Spring 2016 Anime Shows To Put In Your Queue

Spring anime is finally upon us and there is a good slate of shows coming our way in the next few weeks. Here are some recommendations of a couple shows that I will add to my queue for sure. 

My Hero Academia

What's a hero? For Izuku Midoriya, the answer to that question has always been simple: "Everything I want to be!" And who is the ultimate hero? Well, the legendary All Might, of course. All Might is the number one ranked hero and also the "Symbol of Peace" in the world. Not in his wildest dreams could Izuku have imagined that he would soon cross paths with his childhood hero... In Boku no Hero Academia, status is governed by "Quirks"—unique superpowers which develop in childhood. But, unfortunately, hero otaku Midoriya "Deku" Izuku never had a Quirk. That is, until he met All Might, the greatest hero of all time. Izuku's transformation from dreamer to superhero begins at Yuuei Academy, the top-ranked hero training high school in Japan. Izuku is on cloud nine when he's accepted to this prestigious academy, especially when he finds out that All Might is one of the teachers. What surprises does this mighty academy offer? And will Izuku be able to keep up with his elite classmates?

Kiznaiver

The story takes place in Sugomori, a city built upon reclaimed land that once prospered as a futuristic city. One high school boy living there, Agata Katsuhira, is somehow unable to feel any pain. One day just before the start of summer break, Katsuhira is called by a mysterious girl named Sonozaki Noriko and chosen to become one of a group of people who share one another's pain: a "Kiznaiver." Several of his classmates have also been chosen as part of this group, but they're all people from different circles who normally wouldn't associate with each other.

Re:ZERO

Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is on his way home from the convenience store when he finds himself transported to another world. As he's lost and confused in a new world where he doesn't even know left from right, the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her somehow for saving him from his own despair, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she's looking for...

Hundred

"Hundred" - the only weapon capable of fighting the Savages, mysterious life forms attacking Earth. Hayato enters the battleship university Little Garden in hopes of becoming a Slayer... but his roommate Emile Crossfode, who seems to know a lot about him for some reason, awakens a sort of unsettling nostalgia within him. What's more, right after he joins the school, the strongest Slayer at Little Garden, the "Queen" Claire Harvey, challenges him to a duel! Misaki Jun and Ohkuma Nekosuke (Nitro+) are teaming up to bring you the ultimate school action anime!

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096

U.C. 0096. Three years after Char's Rebellion, Banagher Links, a boy living at the manufacturing colony Industrial 7, meets a mysterious girl who calls herself Audrey Burne. Audrey claims that she is trying to stop the Vist Foundation from handing over Laplace's Box to the Neo Zeon remnants known as the Sleeves, an act which could spark another war, and Banagher decides to help her. But the colony becomes a battlefield as fighting breaks out between the Sleeves and the Earth Federation Forces, who have also come to stop the handover..

Ace Attorney

Adapted from the popular video game franchise, Ace Attorney follows rookie lawyer Naruhodo Ryuuichi (Phoenix Wright) and his assistant Mayoi (Maya) as he defends his clients in a court of law. With limited evidence and logic as his only weapon, can Naruhodo turn the case around when all the odds are stacked against him?

Joker Game

Taking place in the year 1937 on the eve of World War II, the story involves a mysterious spy training organization known as the "D Agency." The organization is established by Lieutenant Colonel Yuuki from the Imperial Japanese Army. His ideals lead him to recruit people beyond military academy graduates and personnel, while training them to become skilled agents in arts of manipulation. These agents would become a specialized team to conduct operations. One such antihero agent, under the name Jirou Gamou, goes on a harrowing mission to uncover secret documents titled "Black Notes," while battling forces from within and without his own ranks.

Adult Swim Announces New Seasons of Anime Hit Series FLCL

Adult Swim announce an official sequel to one of the most beloved anime series of all time - FLCL (pronounced Fooly Cooly). Created in 2000, FLCLtold the tale of Naota, a 12-year-old boy who met a woman that would forever change his life…whether he liked it or not. 16 years later, Adult Swim and legendary animation studio, Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell), are creating two new six-episode seasons to continue the tale, which will premiere in Adult Swim’s Toonami block. Known for its surprising and unique content with high fan engagement, Adult Swim has been basic cable’s #1 Network in the U.S. with 18-24 and 18-34 year olds for eleven consecutive years. The new season of FLCL adds to Adult Swim’s ever expanding portfolio of original programming.

“The original FLCL is an anime classic and has been a fixture on Adult Swim since we first laid eyes on it,” said Jason DeMarco, senior vice president/creative director, Adult Swim On-Air. “I’m beyond thrilled to be able to produce a sequel with the original creators, for Toonami, where it belongs.”

