High School Dxd Born: Season Three (Review)

Issei and his harem of hotties are back to take on their biggest, boldest, bounciest adventure yet as they fight to prevent Ragnarok (aka the end of the underworld)! 

With summer vacation just around the corner, Issei’s got one thing on his mind—spending sunny days with bikini-clad babes. Unfortunately, the Chaos Brigade is planning something big, and with heavy-hitters like the Norse God Loki in their corner, the House of Gremory is going to have to survive Rias’ underworld boot camp if they hope to stand a chance.  While they prepare, dark forces gather strength behind the scenes, Koneko’s family reunion turns into a real catfight, and Asia must survive an indecent proposal from a high-ranking demon. With plenty of balls-to-the-wall battles and bare-it-all beauties, fans of High School DxD should start making room on the shelf—their perfect pair is about to become a ménage à trois.

Laughing Under the Clouds: The Complete Series Review

Under the cloudy skies of turn-of-the-century Japan, three brothers shine brightly. Orphaned at a young age, the responsibility of providing for the Kumo family fell to the eldest brother, Tenka. A skilled swordfighter and proud guardian of his rambunctious younger siblings, Soramaru and Chutaro, Tenka Kumo walks through life with unfailing optimism and devotion to his family. But heavy clouds are beginning to settle over their secluded shrine—a growing gloom that signals the return of a deadly serpent known as the Orochi. As the Japanese military’s Yamainu Squad searches for the serpent’s human vessel, the unrest caused by the strict laws of the Meiji era spreads rebellion across the countryside. As the Kumo family’s ancient connection to the Orochi comes to light, old rivalries will be reignited, and the brothers’ carefree life will give way to the darkness of an ancient prophecy. As long as they stick together, what’s the worst that could happen?

Laughing Under The Clouds is a series that I admit I didn't get right into the first couple of episodes. At times I felt the pacing to be a little slow during the first two episodes. However once the establishment of characters and rules of the world were in place I really did enjoy myself. One thing that really grabbed me later on in the episodes were the relationships between the brothers Tenka, Soramaru and Chutaro. Each three of the brothers have different personalities that all play a role. Tenka is the oldest brother and definitely the more mature and responsible of the three. Soramru is full of energy and Chutaro is down right immature but also the youngest of the three so that is to be expected. However the series main focus is on Soramru who is going through what some might call middle child syndrome. Soramru is entrusted with the family swords which he practices with everyday. This pressure to live up to Tenka or to be good as him with the blade was interesting to watch. Tenka is the most mysterious of the characters. We don't really know too much about his motives and duties until later in the story. Each brother has their own sub plot and issues that they must face and it's great to see the show after a few episodes find their footing and really balance out the characters out. 

Animation and voice acting is good and very enjoyable to watch. This is a supernatural fantasy anime so there are a lot of things that you can work with and see that for the most part is original. The action was good but nothing that will knock your socks out. The voice cast was very enjoyable to watch. Dave Trosko, Terri Doty and Robert McCollum all did solid jobs as the three brothers. Each performance sounded great made me connect with the characters and had a lot of energy. Overall Laughing Under The Clouds is a good anime to check out. It has some good characters, likable chemistry and some fairly decent action. It might take a while to get started but once you do you will see it till the end.

Final Rating 3.5/5 Stars

Doamygar: The Complete Series Review

Take food fights to the next level in this bite-sized homage to mecha anime of the past. In modern day Kyoto, young Daijiro Kyogoku has finally taken over his family's traditional Japanese sweets shop. One day at the shop, Daijiro comes across a mysterious giant candy-making robot named Doamygar-D hidden in the shop's basement. This robot is a master of treats, and along with Daijiro, they make the perfect dessert crafting pair. When evil monster-like robots take over begin attacking the city, Daijiro must man his newfound candy-making mecha to feed the insatiable hunger of these foes and turn them back into harmless humans. There has to be someone behind all these transforming treat-loving terrors, and that someone might be closer to Daijiro than he ever thought possible.

