the first, but what are your thoughts on this anime? Good, bad or neutral, be sure to let us know down below! Till Next Time,

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="NEOBK-1894580" text="" url="" ]

Love Hina, But Insert More Lesbians

Tachibanakan To Lie Angle Introduction

Hanabi Natsuno has moved back home now for high school. She’s signed up for a beautiful residence called Tachibanakan which promises a wonderful life for her. However, due to her misreading the kanji in the name on her application, she doesn’t get the life she has dreamed of. Instead, Hanabi finds herself dropped in some run-down, older dormitory full of women who have wild personalities and even wilder sex drives. Will she make it out sane?

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="crunchyroll" url="http://www.crunchyroll.com/love-to-lie-angle" ]

1. F-F-F-Fanservice!

We mean, come on. It’s ecchi and shoujo-ai. The fanservice is going to be left and right. While we don’t know if Hanabi started out as bisexual, questioning, or straight up lesbian, the residents of Tachibanakan are out to find out and make her their own. The older sister types are always proposing things and wagers that will end up with Hanabi naked and being “helped” in some way or another. She constantly finds herself in very compromising positions with Iori which can lead to confusion as it just looks like they had sex or were in the middle of it. Boobs bouncing, thighs wide, this anime is sure to spark something inside. Not to mention too, there is a whole episode dedicated to panties.

1. Love Hina, But Insert More Lesbians.

Love Hina is a classic anime that everyone should watch once since it is a quintessential harem anime that really makes a great story. In fact, almost all modern harem anime are said to have been influenced by it. However, this… is like Love Hina only if Keitarou rejected Naru and went for Shinobu or something. It’s very jarring at times how Konomi is just shut out of everything and there is forced lesbianism everywhere. Sure, it’s what the anime is for, but there is next to no substance.

2. The Story? What Story?

Tachibanakan To Lie Angle feels a bit like Takunomi too and the art is reminiscent of it. The difference is though, Takunomi had drinking to at least make the story somewhat believable and bring all of the characters together as they would talk about their days, laugh, cry, and drink. Tachibanakan uses lesbiansim as their central plot device and the whole setup feels rushed and forced. True, it only has three minutes, but looking back on the series, does it seem as if there was an overarching story? Other than Iori making moves on Hanabi that is. There was barely any mention, if at all, of the high school she goes to. So… what was the central story again?

Final Thoughts

Tachibanakan To Lie Angle does have the fanservice aspect going for it, but while it does try, you can tell that a lot was not done to make sure that it would have some sort of story that would at least hold your attention for a little bit. Sadly, this anime does not and is bound to be forgotten in three weeks time as we get used to the summer airing block of anime. Sure, if you want some T&A, this is a fantastic anime, but if you are looking for anything else, steer clear of this show. What are your thoughts on Tachibanakan to Lie Angle? Be sure to let us know down below. Till Next Time,

Featured Content

Nintendo eShop - Nintendo Switch

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• Shining Resonance Refrain – Play as Yuma Ilvern and stop the Empire from exploiting the power of the ancient dragons, including the soul of the Shining Dragon within you. With the help of your in-game friends, realize your destiny, save Astoria and unleash the strength you’ve always had locked away. This remaster features all of the original game’s DLC. The Shining Resonance Refrain game is available on July 10.
• Pocket Rumble – The Pocket Rumble game retains gameplay elements that make traditional fighters great, but reduces the level of necessary execution and memorization. This way, players of all skill levels can get to a competitive level.
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Activities

• My Nintendo July Rewards – Get ready for adventure with Captain Toad and Toadette in July! The Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker game launches on July 13 for the Nintendo Switch system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. My Nintendo is celebrating all month long with terrifically Toad-centric wallpaper and a calendar that you can download by redeeming your My Nintendo points. Redeem your points for discounts of up to 50 percent on select games. Visit here for more details.

Theme Shop on Nintendo 3DS

Check back again next week for any new updates!

Also new this week:

[caption id="attachment_229388" align="alignleft" width="560"] NEO GEO Samurai Showdown[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_229389" align="alignright" width="560"] NEO GEO Samurai Showdown[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_229390" align="alignleft" width="560"] Burnstar[/caption]
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• • 20XX (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 10 • ACA NEOGEO SAMURAI SHODOWN V (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Another World (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 9 • Awkward (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Bomber Crew (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 10 • Burnstar (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Disease -Hidden Object- (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Hotel Transylvania 3 Monsters Overboard (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 10 • Hyper Sentinel – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Two Crude Dudes (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Kill The Bad Guy (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Miles & Kilo (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Muddledash (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 10 • Mushroom Wars 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Neverout (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 10 • Pato Box (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 9 • Rento Fortune Monolit (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 8 • Squids Odyssey (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Super Rock Blasters! (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Survive! MR.CUBE (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • The Journey Down: Chapter Three (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • The Lion’s Song (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 10 • The Wardrobe (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available July 6 • Ultra Space Battle Brawl (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • Yuso (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) • PENGUIN HOP (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) • Zeus Quest Remastered (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  [caption id="attachment_229392" align="alignleft" width="560"] The Lion's Song[/caption]

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  [caption id="attachment_229393" align="alignright" width="560"] The Lion's Song[/caption]

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  [caption id="attachment_229394" align="alignleft" width="560"] Mushroom Wars 2[/caption]

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  [caption id="attachment_229395" align="alignright" width="560"] Mushroom Wars 2[/caption]

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Nintendo eShop Sales

Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Save up to 50 percent on select digital games – Super Smash Bros. is back! Celebrate E3 2018 with savings on select digital games that helped make some of your favorite fighters famous, as well as other great games. Offer starts today at 9 a.m. PT and ends June 21 at 8:59 a.m. PT.

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[balloon_speech align="left" text="Shining Resonance Refrain looks sweet!" image="bee-prev"] [balloon_speech align="right" text="Haha Pocket Rumble is totally going to be fun, I can feel it!" image="bombon-happy2"]

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[en]What You Need to Know: [/en][es]Lo que necesitas saber: [/es]

• n partnership with MAGES. Inc., Spike Chunsoft is releasing STEINS;GATE ELITE in Early 2019 for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam! An HD remake of STEINS;GATE: Linear Bounded Phenogram, a collection of 10 additional stories written by renowned writers, including the Zero Escape series scenario writer, Kotaro Uchikoshi, will be available for the PlayStation 4 and Steam versions.
• For the Nintendo Switch version, 8-BIT ADV STEINS;GATE, a special 8-bit graphics and chiptune version of the game developed by series creator Chiyomaru Shikura, will be available. These bonus contents are available with all digital and physical copies. Pre-orders are now available at your local retailer!
• Check out the exciting trailer below!

[en]Source: [/en][es]Fuente: [/es]Official Press Release

Screenshots

Official Trailer

Game Info

Mario Tennis Aces - Adventure Mode Trailer - Nintendo Switch

Who it Caters to

What to Expect

Gameplay

Visuals

Sound, Music

Gameplay Mechanics

Honey's Gameplay Consensus:

Honey's Final Verdict:

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="crunchyroll" url="http://www.crunchyroll.com/lostorage-incited-wixoss/episode-12-dawn-721855" ]

Breaking the Chain of Darkness Together

Lostorage conflated WIXOSS Introduction

Kiyoi Mizushima finally seems to be out of the shadows and living her life productively. That is… until she notices that there is something evil lurking in the shadows. Selector battles are back and this time, they feature a new card, the key card, which allows battlers to summon a second LRIG to the board or even become the second LRIG themselves. Kiyoi cannot do this along and now, Suzuko, Chinatsu, Hanna, Ruuko, Yuzuki, Hitoe and more are gathered to once again participate in breaking free of this unending chain of darkness.

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1. Resolution. Finally...

After giving us Lostorage Incited WIXOSS, which, honestly felt like a series from left field, it has been revealed that it was a preamble to set the stage for this series. Finally, after getting a slew of characters who did make a compelling story on their own, the whole series is brought full circle and it makes a bit more sense why it took four years to wrap up this series. All of the girls come together to fight against former LRIGs as well as right the wrongs that have been inflicted over time via the cruel game of WIXOSS.

2. Villains That Are Actual Villains

The villains of Lostorage conflated WIXOSS are really villains who strive for nothing more than complete and utter chaos. Rather than having a plot of revenge, although Akira does get her mini-arc, the villains, who are more or less LRIGs in human bodies, desire chaos, violence, and pain. While we did not cheer them on as they’re the villains, the series did a good job of painting them as chaotic individuals out to serve their own greed and nothing more. This made for a much more interesting dynamic than say, the villains just being cute girls playing around for status.

3. A Twist!

One thing we didn't see coming was the presence of the key card. In fact, it takes like four or five episodes for it to even be explained. Then, it just gets darker as the villains realize that they can use this to their advantage. Suddenly double LRIG battles are now a thing and every character is caught off guard at least once by the new card.

1. It’s not Really That Innovative

Sure, they key card is a new invention that places a twist on the series and game itself, however, considering how late it was introduced and how it just happened to be whipped around, it left a rather bland taste in our mouths. It was immediately clear that the characters would jump at the chance to use it as soon as possible, someone would lose and become trapped, while others would collect all the trapped characters and then use them to win. The other thing, too, is that although Incited had an open ending, the villains here were all, save for the final boss, from the previous incarnations of WIXOSS meaning it ended up becoming a them against us thing with the heroes forced together.

2. The Story Took Forever to Start

Four to five episodes were used just to re-introduce characters that you already know the entire backstory about? How stupid do the writers think the viewers are? Yes, there is a very slim chance that there are brand new viewers starting out with conflated, but to waste time and money re-introducing the characters makes zero sense. We all know the characters. They should have made a few more battle episodes or shown more of the battles rather than cutting those short.

Final Thoughts

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Lostorage conflated WIXOSS was… alright for a sequel anime. Good enough that we enjoyed it, but definitely not without its pitfalls. It’s great to see the series come to a close on the note that it did because unless there is some ancient card about to be awoken, then the series is beyond a doubt, over. What are your thoughts on Lostorage conflated WIXOSS ? Be sure to let us know down below. Till Next Time,

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="LACM-14742" text="" url="" ]

Cute Horse Girls Racing to Be the Top One!

Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Introduction

In a world that is very much like our own, there are girls who are known as uma musume who are born into the world but are a bit different. You see, these girls have horse tails and ears and are build for special races known as the Pretty Derby. At the derby, these uma musume, aka horse girls, compete to not only be the first, but also to be in the center for the live stage performance as idols that happens after a race. Special Week is one such uma musume who has just transferred into Tokyo’s Tracen Academy, which is one of the best in the country for uma musume. She now tries to find her own path at this new school full of encounters, dreams, and other uma musume just like her!

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="crunchyroll" url="http://www.crunchyroll.com/umamusume-pretty-derby" ]

1. Unique Spin on Sports

Just when you think that Japan cannot come up with something else to be made into an anime, you get a new one. Sure, we have countless anime based on fictitious sports, but horse racing is a new one. Rather than focus on the jockeys, they have transformed the girls into horse girls with an affinity for carrots. The races are intense with thousands of people watching and cheering on these girls. In fact, it’s also watched and supported by people around the world who enjoy uma musume races!

2. Kemonomimi

If you have a soft spot for anime girls who are not completely human, then uma musume is a surefire win for you. With cute ears and tails, these girls are anything but ordinary. Their tails bounce and sway wherever they go adding an additional layer of cute that extends to even when the girls are racing their hardest.

3. Compelling Story

Honestly, Special Week has a rather compelling story. Her mother was a legend and she died while Spec was very young. Spec was then raised by another woman who looked after her and trained her to be a fantastic uma musume contestant. While usually most idol and sports anime fall flat when it comes to generating a backstory, something about Spec’s one makes you unable to hate her as a main character. All she wants to do is make both her mothers proud and that breathes more life into this anime than a regular one.

1. You Want Idols!

So, if we had to choose a weak point to Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, it would be that it falls flat in the idol department. While it was originally marketed as a sports and idol anime, the live shows are almost nonexistent. For a game and series that promotes it, it was surprising not to see more money dropped into getting at least a few songs put into the anime. The live performances are supposed to occur after a show, but honestly, there wasn’t really anything. A few brief seconds here and there before the lives faded altogether. Shame, too.

Final Thoughts

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We hope you enjoyed this review of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby. The sporty anime was a fun ride while it lasted and hopefully cygames can get more people to play the game leading to another season. What are your thoughts on this anime? Good, bad or neutral, be sure to let us know down below! Till Next Time.

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Finding Hope in a Hellish Place

Hoozuki no Reitetsu 2nd Season: Sono ni Introduction

Hell is a very busy place! Regardless of what your beliefs are, there are people who need to be judged, records that need to be maintained, different levels of hell to be managed, and of course, fires that need to be put out–no pun intended–. While there is all this chaos going on, there is one demon who stands above all the others. No, he is not known for his power or figure, Hoozuki is known for his prowess. He can intimidate his boss, King Enma, the ruler of Japanese Hell, into doing anything he wants, Hoozuki can easily solve problems through dialogue, and is a well-respected demon in hell. Today too, someone needs Hoozuki’s help. Let’s just hope he can get there before they dig themselves too deep of a hole!

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1. It’s Just as Good as the First-Half of the Season

The thing that a lot of comedy anime tend to slip up on in the second season is innovation. Thankfully, Hoozuki does not struggle at all here and delivers a consistent, funny dialogue all throughout the series. There is so much material that could be covered in Hell. They always manage to go onto a new topic, usually two, per episode meaning that the story never stalls or stale jokes are brought up again and again. In fact, we saw significantly less Hakutaku in the second cours of Hoozuki, but it is not necessarily bad as there is only so much schmoozing and boozing that Hakutaku can do before we get bored of seeing him fall victim to his own vices. In fact, the only characters we are thrilled to see every time and they never get old, are the creepy Zashiki Warashi who look like the spirits that they are and their reactions are creepy and cute at the same time.

2. It’s Japan, just... in Hell.

Something really great about this series is that if you want to see what living in Japan is like, Hoozuki paints a fairly accurate picture. If you are working, that is. There will always be someone with the answers who is terrifying and yet cool and calm at the same time, there is always someone who is a bungling fool and you are not sure how they got hired. There is always the office crush aka Okou-san, and there is always a boss who is so inept that you wonder just how they rose to power, King Enma. Thankfully though, Hoozuki manages to get everything done which also happens in real life as well.

3. Building on that, Hoozuki Is Also About Japanese Culture

We have touched on this in the past at some point, but Hoozuki actually talks about a vast amount of Japanese history and beliefs rooted in Shinto. While we do learn some things, learning more about the backstories behind things also gives better and greater context for the way Japanese people can act and think. Not to mention, too, you get to learn really cool facets of Japanese history that are not necessarily valuable pieces of information, but it’s still cool to know.

1. You Hate Explanations

This is more of a response to point three, but if you do not enjoy learning via a show, then you should skip Hoozuki. Since he is surrounded by people like Shiro, Nasubi, the Zashiki Warashi, and more, there is a lot of explaining happening. While it is cool for some, we understand that some people may be put off by the fact that we just spent a few minutes learning about how Izanagi moved to hell and is insufferable.

Final Thoughts

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These are just some of our thoughts in regards to the series Hoozuki no Reitetsu, but we hope that you have found it enjoyable. It seems like the anime will be off air for awhile as the series doesn’t seem to be teasing that another season is coming. Then again though, there is so much source material overall for the series that there could be a chance we could see more. We are not holding our breath and bid Hoozuki farewell to go back to his work desk. What are your thoughts on this series? Be sure to let us know in the comments below! Till next time!

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10. FLCL

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[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" April 2000 – March 2001 " post_id=""]

Naota Nandaba’s ordinary life becomes anything but ordinary when Haruko Haruhara, a mysterious girl wielding a guitar as a weapon, runs him over with her Vespa. Up to that point, Naota had nothing much to do besides looking after his brother’s bed and Mamimi Samejima, his brother’s girlfriend, after he left Japan to go play baseball in America. Ever since then, Mamimi has been clinging inappropriately to Naota and has remained a handful all on her own. After his fateful run-in with Haruko, a horn appears on his forehead and transforms into a robot, from there on out it’s clear that Naota’s life will never return to its original mundanity and that Mamimi will be the least of his worries. This short OVA has long divided its viewers due to its unusual story and art. The narrative isn’t clear, and the story is zany and insane, while the art style can get outlandish and experimental. There’s quite a bit of slapstick humor on top of a ton of symbolism and imagery to dig through in FLCL. Even if you’ve watched it once, you’re bound to discover something else with each subsequent viewing. One thing’s for sure, you aren’t likely to ever find something like FLCL again, that is until you check out its recent sequels.

9. Seirei no Moribito (Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit)

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[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" April 2007 – September 2007 " post_id=""]

Chagum, the second son of the emperor of Shin Yogo, has been possessed by an evil water spirit, and now the emperor wants him dead. One of the assassination attempts on the prince is foiled by a wandering bodyguard called Balsa Yonsa. After she’s protected the lives of seven other people, Balsa has only one more life to protect to redeem herself from her past. Chagum’s mother hires Balsa to protect the prince from the emperor’s assassins while the people of the court enter a conflict over the fate of the spirit and the emperor’s decision to kill Chagum. Moribito’s premise guarantees two things: some incredible fights and deep questions on morality. Thanks to Balsa’s refusal to kill, we get some especially creatively and beautifully animated fights between her and the many assassins out to get Chagum. Furthermore, thanks to the complex situation the court is involved in between killing the prince or possibly risking a drought, the show deals with a lot of questions on the greater good. Production I.G delivers with this fantasy series and provides us with one of the most badass women in all of anime.

8. Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion

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[Information episodes=" 1 " aired=" July 1997 " post_id=""]

NERV, a paramilitary organization responsible for the deployment of Evangelions, has finally killed the last Angel, a race of supernatural beings. Unfortunately, NERV still has to fend off the secret organization called SEELE, but their defeat seems all but certain under the weight of a fatal attack. Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion provides an alternate take on the last two episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, answering many of the questions the polarizing final episodes left behind. The End of Evangelion is presented as two 45-minute episodes intended to make up for what fans perceived as the original TV series’ incomplete ending. This film provides many of the highs from the original series by combining intensely emotional and psychological narratives with Neon Genesis Evangelion’s typically great mecha fights. Widely regarded as a classic, Neon Genesis Evangelion’s only blemish was its ending, and The End of Evangelion helped remove that blemish and elevate it to a masterpiece.

7. Ghost in the Shell

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[Information episodes=" 1 " aired=" November 1995 " post_id=""]

In a distant future where cybernetic implants are widely used, a hacker called “The Puppetmaster” has been taking over people’s bodies and implanting false memories to manipulate them into committing crimes. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg working as the leader of Public Security Section 9, is tasked with hunting down “The Puppetmaster” and bringing him to justice. Of course, things are never as they seem and the nature of “The Puppetmaster” will lead Motoko to important questions about her own identity. Frequent Production I.G collaborator Mamoru Oshii brought to life the Ghost in the Shell manga with an adaptation that would go on to influence anime and cinema for years to come. Ghost in the Shell provides viewers with incredible animation but isn’t ever afraid to take a step back and give viewers a moment to simply ponder its world and enter a philosophical discussion about the nature of identity. Somehow, with each passing year and the evolution of technology, Ghost in the Shell manages to become increasingly more relevant to our current society and worthy of a rewatch.