Back for the new season is FLCLseries creator Kazuya Tsurumaki, serving as supervisor with director Katsuyuki Motohiro (Psycho-Pass) and character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Neon Genesis Evangelion). Also joining this season is writer Hideto Iwai (Last Dinner).

Established in 1987, Production I.G has since produced a number of acclaimed feature films and TV shows, and has also partnered with Mamoru Oshii on every one of his animated films since Patlabor: The Movie (1989), thereby earning an international admiration which eventually led to the visionary collaboration with Quentin Tarantino for the animation sequence in his hit,Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). They are most known for the Ghost in the Shellfranchise, and for the acclaimed animated TV series Psycho-pass andAttack on Titan.

“FLCL has become an anime classic over the years, yet it has remained vibrant,” said Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, co-founder, president and CEO of Production I.G. “This new season will capture the hearts of both longtimeFLCL fans from around the world and new anime viewers.”

In the new season of FLCL, many years have passed since Naota and Haruhara Haruko shared their adventure together. Meanwhile, the war between the two entities known as Medical Mechanica and Fraternity rages across the galaxy. Enter Hidomi, a young teenaged girl who believes there is nothing amazing to expect from her average life, until one day when a new teacher named Haruko arrives at her school. Soon enough, Medical Mechanica is attacking her town and Hidomi discovers a secret within her that could save everyone, a secret that only Haruko can unlock.

But why did Haruko return to Earth?

What happened to her Rickenbacker 4001 she left with Naota?

And where did the human-type robot ‘Canti’ go?

All of these questions and more will be answered in the new season of the series, which is set to premiere in late 2017/early 2018 on Adult Swim.

Psycho Pass:The Movie (Review)

Four years (2116AD) after the death of Shogo Makishima and the disappearance of Shinya Kōgami, the Japanese government has begun to export the Sibyl System technology to other countries, with plans to ultimately spread it throughout the world.

Psycho Pass: The Movie proves that there is a reason this franchise has been so popular these past five years. It's has great cases, storytelling and cyberpunk atmosphere can be compared to the legendary Ghost in The Shell. As stated in the synopsis above the Sibyl System has begun to reach other countries. This system is charged with keeping the peace. It uses extensive surveillance and biological monitoring to gauge the likelihood that individuals will commit a crime. The police use weapons called "Dominators" that is able to eliminate potential criminals before they act. However when Japan begins to spread the Sibyl System a group of terrorist called Seaun attack. This brings Inspector Akane Tsunemori on the job. Akane travels to Shambhala Float where the terrorists are seem to be hiding. Here she encounters an old ally Shinya Kogami but who side is he on.

Psycho Pass: The Movie is a fun, action packed ride with great set pieces. It also has a few heart warming scenes to make you feel for the people outside of Japan. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Akane arrives at Shambhala Float. As she is being taken to where she will stay, she sees poverty, military martial law and collars attach to people who are labeled criminals. The Sibyl System has arrived but not fully yet, so the Shambhala Float government uses their own means to deal with people. This naturally raises suspicion for Akane as she begins her investigation on not just the terrorist group but the government itself. Akane is a great protagonist to watch on screen. She is strong, stubborn but at the same time vulnerable in her moments alone. One thing I wish was explored more was that alone feeling she shows a little bit when her friend announces her marriage. She then goes home and you see taken a shower and then just sitting on the couch thinking about life. She thinks about maybe what could've been if she took another path. It's these quiet but brief moments that made me connect with her character. She also has a great chemistry with her former ally Shinya Kogami.

Fans will enjoy the different ideals that go back and forth between the two characters. One character is about order and doing what needs to be done. The other doesn't agree with the system and with the amount screentime both characters get its great to see that element. Overall the story is great but if you never seen the show you might be confused. The movie doesn't spend time to explain much of the already established world. Side characters that have development on the show don't really get much screentime. If you haven't watched the show be prepared to ask who is that person or what is that weapon.

The voice acting is great in both English and Japanese dub. Kate Oxley is wonderful as Akane and Robert McCollum plays a very driven but complex Shinya Kogami. As far as action goes the best scene are with a group of mercenaries. The scenes with then on screen is brutal and had me saying okay he's dead already stop stabbing him. If you want a good cyberpunk time check out Psycho Pass : The Movie which hits theaters for 2 days only on March 14th and 15th.

Final Grade 8.0/10: B-

Tokyo ESP Review

Story- Rinka is a normal Tokyo high-schooler with big dreams and a small income. She works a part-time job to support her and her single dad, but she yearns for the day she’ll get to loosen the strings on her pocketbook. Her ordinary life takes a turn for the extraordinary when she witnesses a penguin and a school of fish flying through the air. After one of the fish seems to pass through her, she wakes up in her apartment building with no clothes on and no memory of the strange phenomenon save for a mysterious ability to pass through solid objects. With her newfound powers, Rinka is about to learn just how transparent the world can be.

