Raikoh's Reviews - Hajime no Ippo

I'm going to just spoil this review: I love this show. Like, I can't think of any legitimate complaints about it. So if that's all you wanted... I guess review over? If you want me to explain why Ippo is great, hit the jump.

M3: Sono Kuroki Hagane - Massively Misestimated Masterpiece

In the spirit of Halloween, let's have a horror anime review. Now, I'm not that familiar with the horror genre, but I'm trying to get more into it. In looking around, though, I've had some difficulty finding many legitimately good, scary anime. It might be because all the horror writers in Japan are more interested in making movies, or maybe that the more psychological and subtle Japanese style of horror doesn't mesh very well with the more action oriented anime. I first thought I would want to review Betterman, but instead I figured that I'd prefer to review M3, which SPOILER ALERT ended up being one of my personal favorite anime of all time.

D-Fragments! - Let's Spin the Wheel of Characters

You know how I said comedies are hard to grade in my Azumanga Daioh review? Yeah, well, D-Frag is one of those anime that leave me with a total mixed bag. I know that comedy is subjective, and I don't know what most people think about it, but I think that to many viewers, D-Frag could be hit and miss. It certainly was to me. But the reason for this is actually largely in part to the style of the show, and could be intentional. So, what do I think of D-Frag in general? Let's start with the basics.

What's Wrong With Being an Otaku?

Just recently, an Anon asked an interesting question.

"Hey, Raikoh, I have a problem I've been having for a while. See, I've been watching this anime called "Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood" with my dear mother, but I've come a problem. We've gotten through the first 13 episodes, but over that course, I was watching it through my mother's perspective, who never watched anime at all, and my empathy suddenly left me feeling like I was watching this hyperactive animation with unrealistically shifting emotions and expressions, and a sense of humor that nobody outside of the Asian region would get.

Think you can help me out here? My liking for anime has suddenly diminished by quite a few levels and I think I'm starting to hate it, which is something I seriously hope is not happening."

It's probably something most anime fans face at some point, though the exact series to do it varies. I know that I personally faced a conundrum with "do I really like this?" some time in the middle of Bleach. Now, I might not be the most well-rounded anime fan (my area of expertise is mecha, and even on that front I haven't gotten around to watching some of the classics like Zambot 3, Bokurano, or hell, even TV Patlabor - and I know that a big group of mecha fans would tear me apart for that last one), but I've been around the block a few times so I think I can try and come up with an answer.

Summer 2014 Anime Reflections

With the coming of the new season, I think it might be a good idea to look back on all the anime I watched in the previous season and give some real quick recaps as to what I thought of them. It'll help keep the site active and at least semi-topical. Couple of disclaimers: I decide what I'm going to watch before the season starts and stick to it, and my choices are usually going to be mostly mecha. I only watch the big popular titles if they pique my interest. Also, I probably don't watch as much currently airing anime as other big anime fans because I have a backlog that isn't getting any smaller (in fact, it's getting bigger) that I try to chisel away at instead of watching a series that may or may not catch my eye. So, without further ado...

Armor Hunter Mellowlink - Tactical Action and Drama

I'm somewhat lukewarm in my enjoyment of VOTOMS. I love the setting and the visual design, but I feel like it's been rather stagnated by Chirico having all the focus. Now, I do enjoy Chirico, but I feel that with something as rich in potential as VOTOMS, more spinoffs should be taking place. To that end: Armor Hunter Mellowlink.

Musings of a Fate Fan: Is Shirou Sexist?

It's one of the most divisive issues when it comes to Fate/Stay Night: you either love Shirou or you hate him. Anybody whose known me for an extended period would know that Shirou is one of my favorite protagonists out there, and flat-out favorite characters. I see him as a sort of role model, as embarrassing as it might sound to look up to a fictional character.

One of the most common reasons I see for people hating Shirou, though, is the way he acts in the "Fate" route towards Saber. Now, obviously the things he tells her sound very sexist (like "girls shouldn't fight"), but I've sat down and thought over all three routes of the visual novel, trying to deconstruct why he acts in that manner in one route and not the others, and realized that they aren't as controversial as they may sound... At least, the way I analyze the story, themes, and characters. If you want to hear my perspective of it, then read on.