6. Kemono no Souja Erin (Erin)

[sourceLink asin="B002B5BJ9I" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 50 " aired=" January 2009 – December 2009 " post_id=""]

Erin’s mother Soyon is a beastinarian who takes cares of the Touda, a race of war-lizards used by the Grand Duke Taikou to defend the kingdom. Misfortune befalls Taikou’s greatest and favorite Touda under the care of Soyon, and she is sentenced to death by being eaten by the Touda. Erin’s desperate attempt to save her mother gets her swept in a river towards a neighboring province called Shin-Ou. Now stranded from everything she’s ever known, Erin will need to learn to adapt to her new environment with only the lessons her mother taught her remaining from her past life. Nahoko Uehashi is fortunate enough to have not only one successful adaption of her work in Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit but two with Erin. This adaption features much of what made Moribito great, a strong female protagonist, an interesting fantasy world, and Production I.G’s great visual storytelling. Thanks to being based on a fantasy novel and given 50 episodes to explore the world and characters, Erin provides even more depth and complexity to its world than Moribito did and will satisfy any fantasy fan’s cravings.

5. Diamond no Ace (Ace of Diamond)

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[Information episodes=" 75 " aired=" October 2013 – March 2015 " post_id=""]

Eijun Sawamura’s middle school baseball career may not have been successful, but he still had a lot of fun with his teammates. They make plans to do better when they reach high school, but Eijun is scouted by an elite private high school to join their baseball team thanks to his unique pitching style. With encouragement from his old teammates, Eijun sets out to join Seidou High School and become the team’s ace. It won’t be an easy ride, three more first string pitchers each have the title of ace in mind as well, and none of them will relent on their goals. A disappointing middle school career, a unique skill that makes up for average abilities, a rival at every corner, and an unmatched desire to be the best? Ace of Diamond fills out the entire sports shounen checklist and does it well. Production I.G has mastered the art of sports anime, and Ace of Diamond joins fellow Production I.G successes like Kuroko’s Basketball and Haikyuu!! in being perfect hits. Ace of Diamond is just another example of why Production I.G is the prime destination for sports shounen.

4. Ballroom e Youkoso (Welcome to the Ballroom)

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[Information episodes=" 24 " aired=" July 2017 – December 2017 " post_id=""]

Tatara Fujita is an introverted middle school student without any hobby or activity he’s particularly good at. One day, when bullies extort him from money, he’s saved by a competitive ballroom dancer called Kaname Sengoku. He’s convinced to take a few classes at Sengoku’s dance studio and after being enamored with classmate Kiyoharu Hyoudou’s dancing displays, decides to pursue a competitive career, and uncover his own passion for ballroom dancing. Welcome to the Ballroom should be considered a crowning achievement for Production I.G. They outdo themselves by turning ballroom dancing into the most intense sport you’ll ever find, and possibly even convincing you to try it out yourself. Welcome to the Ballroom is an incredibly gorgeous anime, and you’ll have a hard time resisting cheering for Tatara when he’s discovering his own passion in life and overcoming the trials that inevitably come his way. You might want to dismiss Welcome to the Ballroom for the sport, but trust us, this is one of the best shounen you’ll find.

3. xxxHOLiC

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[Information episodes=" 24 " aired=" April 2006 – September 2006 " post_id=""]

Kimihiro Watanuki is haunted by spirits and supernatural beings that only he can see, and he’s desperate to get rid of this ability. One day, while running away from spirits, he ends up in the shop of Yuuko Ichihara, a witch. Yuuko makes a deal with Kimihiro, she will get rid of his ability to see spirits and be hunted by them, and in exchange, Kimihiro will work at her shop where she grants wishes. Unlike everything that came before on this list, xxxHOLiC isn’t action heavy but it certainly borrows from a few others in taking a psychological bend and being willing to ask the hard questions. xxxHOLiC is an episodic series typically dealing with a new customer coming in to have a wish fulfilled and Kimihiro having to do the job itself, and despite the lack of obvious long-term narrative, xxxHOLiC’s customer of the week structure can be addicting. If you’re looking to step away from all the action and want a series that will get you thinking like Ghost in the Shell and Neon Genesis Evangelion did, xxxHOLiC will do that for you.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="NEOBK-1455447" text="" url="" ]

2. Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)

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[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" April 2013 – September 2013 " post_id=""]

The remnants of humanity live behind giant walls meant to fend off the monstrous creatures called Titan that feed off them out of sheer pleasure. A century of relative peace and quiet is brought to an end when a Colossal Titan appears out of nowhere and destroys a part of the wall to allow other Titans inside. Eren Yeager is one of many to suffer tragedy because of the assault; however, alongside his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and their childhood friend Armin Arlert, he’ll enlist to join the Survey Corps, a military unit that wanders beyond the walls, so he can fulfill his goal of killing every last Titan. Attack on Titan is a darker take on the shounen genre, and perhaps because of that, it has become a huge hit for Production I.G. It stands out from the very first episode because of the lingering threat in every scene that something might go wrong, and someone might die. Besides being a very intense series, watching Attack on Titan’s humans burst across the sky while swinging from high buildings and tall trees to slay Titan provides some of the most satisfying and beautifully animated scenes you’ll find in anime.

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1. Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)

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[Information episodes=" 11 " aired=" July 2011 – September 2011 " post_id=""]

Daikichi Kawachi’s grandfather just recently passed away, and his last gift to his family is an illegitimate child called Rin Kaga. Unfortunately, during the funeral, it becomes clear that no one in the family wants Rin, so Daikichi, employed but aimless in life, decides to take Rin in. He’s never raised a child before, and this will disrupt his otherwise mundane life, but Daikichi will grow more than ever before now that he’s entering fatherhood. Bunny Drop is a heartwarming slice-of-life that stands in stark contrast to everything else on this list. It still measures up artistically to Production I.G’s standard but it does away with the action, intensity, and the psychological and philosophical questions for a simple, warm tale about a father and his adopted daughter learning to navigate the world together. Bunny Drop may not have you sitting at the edge of your seat but it offers a tight story at only 11 episodes, with well-written characters and a story you won’t be able to resist smiling at.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="ESCL-3737" text="" url="" ]

Final Thoughts

10. Guilty Crown

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[Information episodes=" 22 " aired=" Oct 2011 – Mar 2012 "]

The story kicks off in the year 2039, ten years after the "Apocalypse Virus" wreaked havoc in Japan. Since then, the country has been controlled by GHQ, a multinational organization created to keep the virus under quarantine. Meanwhile, an ordinary 17-year-old boy named Shu Ouma finds himself with the "Power of the King", which extracts hidden powers from human genomes that reflect people's hearts. He meets a girl named Inori Yuzuriha — a member of a group that aims to kick GHQ out of Japan, thereby restoring autonomy to the country's government — and his life is changed forever. While this is far from Production I.G's best in terms of storytelling, it still showcases what the studio is capable of animation-wise. Every detail — from the backgrounds to the character designs —is beautifully laid out, and the CGI complements the hand-drawn animation perfectly. Directed by Tetsuro Araki (Death Note), and scored by Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan), this anime is worth checking out.

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Guilty Crown Trailer 2

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9. Ao Haru Ride (Blue Spring Ride)

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[Information episodes="12 " aired=" Jul 2014 – Sep 2014 "]

"Cuteness is a curse." This is what Futaba Yoshioka learns the hard way, when female friends ostracized her for her looks in junior high. As a result, she tries to become as "unladylike" as possible in high school to avoid getting bullied again. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for her, it turns out that Kou Tanaka — the boy she liked in junior high — also attends the same high school as she does. Changing his name to Kou Mabuchi, Tanaka-kun tells Futaba that he returned her feelings back then, but things aren't really the same as they used to be. Don't let its typical "will they or won't they?" premise fool you. It's a show rich in both style and substance, with great character development and realistic depictions of human relationships (romantic or otherwise). Of course, Production I.G hits it out of the park with the way they construct an atmosphere that fits this show's themes perfectly. If you love shoujo, you'll love this one.

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Ao Haru Ride PV 2 (Futaba ver.)

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8. Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You)

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[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" Oct 2009 – Mar 2010 "]

Sawako Kuronuma isn't the most socially adept girl in the world. It doesn't help that she bears a striking resemblance to Sadako Yamamura from "The Ring". Fortunately for her classmates, she's a genuinely sweet and kind person, which catches the attention of school heartthrob Shouta Kazehaya. He tries to bring her out of her shell — and maybe open her heart up a little bit more. It's no stretch to say that this anime will give you diabetes. If you're looking for something that's made of hilarity, tears, and warm fuzzies, give this one a shot. It's good enough to warrant a second season (which, by the way, ranked No. 1 in a poll for "Most Anticipated Anime series of 2011), plus two specials by Production I.G.

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Kimi Ni Todoke Trailer

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7. Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East)

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[Information episodes=" 11 " aired=" Apr 2009 – Jun 2009 "]

On November 22, 2010, Japan was struck by no less than ten missiles. Since no one was apparently hurt, this incident was soon forgotten (although the date was since dubbed "Careless Monday"). Three months later, a young woman named Saki Morimi gets into trouble with Washington DC authorities, only to be saved by a mysterious man named Akira Takizawa. The only clues to his identity are the gun, a mobile phone, and 8.2 billion yen worth of digital money credit. Also, he may or may not be related to the "Careless Monday" incident. With director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and character designer Chika Umino (Honey and Clover) at the helm, this is considered one of 2009's finest anime. In fact, it has won a good number of awards, like the TV Feature Award from the 2009 Animation Kobe festival, and the Best Television Series Award from the 9th Tokyo International Anime Fair. Naturally, Production I.G made three movies—The King of Eden, Paradise Lost, and Air Communication—plus one music video called "Falling Down" based on this series.

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Higashi no Eden trailer Eng subs

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6. Sengoku Basara (Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings)

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[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" Apr 2009 – Jun 2009 "]

Based on a Capcom video game franchise of the same name, Sengoku Basara is loosely based on events that took place during Japan's Warring States Period. At the time, the country was fractured into several provinces, ruled by daimyos like Masamune Date, Shingen Takeda, Kenshin Uesugi, Ieyasu Tokugawa, and many more. When the tyrannical "Sixth Heavenly Devil King", Nobunaga Oda, resolves to bring the entire country under his control, the other daimyos form an alliance to stop him. Although it's not the most historically accurate show by any means, it's fun to watch anyway. In fact, the anime was so successful that Capcom tried to bring the third game, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes, to the US and Europe again. The show also inspired several spin-offs handled by Production I.G: the second season, the movie "The Last Party", and three specials.