If anime had it's very own X-Men style type of show Tokyo ESP will probably be close to it.  Right from the opening sequence Tokyo ESP established a city in chaos. A city where people with unique abilities the Espers are terrorizing the humans. The Espers believe they are evolution and the new race of man and that they should rule over the humans. They are lead by a powerful Esper who simply known as The Professor. He has the power of illusion and he's very driven to see the end of humanity. However not all Espers feel this way. There are a small group of people who believe in peace, balance and harmony. This group is lead by Rinka a student who biggest worry was how she was going to support her family. It's not until Rinka discover she has been chosen as an Esper that her life and perspective changes. Rinka was an enjoyable protagonist to watch. Although I found her less compelling compare to other characters. If you compare her to the other characters Rinka is kind of the one note hero. The hero who is going to do what's right no matter what. She's stubborn and once her mind is made up that's it. While I did enjoy her arc of learning to be a hero I found the supporting cast and the antagonists more enjoyable. The reasons for this feeling is the supporting cast and antagonists have more deeper arcs that I think the audience will connect with more.

Tokyo ESP is a smart action anime. While there are plenty of battles to be seen in the show. The real battles come from within. As stated above the supporting cast and antagonists all have deeper arcs compare to our protagonist. Each character has some inner demon that they need to conquer before the shows conclusion. Characters like Ayumu who has a mother who is a politician that wages war against Espers. She hates Espers and thinks they should be eradicated. The problem with Ayumu situation is that he is an Esper and his mother doesn't know. Our big bad The Professor has a reason for his hatred for humanity. I won't spoil it but I love this overall theme of the importance of family, the effects of broken families and how one moment, one day can change everything. The show doesn't beat you over the head with its message of family and the importance of keeping your humanity. However it does get its point across through various characters and their personal demons. One of the most compelling narrative on the show is between Minami and Kyotaro. Minami is a big focal point because she is conflicted. She wants to support The Professor but she still has love for Kyotaro who has sided with Rinka. It's a conflicted narrative that pays off well in the end. Overall I was surprised by the narrative. I expected a funny, action anime instead I got a smart, compelling narrative with great characters.

Voice Acting: The English dub cast was well put together. Sarah Wiendheft as Rinka was great. She brought this strength to the character that connected with me. When Rinka is angry you feel it, when she's depressed, feeling defeated Sarah definitely let you hear it. Adam Dahlberg plays Kyotaro. Loved his performance in this. Kyotaro is really laid back, optimistic type of guy and I felt Adam really captured this smooth, suave character that also has conflicting values. Mallorie Rodak as Minami was a home run. Mallorie plays confliction very well. Every time she's on screen with Kyotaro you hear this strong stance but just a little crack of vulnerability in her voice which is Minami. My favorite character to watch was definitely The Professor played Jefferey Schmidt. You hear his voice as The Professor and you immediately say okay there's our bad guy. However he plays The Professor so well that I was actually cheering for him. The Professor is very persuasive, cunning and Jeffery voice capture that. It's hard to side with Rinka when you have this guy voice trying to convince you to join him. It's hard to say no to a guy like that. Finally one of my standout performance is Ayumu played by Morgan Berry. It's not easy to play a teenage boy and I thought capture Ayumu well. Deep enough to know it's a guy character and high enough to know he still going through puberty. My favorite scene is with Ayumu and his mother confrontation with the Espers. It's one of the character highlights and a moving scene. Japanese dub purists have no fear the English dub does the show justice and worthy of your watch.

Music & Animation: The soundtrack was good but not memorable. The background themes hit all the proper notes. I just wish there was more sad composition to capture more of the eternal struggle of the characters. Animation was great and enjoy the combination of CG with 2d which is the norm of anime these days. The action sequences were well placed, while other shows gave better action this one has hold his own. Just know that Minami steals the show.

Final Grade 8.5/10/B+: Tokyo ESP is an anime show to check out. Great compelling characters, strong performances. The ending leaves you wanting more and hopefully there will be more. The universe is now created and the team is assembled.

Bonus Note: The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack has some great commentaries on the episode. If you want a more in depth look on the show check that out.

“Fairy Tail” Mobile Game Announced

GameSamba, NGames Interactive Limited, and Funimation Entertainment have announced today that they are working with Kodansha to develop and publish an officially licensed mobile game based on the hit “Fairy Tail” franchise. The “Fairy Tail” game will be available in multiple languages worldwide on Android and iOS devices, and is expected to be released by the end of 2016.