Doamygar is best describe as a pure nostalgic trip for fans of the old school anime of the mecha genre. Everythiing from the over the top acting, facial expression of the characters and the animation itself screams old school. The entire series can be watched in one complete sitting of 33 minutes. Each episode is divided into three minute shorts that has our young hero Daijiro battling evil monsters. The characters as likable and very enjoyable to watch. Not much characterization to really make you connect with the characters. However the way the story is presented each episode feels more like a one off without a bit of connective tissue between them. This doesn't hurt the story narrative of the anime instead it makes you wish to have more. Doamygar knows what type of anime it is and doesn't try to be anything but that. The solid voice performances hits out of the park for those who miss that over the top, face pace style of voice acting in anime. The details to design and background  will send old school fans smiling with joy. The anime is fun and has a lot of lighthearted moments that the whole family can enjoy. My only gripe is the length of each show only being 3 minutes long. I wish this was a full series of 20 minutes. 

Final Grade 4 out of 5 Stars. 

VIZ Media Announces Release Date For THE ART OF CASTLE IN THE SKY

VIZ Media announced today that the new book The Art of Castle In The Sky will be released on October 18th 2016. This beautiful hardcover edition joins VIZ Media’s highly commended series of art books showcasing Studio Ghibli films. THE ART OF CASTLE IN THE SKY’s debut also coincides with the 30th Anniversary of the original release of the film. THE ART OF CASTLE IN THE SKY will carry an MSRP of $34.99 U.S. / $39.99 CAN.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky was the first feature film produced by the legendary Studio Ghibli. Sheeta, a girl who has the power to defy gravity, is on the run from pirates when she meets the young inventor Pazu. Together they explore the secrets of Laputa, a flying city constructed by a long-lost race of people. All of Miyazaki’s major themes – the power of flight, the bravery of young women, and a world wrecked by change – are captured with beautiful animation and joyous storytelling.

“We are proud to release this gorgeously illustrated book that celebrates the extraordinary artwork of Hayao Miyazaki’s groundbreaking film,” says Masumi Washington, Senior Editorial Director. “This comprehensive edition is packed with the film’s art, from conception to final release, as well as commentary and insights from Miyazaki himself. It makes a fitting addition to our extensive Studio Ghibli library.”

Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's most beloved animation directors. His first feature, The Castle of Cagliostro, was released in 1979 and his critically acclaimed film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which was based on his own manga, was released in 1984. In 1985, Miyazaki cofounded Studio Ghibli, through which he directed the box office smashes Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001), which won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival and the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film in 2003. Howl's Moving Castle (2004) received the Osella Award for technical achievement at the 2004 Venice International Film Festival. In 2005, VIFF awarded Miyazaki the Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Miyazaki’s other acclaimed films include My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Ponyo. Miyazaki's essays, interviews and memoirs have been collected in STARTING POINT: 1979–1996 and TURNING POINT: 1997–2008. His final film, The Wind Rises, was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award®. In November 2014, Miyazaki received an honorary Academy Award® at the academy's sixth annual Governor's Awards.

AkibaFest Relaunches Website With Ticket Info And Event Details

Aniplex of America today revealed the second phase of the AkibaFest website. AkibaFest will take place in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles, on October 15th and 16th in 2016, bringing with it the fun and festivities typically associated with the famous Akihabara sector of Tokyo.

The revamped 2.0 version of the AkibaFest website introduces the event’s cat-like mascot, which will be the subject of a naming contest to be revealed soon. Additionally, the site makeover details AkibaFest’s special guest appearances, as well as the weekend’s extensive film offerings showcasing over a dozen films, including the North American theatrical premiere of KIZUMONOGATARI PART 2: NEKKETSU, the highly-anticipated second installment of the KIZUMONOGATARI trilogy. AkibaFest will be the first time many of these films will see a North American theatrical release, offering anime fans a unique opportunity to see their favorite anime franchises on the big screen.

Between now and October 15th, additional details will be added to the site, including news updates, the full schedule of events (including AkibaFest’s maid café and cosplay contest) and a comprehensive list of exhibitors. DJs will be playing popular theme songs and remixes of enduring anime series throughout the weekend, while other special surprises will be revealed at the event itself.

Hideki Goto, President of Aniplex of America said, “AkibaFest is one of the ways of saying ‘thank you’ from the anime industry to all the loyal fans that have supported us throughout the years. The notion of bringing ‘Akiba to you’ stems from our core belief that anime, J-Pop, Japanese fashion and culture are alive and well in North America because of the powerful bond and passion our fans have for each of these things.”