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Sengoku BASARA Opening 1

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5. Blood-C

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[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" Jul 2011 – Sep 2011 "]

Saya Kisaragi is an ordinary high school girl by day, and a hunter of monsters called "Elder Bairns" by night. As time goes by, however, she notices that something's not quite right with the monsters, or with the town she's living in. As the fourth installment in the Blood franchise, this was one of the most-talked about anime for Summer 2011. The character designs were typical of CLAMP (with which Production I.G collaborated), while the exceptionally fluid animation was what you'd expect from the studio. If you're looking for strong visuals, and aren't squeamish about violence and gore, give this one a try.

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Blood C – US Trailer [HD]

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4. Psycho-Pass

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[Information episodes=" 22 " aired=" Oct 2012 – Mar 2013 "]

What if you can determine someone's personality, state of mind, feelings, and even desires in a fraction of a second? That's a pretty handy ability for law enforcement, around which Psycho-Pass' story revolves. Penned by Gen Urobuchi (Fate/Zero, Black Lagoon, Puella Magi Madoka Magica), this is a series that's hard to explain in full without giving away major spoilers. All we can say is, it'll make you question human psychology and morality like never before. Also, it managed to rake in good DVD and Blu-ray sales, and even get nominated for the Seiun Award (Best Science Fiction). And if 22 episodes aren't enough for you, check out Season Two and the movie, courtesy of Production I.G.

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Psycho-Pass Season 1 Trailer

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3. Haikyuu!!

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[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" Apr 2014 – Sep 2014 "]

If you love volleyball, go watch this anime. If you don't, watch it anyway. Haikyuu!! is the story of Shouyou Hinata, a boy who's extremely passionate about volleyball. He loves it so much, that he managed to bring his club all the way to a regular middle-school match, only to be curbstomped by Tobio Kageyama a.k.a. "King of the Court". To get back at Tobio, Shouyou signs up for the Karasuno High School volleyball club to get stronger. Coincidentally, Tobio signed up for the same. Along with Free!, Haikyuu!! rekindled North American fans' interest in sports anime. Also, the second season will be coming out in October 2015, while the second movie (Shousha to Haisha) will premiere in September 2015. You can also check out the Jump Festa Special 2014, as well as the recap movie Owari no Hajimari — all of which Production I.G handles.

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Haikyuu! trailer

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2. Kuroko no Basket (Kuroko's Basketball)

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[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" Apr 2012 – Sep 2012 "]

From Teiko Middle School comes a group of basketball players known as "The Generation of Miracles". They managed to achieve a seemingly impossible feat: Three perfect seasons. Unknown to many, there's a sixth member of the "Generation of Miracles", Tetsuya Kuroko, who's now a freshman at Seirin High. Together with fellow freshman Taiga Kagami (who's actually much better at basketball than Kuroko is), he aims to make Seirin High's basketball team the number one in Japan — which means they have to defeat the "Generation of Miracles" one by one. Like most sports anime, Kuroko no Basket is a treat to watch. You can really see how Production I.G's team poured all their blood, sweat and tears into the art and animation. Even if you're not an NBA fan — or a basketball fan, for that matter — the stylized action will keep you glued to your screen until the end. And judging by the fact that DVD sales for this anime consistently feature in Japanese rankings, it's a great show for everyone.

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Kuroko no Basket [Trailer]

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1. Kokaku Kidotai: Stand Alone Complex (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)

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[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" Oct 2002 – Mar 2003 "]

In the near future, humans have made it possible to transplant complete living bodies into machines. As you can imagine, this sort of technology is vulnerable to abuse. To prevent that from happening, the Japanese government created Public Security Section 9, led by badass cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi. One day, they get thrown off guard by an A level hacker nicknamed "The Laughing Man", and a thrilling cat-and-mouse game ensues. If there's one anime that can be considered Production I.G's "cash cow", this would be it. It has inspired no less than four TV series, 13 specials and nine movies. Additionally, it won a Notable Entry Award in the 2003 Tokyo International Anime Fair, and an Excellence Prize (Animation Division) in the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival.

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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Trailer

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[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="PCCG-1667" text="" url="" ]

Psychology in an Era of Shattered Psyches

Caligula Introduction

Ritsu is your everyday student in high school. He goes to a ceremony one day, and people start acting weird. Some dude with a gun shows up and some students transform into monsters and attack!? He escapes fine, but it seems the world has not reverted back to normal. So Ritsu seeks out the guy named Shougo and realizes that something to going on. He finds out that he is in a world called Mobius that it is run by a girl named μ. He then further learns that those around him might not be who he thinks they are. Can Ritsu get out of Mobius alive?

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="crunchyroll" url="http://www.crunchyroll.com/caligula" ]

1. You Played the Game or Want the Remake

Caligula is somewhat famous due to the game it had. Now we are not calling it some blockbuster in gaming, but the game did do well and received mixed reviews. Atlus fans will pounce on this anime immediately just like most Atlus fans do/did with Persona. The anime is kinda sorta like a game anime in that it can only adapt so much of the original game while moving the story along. While you may have 40-100 hours for a game, you only have about 3.5 solid hours for anime. While some things from the story are there, just know that it is moving along fast.

2. You Like a Story with Characters Fixated on Things.

If you enjoy getting heavily involved in your protagonists, then this is the show for you. Caligula goes into the deep end of protagonists with a main character, Ritsu, who is not only into psychology, he tries to apply it to things going on around him! The anime likes to play with the story and goes very deep to the point that one episode is just Ritsu investigating Mobius and what is going on around him. As long as you enjoy the series setting up on you in front of you, then you’ll enjoy Caligula.

1. It’s Not the Game

A lot of the times, fans of adaptations whine about why their series was adapted in the way that it was regardless of the original medium. The anime for Caligula is the same, while it is the name and has the characters, it is not the same and can derail rather easily.

2. The Story is Infuriatingly Confusing and Lost at Points

There is a whole episode devoted to hot pot. Considering this specific episode aired in MAY, it makes no sense. No one wants hot pot in May! Sometimes, tangents appear out of nowhere and the story just… stalls. The whole locked-in-the-classroom thing failed to make sense for a while because it just was dropped on the user and wasn’t explained. Maybe if the game had been played beforehand, it would have made sense, but to people who have not yet played it, it is awkward and weird. Boss fights are also very left field, as the battle aspect has been cut out almost entirely.

Final Thoughts

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We hope you enjoyed this review of Caligula. While it’s no Persona 5 which is just a better anime this season on every front, it did make an interesting story that we enjoyed and watched for the most part. As with all games that are adapted into anime though, there was a lot that was cut out leaving the user confused. The good news is that we are now interested in what was cut out and are considering getting our hands on the remake of Caligula. What are your thoughts on this game anime? Good, bad or neutral, be sure to let us know down below! Till Next Time,

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="LACA-15536" text="" url="" ]

10. Gakkou no Kaidan (Ghost Stories)

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[Information episodes=" October 2000 – March 2001 " aired=" 19 " post_id=""]

Gakkou no Kaidan garnered mild success in Japan, but its cookie-cutter plot and bland characters meant that it didn’t have a prayer of catching on in the international market if translated faithfully. So when ADV Films acquired the license in 2004, the Japanese studio gave them free reign to do whatever it took to sell the show in America. And so, we were blessed with the hilarious gag dub known as Ghost Stories, which takes the basic building blocks of the plot and coats everything in a thick layer of offbeat humor and pop culture references. According to dub actors Greg Ayres and Monica Rial, much of the dialogue was improvised and whoever got into the recording booth first was able to decide the tone that each episode would take. With standout lines such as “Principals always look like lesbians”, “Run like a big black man is chasing you!”, and “Someone call Canada! We need Alanis Morissette, stat!”, it’s no wonder that Ghost Stories skyrocketed this otherwise lackluster anime to cult stardom.

9. Hetalia Axis Powers

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[Information episodes=" January 2009 – March 2010 " aired=" 52 " post_id=""]

Unlike Gakkou no Kaidan, this anime about personified countries getting on each other’s nerves was already a comedy show to begin with. But when the English dub came along, it added something that the original was sorely lacking – purposefully bad foreign accents. Watching Germany berate Italy for being such a coward is even funnier in the dub, since the characters respectively sound like a Nazi from Indiana Jones and a squeaky-voiced Mario. New jokes and nuances were added as well. Our favorite performance comes from Eric Vale as both America and Canada, who each embody their nation’s stereotypes in a way that’s somehow both offensive and kind of heartwarming. Their game of catch in World Series is a rapid-fire barrage of quips from America’s “I’m not sure I can love moose and drag my ass as much as you do, ‘kay?” to Canada’s “My grandmother taught me the true spirit of the maple leaf!” Bawdy American comedy at its finest, courtesy of the English dub of Hetalia.

8. Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia)

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[Information episodes=" April 2016 – June 2016 " aired=" 13 " post_id=""]

Of course, it was only natural to choose Christopher Sabat, the legendary booming voice behind Vegeta, Piccolo, and Alex Louis Armstrong, to portray the All-American hero All Might – that had to be the easiest casting decision Funimation ever made. But the real acting chops in this quirky show come into play with the protagonist, Izuku, and his second season rival Todoroki. Justin Briner accentuates Izuku’s burning determination despite his physical weakness with a shaky teenage voice that constantly seems to be shifting between childlike wonder and adult resolve. While trying to convince David Matranga’s Todoroki to embrace both sides of his troubled heritage in the climactic battle of the tournament, both characters fight for what they believe in with such passion that you completely forget you’re not watching the show in its original language.