“’Fairy Tail’ is one of our favorite franchises, and we look forward to working with NGames and Funimation to create a game fans will love,” said Scott Wong, President and Co-Founder of GameSamba.

The game will be a mobile RPG featuring a new side story that draws from the sequel series of the anime. Players will recruit and battle against their favorite characters from “Fairy Tail,” in order to form the most powerful team of wizards.

In addition to the new mobile game, GameSamba and Funimation previously announced an upcoming web-based free-to-play MMORPG based on “Fairy Tail.” NGames will also work with the two companies to help develop that title. The new mobile and web games will be independent of each other.

Netflix Brings New Original Anime Series, Perfect Bones, to Members Worldwide

Today Netflix announced, together with Production I.G, a groundbreaking deal that sees the upcoming original Anime series Perfect Bones to premiere only on Netflix. This marks the first ever original Anime title to debut all episodes simultaneously in 190 countries around the world.

Directed by Kazuto Nakazawa, the 12-episode series is set in the future where scientists have tried to breed the “perfect human” in hopes of keeping peace in the universe. After nearly achieving their goal through three children, the scientists send their “new humans” for further training where they are kidnapped by an evil organization set on using their powers to implement their own concept of a new world order.

“We are incredibly excited to work with Production I.G, who have worked on hit series such as Attack on Titanand Psycho-Pass, in bringing one of the most daring new Anime titles produced today to all Netflix members and Anime fans around the world,” said Erik Barmack, vice president of global content acquisition. “In an era where the Internet knows no bounds, we are proud to deliver high quality original Anime to fans all over the world, at the exact same time, no matter where they live whether it be Japan, France, Mexico, the US, and beyond.”

Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, President & CEO of Production I.G, said about the collaboration, “Among all the tv series and films Netflix offers, the titles I personally find the most amazing are Netflix originals. Production I.G is eager to present another impactful title brought through our creators’ passion and imagination. We’re very excited about Perfect Bones!”

Retro Animated X-Men series Debuts Today

Hey O&G Fans, Today the first retro animated X-men series by animator Joel Furtado premiered  the first episode, featuring Wolverine and Jean Grey vs a Sentinel. The series is inspired by the 90's X-men comic book and cartoon. Here is a look at the episode:
 

X-men: Danger Room Protocols - "Episode1: Part1" Disclaimer X-men: Danger Room Protocols and the following presentation is in no way affiliated with Marvel or Fox Studios. Characters remain the property and copyright of their respective owners.This is a fan series intended for private use only and not a commercial product.

KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world! Episode 1 Review

Gamer Kazuma dies in a freak accident, and is met in the afterlife by a crass goddess, Aqua. 

Konosuba - God's blessing on this wonderful world is an anime that might seem familiar to some based on  the influences from shows like Sword Art Online. However don't let the comparisons this show will get turn you off. This show is its own identity and pretty damn entertaining.

The main protagonists Satoru is a gamer who never really leaves the house. He just stays in the house and plays his favorite rpg games. When I was first introduced to Satoru I immediately asked myself. How many times are we're going get the no life otaku/gamer stereotype in these shows? Satoru seems to have no ambition, pretty much a loner and only lives for games. This type of character is simply becoming the normal in anime. Anyway Satoru decides to finally go outside but only to buy a limit edition copy of his next game. While on the way home he sees a girl is about to get hit by a car and pushes her out the way. As stated in the synopsis Satoru dies. He then is offered the chance to choose his afterlife. He can go to heaven,  go back to Earth or something else. That something else is fighting the Devil King in a parallel universe and having special powers. Satoru chooses the last choice and the story really begins. 

Konosuba really picks up once Satoru and his companion Aqua enter the new world. If you're a fan of RPG games you will like the nods of the format the anime has layed out. The show is viewed like playing an RPG. The characters enter the town, they talk to the people for information and go the Guild to register for a class or quest. This aspect made me ignore Satoru one note character and just allow myself to immerse with the story. The world is beautiful with different type of classes from mages, adventurers and more. Satoru gaming experience makes him a natural how to survive. However he learns he's not such a hotshot as he believes. This knowledge kind of dampens his ego a bit and forces him to train hard to level up.  I would say that his companion Aqua is a show stealer. Aqua is the goddess that met Satoru in the afterlife and offer him his afterlife choices. She is sarcastic, let's her status of goddess go to her head but really cares for people. Out of the two protagonists I will think the audience will be drawn to Aqua more. She's better written, has witty dialogue and has more charisma.  The animation looks great, the music is will make you feel like you're in a RPG and the voice acting delivers. The show is nothing new under the sun but it's still entertaining.

Final Grade 8.0/10