7. One Punch Man

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[Information episodes=" October 2015 – December 2015 " aired=" 12 " post_id=""]

When it came time to localize the smash hit One Punch Man, many viewers wondered whether a new voice actor could capture the charm of Makoto Furukawa’s signature bored, yet carefree tone as Saitama. But luckily, Max Mittelman stepped up and proved us all wrong. His take on the character is a bit lower pitched and more laid back than bored, but still perfectly captures the ennui of a hero who’s too powerful for anything to give him a real challenge. And much to our surprise, 18-year-old newcomer Zach Aguilar gave quite the engaging performance as Genos. He infused the character with a youthful passion that the original didn’t quite manage, which makes Genos seem even more obnoxiously earnest when Saitama just wants to be left alone. These two roles were difficult to get right, but the One Punch Man English dub knocked them out of the park.

6. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion)

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[Information episodes=" October 2006 – July 2007 " aired=" 25 " post_id=""]

Here’s another case where a Japanese voice actor’s performance was so iconic that it would take an exceptional dub actor to do it justice. But when Western audiences first heard Johnny Yong Bosch as the bombastic and conniving Lelouch, they knew that it was just as amazing as Jun Fukuyama’s legendary portrayal. Bosch’s Lelouch voice has enough range to sound convincing in any of the wide array of scenarios the characters finds himself in – from grand political speeches to quiet school life. There’s an art to a good over-the-top performance, and Code Geass is a show that’s so over-the-top that it shoots past the top and rockets into the stratosphere. Fittingly, the rest of the English cast also brought their A game to make sure that no character sounded boring. Crispin Freeman made Jeremiah Gottwald as melodramatic as possible, Karen Strassman gave Kallen a rough and feisty voice to match her tomboyish attitude, and Liam O’Brian probably had way too much fun recording increasingly flamboyant lines for Lloyd Asplund. There’s not much subtlety involved, but it’s hardly needed. The English dub brought these wild characters to life in the hammiest way it could, and that’s exactly why it’s so perfect.

5. Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Ancient Magus’ Bride)

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[Information episodes=" October 2017 – March 2018 " aired=" 24 " post_id=""]

Thanks to internet streaming and the simuldubs that localizers like Funimation provide, the most popular anime each season can be professionally dubbed in the blink of an eye. And the English version of Mahoutsukai no Yome, even as quickly produced as it was (and even with its suspicious lack of British accents for an anime set in England), is some of the finest work the studio has ever done. Of particular note is Dani Chambers’ performance as Chise, which captures the character’s awkwardness and bleak but hopeful attitude wonderfully. Everything from her little squeaks when Elias tries to give her a bath to her defiant rage against him when he tries to sacrifice Stella feels like it comes from a place of deep sadness that Chise has dealt with for her whole life. It would’ve been easy to give Chise a monotone voice, but we’re so glad that her complex personality got the complex portrayal it deserved.

4. Devilman: Crybaby

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[Information episodes=" January 2018 " aired=" 10 " post_id=""]

As Netflix’s first truly original anime (because we shall never speak of Neo Yokio ever again), Devilman: Crybaby had a lot to prove. Its 10 episodes were released all at once in five different languages and the English version is a tour-de-force of powerful performances from new and old faces alike. And compared to the side-splittingly stupid 1987 OVA dub, which gave us such gems as “It’s true what they say, smoking is bad for you. Especially when it’s your own flesh you’re smoking,” it’s practically Shakespeare! Griffin Burns had perhaps the most difficult acting job in the entire series as protagonist Akira Fudo, who changes from a cheerful young man into an emotionally tortured demon hybrid whose life keeps getting worse by the second. Akira’s extreme empathy causes him to cry for whomever he knows is hurting, and Burns captures the character’s struggle with his human emotions and demonic urges brilliantly. And in the very tense second half of the series, he tinges Akira’s outbursts with a quivering tone that emphasizes how broken the character feels inside. Which, for an anime that focuses so heavily on characters and relationships, is exactly what it needed.

3. Cowboy Bebop

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[Information episodes=" April 1998 – April 1999 " aired=" 26 " post_id=""]

It’s universally known among anime fans that Cowboy Bebop is one of the greatest anime ever created. And even though it was dubbed in the era of censorship and stiff-as-a-board dub dialogue (see Sailor Moon and the entirety of the 4Kids lineup in the early to mid 2000s), this dub is still considered to be one of the greats – and for good reason. What works so well about this dub is how perfectly cast the main group ended up being. They all seemed like real friends who understood each other and played well off of each other’s strengths. Wendee Lee’s star-making performance as Faye has been said to overshadow even the original voice actress, and Steven Blum’s effortlessly cool and smooth voice cemented Spike’s place as one of the sexiest men anime has ever had. According to composer Yoko Kanno, “Our Spike, good. Your Spike, sexy!”

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2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

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[Information episodes=" April 2009 – July 2010 " aired=" 64 " post_id=""]

It’s difficult to choose whether Romi Park or Vic Mignogna makes the better Ed Elric, but one thing is for sure – both the Japanese and English versions of Fullmetal Alchemist are amazing. We chose the Brotherhood adaptation for this list, since the overall quality of the dub is higher and the voice actors have more experience, but we also can’t forget Aaron Dismuke’s heartwarming performance as Alphonse Elric when he was only 12 years old. When Maxey Whitehead took over for him in Brotherhood, she spoke her lines into the same bowl that gave Dismuke’s Al his iconic metallic echo. Hiromu Arakawa, the author of Fullmetal Alchemist, is an expert at switching between comedy and drama at the drop of a hat. Because of this, every actor had to have enough range to cover all of the emotional swings each episode takes without breaking character. And for the Brotherhood dub, no expense was spared in making sure that the voices were absolutely perfect all the way through. Whether you watch the original version with subtitles or the English dub, you won’t be disappointed.

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1. Death Note

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[Information episodes=" 37 " aired=" October 2006 – June 2007 " post_id=""]

Death Note is a story all about relationships between people who hate each other, and nowhere is this better explored than in the rivalry between Light and L. Brad Swaile’s intense (and sometimes gloriously campy) performance as Light was a true joy to behold, but the most jaw-droppingly amazing acting to come out of this anime was none other than Alessandro Juliani as L. The odd, almost musical rumbling of L’s voice keeps you on edge, wondering just what he’s hiding underneath that sly tone. He always seems to be one step ahead of Light, just by how calm he is and how easily he can fire off a perfectly timed reply to some off-the-cuff comment – like Misa’s line “I wouldn’t dream of living in a world without Light!” and L’s dub-only reply of “Yes, that would be dark.” Unfortunately, Alessandro Juliani didn’t stay in the anime world for long, returning mostly to theater and small TV roles. But for that short time, we knew him as the definitive voice of one of the greatest antagonists in anime history.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="VPCG-84852" text="" url="" ]

Final Thoughts

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10. Trigun

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[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" April 1998-December 1998 "]

Vash the Stampede is the man with $$60,000,000 on his head for laying death and destruction in his wake. He is evil, bloodthirsty, heartless and his reputation for turning every city into a smoldering ruin has earned him the nickname “The Humanoid Typhoon.” But rumors are rumors and actually he is one of the nicest people around and even after his alleged recent destruction of a city, no one died. Who is Vash and why does he leave a trail of destruction? No one knows for sure but two insurance agents Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson will soon find out as they follow him around through the unforgiving wastelands of planet Gunsmoke. One of the classic anime any fan should check out. Trigun is set in a Sci-Fi Wild West world with very hot and dry locales filled cowboys, bounty hunters, assassins, and the everyday struggling thirsty civilians. It’s made even better with by adding English dub to make the mood appropriately better with people having Texan accents and sometimes Southern accents. Everything fits. Sure the Japanese original voices are a tad more talented but in this kind of setting, you need the right voices to get that right atmosphere going. Also, English Vash is funny as hell.

9. The Slayers

[sourceLink asin="B0002LJTR2" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" April 1995-September 1995 "]

We follow the story of Lina Inverse and her partner Gourry Gabriev as they travel the land for fame, fortune, food and kicking monster butt. But it’s not your typical fantasy journey because Lina is one hot-tempered, yet, a lovable young woman with, uh, height issues. The English dubbing industry was fairly young in the 90s so we got very few talents. This led to shows having samey voices because they’re using the same voice actors and some ended up taking voice roles of characters they’re not good at. There are exceptions and The Slayers is one of them. They hit the mark on selecting the right voices for the characters and you can clearly tell because you’re laughing your butt off every time Lina opens her mouth, and her sharp-ish voice matches her… uh… hmmm… height.

8. Crayon Shin-chan

[sourceLink asin="B000MTOMB2" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 800+ " aired=" April 1992-Ongoing "]

Don’t be fooled at this anime starring a little kid as its main character because this anime is not for kids at all. Crayon Shin-chan is a story of a young curious boy as he goes about his life at school and at home. Despite his young age, Shin-chan has a knack for using unusual and profane language that leaves anyone he talks to, including his parents, dumbfounded. Shin-chan’s English dub took a lot of liberties in the jokes and they even gave characters new names and personalities. Even though this is a red flag for the more dedicated fans, the changes were appropriate because there are some Japanese jokes, social commentaries and even toilet humor that cannot be understood by a Western audience. Still, Shin-chan is still a very funny show with a talented English voice cast with the right enough skill to deliver that laugh-out-loud punchline.

7. Space☆Dandy

[sourceLink asin="B00HQSG558" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 13 " aired=" January 2014-March 2014 "]

Space Dandy is like watching Cowboy Bebop on an LSD trip, and don’t even try to piece together the continuity of this anime unless you want the universe to implode. With that said, Dandy is a very eccentric and carefree alien hunter searching for rare alien species, and mess around in his favorite breastaurants. Ian Sinclair, the voice of Dandy in the English dub is perfect with an energetic performance that goes well with Dandy. His delivery is fast, snappy, smart and charismatic, and really brings Dandy’s character to life. But it’s not Dandy who has a good voice acting, the supporting characters QT and Meow also deliver the notes, and they’re so good in fact that Space Dandy is best watched in English.

6. Kill la Kill

[sourceLink asin="B00KUDUTVM" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 24 " aired=" October 2013-March 2014 "]

Voicing Matoi Ryuuko is very difficult considering she’s in the category of hot-blooded characters in super-powered shounen shows, she yells a lot (especially super moves), and sounds like a tomboy, but thankfully voice talent Erica Mendez pulled it off and made Ryuuko sound as much as her Japanese voice counterpart. That’s saying a lot because Ryuuko’s Japanese voice actor is the industry veteran Koshimizu Ami and she is considered one of the best voice actors in Japan. But what makes a good main character? The villain? The sidekick? The supporting characters? All of them? Fortunately, Kill la Kill has a ton of silly and sometimes lecherous cast of characters and they were all sounded great in English. Kiryuuin Satsuki’s English voice isn’t as authoritative as the original, but voice actor Carrie Keranen still did an outstanding performance. And let’s not forget the oddball but still a good friend/sidekick Mankanshoku Mako with also an impressive performance by Christine Marie Cabanos.

5. School Rumble

[sourceLink asin="B0016KV7WI" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" October 2004-March 2005 "]

Tsukamoto Tenma is a girl in love with classmate Karasuma Ooji and like any heartstruck girl, she can’t muster up the courage to confess. On the other hand, school delinquent Harima Kenji has fallen in love with Tenma, but he’s having trouble confessing. Will these two finally notice their feelings for each other or will things get complicated when they start misunderstanding each other? So English dubs are arguably superior in shows with foreign or alien settings (ie not in Japan), but what about infamous settings like Japanese high schools? Can English dubs compete on their rival’s home court? Well, they can. As we pointed out in Shin-chan, the humor falls flat if the delivery sucks and thankfully the English dub in School Rumble remains one of the best examples of good dubbing while delivering the laughs. Harima Kenji’s English voice may sound not too brash compared to the Japanese original or some of the voice casting choices were questionable, it is clear the English talents were good at what they do and the dialogue feels natural like you’re in an actual high school setting.

4. Hellsing Ultimate

[sourceLink asin="B00BQ1DDUG" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 10 " aired=" February 2006-December 2012 "]

The Hellsing Organization tasked to defend Great Britain against any forms of supernatural threats (mostly vampires and ghouls). At its head is Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, spends her lifetime fighting the undead scourge. With an army and money at her disposal, her ultimate weapon in fighting these monsters is another monster named only as the vampire Alucard. Hellsing Ultimate has a huge cast of characters from different parts of Europe and the rest of the world like Great Britain, Germany, the Nazis, South America and the Vatican and a Japanese voice cast cannot do that. This is one of the few instances the English dub reigns supreme — Every character sounds unique and you can tell what nationality they’re from just by listening to their accents and way of talking.

3. Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

[sourceLink asin="B00BJNS3VK" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 13 " aired=" October 2010-December 2010 "]

The Anarchy Sisters Panty and Stocking are foul-mouthed, nasty angels that got kicked out of heaven and they’re spending their days hunting mischievous ghosts in Daten City, a place located between Heaven and Earth. Panty is a sex-starved nymphomaniac who wreaks havoc with her moans and bodily fluids, and Stocking, a goth loli girl with a huge sweet tooth. The two angelic sisters must work hard by killing ghosts to hopefully go back into heaven. Let’s be honest here: Japanese swearing English words aren't really intimidating, and rather they’re just funny to hear thanks to their language’s limited vocal range. You can tell the actors for the English dub were having fun with the script because while they improvised a lot of lines, the profane, and disgusting delivery were fun to listen to. And it doesn’t hurt the fact that they used a lot of different English accents to make the show more varied and silly.

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[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Animation Art Works" url="" ]

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2. Cowboy Bebop

[sourceLink asin="B00441GYS8" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" April 1998-April 1999 "]

In the year 2071, man has colonized the solar system and with humanity expanding out to the reaches of space, law and order need to adapt and find ways to deliver justice throughout space. To do this, the Solar System Police seek the aid of bounty hunters called “Cowboys” to hunt down fugitives and bring them to justice, while getting paid in the process. The story starts with cowboys are Spike Spiegel and Jet Black and their ship called the “Bebop” looking for outlaws and put food on their plates. Cowboy Bebop is considered one of the best English dubs out there and you can see why. Voice actors Steven Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, and Melissa Fahn (Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed respectively) delivered their lines with the right emotion and tone for every situation and carry humor even in tough situations. One of the most important thing about making characters memorable to the fans is how they sound and act. The English dub did a good job in making the characters as likable as the original Japanese. Though not perfect, the English dub delivered something good that anyone will enjoy watching without even switching to the Japanese audio.

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[sourceLink asin="B00ZY8BOXU" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

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1. Death Note

[sourceLink asin="B015GKSXAC" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 37 " aired=" October 2006-June 2007 "]

Yagami Light is the perfect boy scout: He’s good looking, smart, raised by an upstanding family, and is good at everything. One day he sees a peculiar-looking black notebook with the name Death Note on the cover and after reading the instructions inside, Light discovered he can kill anyone just by writing their name in the notebook. With his new found power, Light took it upon himself to rid the world of evil. Is Light the world’s judge, jury, and executioner ridding the world of evil or has he become so obsessed with his power to snuff everyone’s life at the flip of the pen? Death Note takes the number one spot over Cowboy Bebop simply because Light’s English voice and performance are perfect to a tee. Cowboy Bebop’s voice cast and acting are all great, but Spike’s English voice isn’t as charismatic than the original Japanese. You can tell the voice of Spike, Steven Blum, fell flat when you watch the final episode — the grunts lack energy, his low emotions when his comrade Shin died, and dull exchange with Vicious. Overall his performance is great, but it’s hard to forgive when the delivery of the final and sad moment of Spike fell flat. Yagami Light, voiced by Brad Swaile, has more emotion than the original Japanese voice actor Miyano Mamoru. Light’s Japanese voice is not bad in any way, but Light’s English voice offered more energy into the lines. English Light is a bit more maniacal when he gives off that evil grin after a successful plan and it stayed consistent up to the final episode. Brad’s pants and wheezing were spot on and his final delivery revelation to Light’s former comrades was flawless.

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[sourceLink asin="4087821463" asin_jp="" text="Ken Obata Artwork" url="" ]

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Final Thoughts

10. Space Dandy

[sourceLink asin="B00HQSG558" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 13 " aired=" Jan 2014 – Mar 2014 "]

Where to start with this show? Let's see: You have a main character, who's a dandy guy in space, who's named… Space Dandy. Along with a cat-like creature named Meow and a robot named QT, Dandy gets paid to discover new alien species for his clients. Actually, he'd rather be with the lovely ladies at the oh-so-subtly named BooBies, but he's got his hands full doing his job and trying to shake off the Gogol Empire, which is tailing him for some reason.

Space Dandy is, first and foremost, an episodic comedy series. When you have that kind of format, it helps to have a strong leading man. And that's exactly what Ian Sinclair delivers, when he gives us a goofy yet charming take on the titular character. Other strong performances from the English dub include Joel McDonald as Meow, and Kent Williams as the leader of the Gogol Empire fleet.

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9. Black Lagoon

[sourceLink asin="B001CFQNV2" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" Apr 2006 – Jun 2006 "]

Nope, this isn't a reboot of the 1954 monster film. It's something better: A Japanese businessman, Rokuro Okajima, gets captured by a band of mercenaries while transporting a mysterious disc across the seas east of China. The mercenaries — who run the Lagoon Delivery Company — decide that Rokuro is a valuable hostage, and attempt to extort ransom money from his company in exchange for his life.

Unfortunately, the company doesn't budge, and has Rokuro declared legally dead instead. Realizing that he has no other choice, Rokuro joins the Lagoon Delivery Company — made up of Revy, Dutch and Benny — and takes on the name "Rock". Meanwhile, the disc they captured turns out to be more than they bargained for.

The English script really works well for this anime, since most of Black Lagoon's characters are non-Japanese. Each of them has a distinct accent and personality, so they're fun to listen to. Of course, your mileage may vary on the English actors' interpretation of certain characters — like Revy, for instance — but overall, this dub nails the essence of the show.

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8. Trigun

[sourceLink asin="B00AUJH32E" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" Apr 1998 – Sept 1998 "]

With a name like Vash the Stampede, how can you not be badass? Joking aside, Vash is the main character of Trigun, a show set in the desert world Gunsmoke. Vash has a knack for causing mass property destruction, so he's always being followed by two smokin' hot insurance ladies: Milly Thompson and Meryl Stryfe. As the women get to know him better, they realize he's actually a pretty nice guy — if you ignore his dark and troubled past, that is.

It's hard to believe that Vash is Johnny Yong Bosch's first voice acting role. Not only does Bosch stay true to Vash's complex character, but he's also able to put his own spin on the peace-loving, quirky hero. And when you have a pseudo-Wild West setting like Trigun's, it's hard to go wrong with an all-American cast.

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[sourceLink url=" http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=10695065 " a_text=" Trigun Fan Art"] [/hide]

7. Eureka Seven

[sourceLink asin="B001W79MBS" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 50 " aired=" Apr 2005 – Apr 2006 "]

Eureka Seven kicks off with Renton Thurston, a teenage boy who dreams of becoming part of a mercenary group known as "Gekkostate". One day, a girl named Eureka crashes into their garage with an LFO (Light Finding Operation), and inadvertently forces Renton to leave his comfortable life behind forever. Lucky for him, Eureka also happens to be a member of Gekkostate, and as Renton accompanies her, the two grow closer and closer. Meanwhile, a government conspiracy gradually unfolds around them, along with questions about love, life and humanity.

Like Trigun, Eureka Seven is a Johnny Yong Bosch starrer. His Renton is a bit whiny at first, but becomes less so in later episodes. Stephanie Sheh's Eureka has a similar character progression: She starts off as a typical emotionless girl, and eventually becomes more in-tune with her human side later.

Aside from the two leads, you have Crispin Freeman as the Gekkostate leader Holland, Kim Strauss as the main villain Dewey Novak, and Kari Wahlgren as Eureka's evil counterpart Anemone. They're the other standout performances on this show, so keep your ears peeled for them.

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6. Baccano!

[sourceLink asin="B01DO5873E" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 16 " aired=" Jul 2007 – Nov 2007 "]

Famous for its unconventional storytelling style, Baccano! constantly jumps between three different storylines set in three different years during the Great Depression. If that sounds a bit off-putting, don't worry: All of them eventually come together and make sense as the series goes along. Also, despite the time period, the show's not depressing at all; in fact, it's pretty heavy on action, and sometimes ventures into comedic territory.

You could say that this show is meant to be dubbed. Even though it has a big cast of colorful characters — from ordinary immigrants to insane killers — the English actors bring them all to life. The various accents are a nice touch too, so don't miss out on them!

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5. Hellsing Ultimate

[sourceLink asin="B005OUE9KI" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 10 " aired=" Feb 2006 – Dec 2012 "]

This anime is set in an alternate reality, where the world is besieged by vampires, ghouls and other creatures of the night. To fight against them, England enlists the services of the Hellsing Organization, led by the iron-willed Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing.

Ironically, Integra's most powerful weapon is a vampire named Alucard, whose bloodlust and power are second to none. So when the neo-Nazi organization Millennium decides to strike and cause another world war, it's up to the Hellsing organization to stop them.

As Alucard, Crispin Freeman balances the monstrous and human aspects of his character perfectly. The rest of the cast isn't shabby either: Steven Brand's portrayal of Father Anderson's religious fanaticism is spot-on, while Gildart Jackson is positively chilling as the creepy and insane Major. Considering that this show is set in Europe, it's appropriate for the characters to have various accents — which the dub gets right, for the most part.

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4. Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad

[sourceLink asin="B005AZRU94" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" Oct 2004 – Mar 2005 "]

So far, all the anime we discussed had a Western — or Western-like — setting. Does this mean the aforementioned setting is the only thing that makes English dubs work? Judging by the work on Beck, that's not necessarily the case.

In this show, we have 14-year-old Yukio Tanaka, a 100-percent Japanese boy with a 100-percent boring life. At least, that's until he rescues a weird-looking dog from the clutches of some nasty kids. The dog, it turns out, belongs to Ryuusuke "Ray" Minami, a guitarist who's spent some time in the States and introduces Yukio to rock music.

One thing leads to another, and the next thing Yukio knew, he's become a vocalist/guitarist for the band BECK — along with Ryuusuke, vocalist Tsunemi Chiba, bassist Yoshiyuki Taira and drummer Yuuji "Saku" Sakurai.

Beck already has a solid story and cast to begin with, and fortunately, the dub doesn't take away from that. Aside from their high-quality acting, the English voice actors also sing the translated songs themselves. Now that's a feat to beat, no rhyme intended!

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3. Samurai Champloo

[sourceLink asin="B000BGR0MO" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" May 2004 – Mar 2005 "]

Another show that has an excellent English dub, even though it's set in Edo-period Japan, is this one. Samurai Champloo revolves around an unlikely trio: a plucky girl named Fuu, an uptight and reserved samurai named Jin, and a dance-battling swordsman named Mugen.

Somehow, Fuu manages to drag the guys into a quest for the "samurai who smells like sunflowers", which is the closest thing this show has to an overarching plot. Otherwise, it's a collection of mini-stories that are just so entertaining to watch, thanks to Shinichiro Watanabe's masterful direction.

Since Fuu, Jin and Mugen are the main characters, it's important that they have strong voice actors. In this regard, the English dub doesn't disappoint: Kari Wahlgren's Fuu is headstrong yet endearing, while Kirk Thornton's Jin is exactly who you'd expect him to be. The award for "Knockout Performance", however, goes to Steve Blum, whose brash, guttural voice fits Mugen's personality so well. If you've already seen the original Japanese version, I suggest you try this one too!

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2. Cowboy Bebop

[sourceLink asin="B00005QCW4" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" Apr 1998 – Apr 1999 "]

At first, Cowboy Bebop's premise seems to be nothing more than "bounty hunters in space". After you watch it, though, you'll understand why anime fans continue to rave about it even after nearly two decades of its release.

Everything about this show is so well-done. From the characterization of Spike Spiegel and company, to the various stories told in every episode, Cowboy Bebop hits all the right notes. And speaking of notes, Yoko Kanno's score makes this series stand out all the more. If you're a fan of jazz music in particular, you'll find something to love here.

Like Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop is directed by Shinichiro Watanabe. Also like Samurai Champloo, a main character — namely Spike himself — is voiced by Steve Blum. It's great how Blum captures Spike's cool personality, while lending him an air of mystery. As for the rest of the guys, their voice actors also did justice to their roles, so no complaints there.

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1. FLCL

[sourceLink asin="B004DMIISM" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" Apr 2000 – Mar 2001 "]

Every now and then, a show comes along that'll make you go "WTF" in the beginning, and "OOOOOH" by the end of it. FLCL (also known as "Fooly Cooly" or "Furi Kuri") is one of those shows.

Basically, it's a coming-of-age story about Naota, an ordinary grade school kid. When he literally crashes into a girl named Haruko, his life instantly gains 10,000 points on the weirdness scale. Through increasingly bizarre visual metaphors, FLCL shows us how Naota grows up, and hands us a nice conclusion that only a show like this can deliver.

And speaking of "delivering", the English dub for this show is awesome. All the voice actors fit their characters to a T, and the writers took great pains to localize the script without diluting the charm of the original. If there's ever a must-try dub for dub haters, this is it.

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FRIENDS Game Shop in Akihabara

Akihabara, or Akiba for short, is sometimes called the Holy Land by otaku, and not without reason! This part of the Chiyoda ward in Tokyo is the biggest center in the world for anime, cosplay, doujinshi, video games, maid cafes, and more facets of otaku culture. So much so that it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Akiba boasts dozens of world-class, multistory shopping complexes to cater to pretty much any otaku interest, but if you're in the market for retro games make sure not to miss Friends, the oldest and one of the best (and coziest!) retro game stores in all of Japan!

Friends (フレンズ) Game Shop Info

The Experience

As alluded to above, the first part of your experience will probably be trying to find the store. If it isn’t raining or snowing, be on the lookout for a wooden sign set out on the sidewalk decorated with colorful drawings of game characters and large text reading “GAME” in English. Once you’re inside, it’s time for games! While Friends certainly isn’t the largest game store out there, it uses its space very efficiently and makes up for it with extensive variety and great prices! When you go in, you’ll immediately be surrounded by shelves stacked high with console games from the early 8-bit days up to the modern era, as well as older PC games and other oddities like game watches. Each section is well organized which makes browsing fun and easy, so you’ll be able to find whatever you’re looking for without hassle. The store is also decorated with the same charm as the homemade sign outside which, when coupled with the colorful Famicom cartridges and retro illustrations on the game boxes on display, really adds to the cozy experience. It’s no lie to say that the two things that make Friends so special out of the many retro shops in Akihabara are its friendly mom-and-pop atmosphere and excellent prices, which are noticeably lower than a lot of the other stores, the famous Super Potato in particular. As older games continue to increase in value thanks to their scarcity and the high demand from the growing retro gaming community, stores like Friends are becoming harder to find so don’t miss your chance to get hard copies of your childhood favorites or hidden gems!

Additional info

Friends specializes in retro games, specifically rare and unusual titles, and pretty frequently updates their stock so you’re bound to see something interesting. The shop has both loose and complete-in-box games from virtually every console ever released, even things like WonderSwan, Vectrex, and NEO GEO, as well as consoles themselves, a wide variety of peripherals, controllers, game-related books, music CDs, and more! The first floor houses most of the older consoles, handhelds, and their games (Famicom, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, Game Boy, etc.) while the second floor has some more modern systems (PlayStation, Saturn, GameCube, Xbox, etc.) and retro computer equipment like MSX and FM-TOWNS. From our experience, the store doesn’t get particularly crowded, but because of its small size it could become so quite easily if you’re unlucky. Thankfully, even if that were to happen, Akihabara has a myriad of other attractions to keep you occupied if you want to wait for the store to clear out! I recommend the wonderful arcade HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard) located just a 5 minute walk away which boasts a great collection of retro cabinets along with modern arcade staples to keep you happy for hours. There’s also abundant food available nearby like MOS Burger, Jonathan’s Family Restaurant, the udon shop below, and even nyanny cat cafe and several maid cafes! Another thing worth mentioning about Friends is that, similar to other stores in Japan and elsewhere, it is possible to sell your own games (and other items) directly to the store! On their website you can see their current buy lists separated out by console with prices for loose and complete-in-box games and consoles. Friends also allows you to do mail order shopping through the website, email, or phone for an additional fee plus a shipping fee but to get the full experience I definitely recommend checking out the store itself!

Final Thoughts

While Friends certainly doesn’t boost the largest store or the most over-the-top displays, the store’s charm and good prices help it stand out as one of the best retro game stores in Akihabara. For retro gamers or collectors who find themselves in Tokyo, I highly recommend checking out Friends as your final stop if you’ve been spending your day rummaging through the larger stores and are looking for a more relaxed experience. Comparison shopping is your friend, and since Friends generally has exceptional prices, you might get lucky and save yourself some yen. This also makes Friends an ideal spot for shoppers with limited time who don’t want to check everywhere! If you’re a casual collector or just someone looking for a cool souvenir, Friends has lots of great bargains, I’d recommend picking up a cheap loose Famicom cartridge with a cute design, they have many available for only a few bucks! Personally, I had already bought a few games from stores in Den Den Town (aka Nipponbashi) in Osaka (which I also highly recommend, I actually like it more than Akihabara) before coming to Tokyo so I wasn’t necessarily looking to purchase anything when I went in but I was pleasantly surprised to find two mildly rare Japanese-exclusive Game Boy games, Penta Dragon and Daiku no Gen-san: Robot Teikoku no Yabou, at great prices that I couldn’t pass up! I think any retro enthusiast will have a fun time at Friends, I hope it continues to be good for years to come! Have you been to Friends or other game shops in Akiba or elsewhere in Japan? Let us know in the comments what you think of it or if you’re looking for any cool rare games! Matane!

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="GNXA-2121" text="" url="" ]

Pure Gold In A Search For Treasure

Golden Kamuy follows the tale of two unlikely strangers who pair up in search of a legendary hoard of gold. Saichi Sugimoto managed to survive the Russo-Japanese war, earning himself the name of “Immortal Sugimoto,” though he now finds himself unable to help the widow of his dead comrade. When an Ainu girl named Asirpa saves his life, the two decide to hunt for a criminal’s hidden treasure together. Struggling each day to survive, Sugimoto and Asirpa must hurry if they wish to reach the gold before various criminals and a corrupt military group.

What We Liked About Golden Kamuy

Golden Kamuy is one of the best anime out this season, with something for everyone! Though the plot overall is well done, it is the little moments that make this show stand out. Golden Kamuy is mature, yet not too heavy to bore or overwhelm an audience’s emotions. We started out this spring thinking Golden Kamuy would be just another show on our list, but by the end of the season, we couldn’t wait to watch what antics the characters would get up to next!

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="crunchyroll" url="http://www.crunchyroll.com/golden-kamuy" ]

1. Great Mix of Just About Everything

Golden Kamuy truly has a mix of everything, with dramatic action, comedic scenes, an integration of historical truth, and even some focus on cooking. The characters can go from serious moments of fighting or strategizing to a silly punch line in the blink of an eye – and somehow, it works! Despite the historical weight of information thrown at you, it is surprisingly easy to follow along. And even with a wide cast of characters, each one gets their own development and attention. Golden Kamuy has a blend of everything, yet the characters and setting are able to seem real, even in animation.

2. Unexpectedly Hilarious

Easily the most memorable parts of Golden Kamuy are in the comedic moments that pop up unexpectedly. This anime looks like it should be a relatively serious affair, yet it remains lighthearted thanks to its comedy. Many anime in the comedy genre have the same sort of feel, so it is refreshing to have a show with a completely different take on the idea. The comedy itself in Golden Kamuy is all about facial expressions and random ridiculous antics, reminiscent in many ways of comedy found in shows like Gintama. Golden Kamuy fuses its serious and historical nature with these joking moments to make a ridiculously good anime all around!

3. Animation Style

The attention to detail in Golden Kamuy doesn’t just show up in the story line, it is also apparent in the animation style of each episode. The characters are able to move from serious and refined to ridiculous in one scene. This quality of animation is evident in the sparks flying off fire, snow falling gently from the sky or water flecking off of waves as they crash. It is clear how much time and effort was poured into Golden Kamuy just from the animation alone. If you enjoy beautiful anime, Golden Kamuy is a hidden gem!

1. CGI Animals Are Distracting

Golden Kamuy is usually set in the wilderness, which means Sugimoto, Asirpa and their comrades often encounter wild animals along their journey. Unfortunately, from the first episode, we see a sort of jarring animation sequences used for the movement of a large bear. From that point on, many of the larger animals, like bears and Retar the wolf, use an unnerving CGI animation. Sometimes CGI can be used well in anime – but not so in this case…

2. Historical Factor Could Deter Some

As we mentioned above, Golden Kamuy includes quite a bit of historical discourse, as well as some themes of war and PTSD from various characters. While this is handled in a way to make it easier for viewers to understand, the historical nature of this anime is not for everyone. It is interesting to see how Golden Kamuy incorporates such a realistic feel because of its setting and actual history. But this aspect may not be for everyone – and if you don’t like how this part of Golden Kamuy is set up, not even the comedic moments will be able to save your interest in this show.

Final Thoughts

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Golden Kamuy might be one of the best series to come out of the spring 2018 season, but it also has a few flaws. The CGI elements are distracting, and the historical aspect might turn some people away from the show. However, if you appreciate quality animation and a great blend of everything, including excellent comedy, then Golden Kamuy is something you should check out! Do you agree with our review? Let us know your thoughts about Golden Kamuy in the comments section below!

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The Phantom Thieves’ Beginnings

Persona 5 the Animation tells the story of Ren Amamiya and his friends as begin their adventures together. After Ren stands up for a woman being attacked, his Persona is awakened, which introduces him to the strange world of Mementos. Ren and his new friends soon learn that they can challenge the distorted desires of real adults in this plane, by stealing their most valued treasures and changing their hearts. As the group gains infamy, going by the name “Phantom Thieves of Hearts,” they also attract the attention of the law. Following along closely with events in the video game, Persona 5 the Animation details the events surrounding the early days for the Phantom Thieves.

What We Liked About Persona 5 the Animation

Persona 5 the Animation is a faithful adaptation of the popular video game. Adding in little details to make the characters more vibrant and well-rounded for each short episode, this anime has clearly been shown a lot of attention. Despite being an adaptation, Persona 5 the Animation brings a few good things with it this season. We’ll explain in more detail some of the better points about the anime and why you want to give it a chance!

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1. Quality Animation Style

As a reflection of the Persona 5 video game, Persona 5 the Animation is given a similar accomplished style of animation. Though the fight sequences can be dragging, the rest of the anime is well done. Thanks to the detail put into the visuals, the setting and the characters seem more real to viewers. And even the more ridiculous notions, such as the existence of Mementos, can be real in the light of this anime’s crisp animation style.

2. Reiteration of a Great Story

The reason that Persona 5 is one of the most popular games is thanks to its complex and interesting story. The animation is no different, in that it remains true to the story of Persona 5, keeping all the integral components of the tale in place. If you want to know the plot behind Persona 5, but don’t really want to go through the game itself, this anime tells the tale!

3. Adds Details Not Seen in the Game

Though it faithfully follows the video game for the most part, where Persona 5 the Animation deviates from its predecessor is in a few detailed scenes, giving further interaction between characters. Because the adaptation had to skip over much of the day-to-day interactions from characters in the game, a few scenes were created to show relationships developing. Many of these extra parts could be missed, but they are a welcome addition for fans wanting to see more of the characters!

1. Steep Learning Curve For Newcomers

Persona 5 the Animation is interesting enough in itself to attract newcomers to the franchise, which is arguably what the anime is all about. However, as with most of the Persona anime, unless you have some knowledge of the world going into the series, it will be difficult to just jump into. Of course, the anime tries to explain as much of the world as it can in a brief manner. Later on, the episodes will have more time to make sense – but the initial jump into Persona 5 the Animation can be rough for a new audience.

2. Quick And Forceful Story

Due to the short nature of anime episodes, Persona 5 the Animation has a rushed feeling at times. The series spends about two episodes per character introduction, meaning that many of the main story points and fights are completed rather quickly. Of course, there is a lot of material for the adaptation to get through, which explains why it feels so fast-paced.

3. Not as Immersive as the Game

While watching the story unfold does have its advantages, not being able to play through Persona 5 yourself is certainly not as entertaining. The feelings of getting to know the characters and make your own choices with them are lost when you’re simply watching it happen before you. And if you’ve already played Persona 5 yourself, this aspect is even more apparent, making the anime as a whole both more dry and bland.

Final Thoughts

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The Persona franchise always does an excellent job of telling an intriguing story, and Persona 5 the Animation is no less impactful in this regard! With a detailed animation style and a few extra scenes to add character interaction, this anime is done well overall. The show does have a few obvious negatives, stemming from being an adaptation of a game where you can make your own choices and get to know characters at your own pace. However, Persona 5 the Animation completes its goal, which is to gather old and new fans alike in enjoyment of the franchise.

Proving Superpowered Girls Don’t Have to Save The World

There are many questions in life. Life is positively full of them. How can we tackle the homeless epidemic? Is it morally right to ignore the suffering of others if we can do something about it? What do you do about a strange girl appearing in your house in a metallic sphere? Hinamatsuri is a quest for answers to questions such as these. Detailing the zany and haphazardous life of yakuza rising star Nitta Yoshifumi and his new daughter...adopted step-...Hina, Hinamatsuri is one of the funniest thought provoking anime of Spring 2018. Mixing light social commentary with sight gags, situational comedy, and plenty of misunderstandings, the series is more than meets the eye. At no point were we able to forsee the outcome from one scene to the next, and its unpredictable nature made it wholly enjoyable. Here’s why.

Synopsis

Nitta Yoshifumi has become a solid member of his yakuza organization and enjoys a luxurious lifestyle few can afford. His days are uneventful, until a psychic powered girl named Hina arrives inside of his apartment in a metallic egg. Unable to understand how she arrived, he at first tries to get her out of his life, but through certain circumstances he comes to live with her. Hinamatsuri is their attempt to live in a rather unusual section of Tokyo where common sense doesn’t seem to work, but every situation tends to be either hilarious or thought provoking.

Memorable, Funny Characters

The entire cast is memorable even if they only have a few minutes of screen time. Main characters Hina and Nitta are central, but Anzu and Hina’s classmate Hitomi have major roles as well. Anzu discovers that life in the real world is different than her and Hina’s upbringing within their mysterious organization of psychic superpowered girls. She falls in with the homeless community who adopt her as a beloved granddaughter, raising her as best they can. Hitomi overcomes struggles of her own, mainly caused by Hina’s actions or the selfishness of her boss Utako who owns a bar which she works at. Being forced to work several jobs as a minor due to the convenience of others becomes a theme of Hitomi, and she finds that while she is very successful, she is losing her childhood. All the characters display various moral themes that go beyond the humor each of their arcs contains.

Familial Bonds Aren’t Blood Based

Despite his numerous grievances with Hina throughout the series, Nitta has become a friend and father figure to her and cares for her deeply enough to put up with her self-centered, misguided shenanigans. Anzu grows to care for her homeless family and she learns that separation is integral to growth and new beginnings. Family is a strong theme throughout the show and at several points, the audience is shown how little blood and background have anything to do with strength of bonds.

Final Thoughts

Hinamatsuri starts off as a show that begins with superpowered psychic school girls and ends up delivering big laughs and teaching us not to judge anyone based on their status or appearance. The yakuza higher up isn’t always a violent maniac. The braggadocious young hoodlum might be forced to steal to survive. Hinamatsuri is a series we weren’t quite ready to have leave even after the final episode, and we hope more is in store from this one.