Fate/stay night #2 [TV Series]

Action, Romance, Supernatural, Thriller, 0 comments

Preview: “I’m just gonna check this out; it’s probably nothing…” Shirou Emiya Relations between unwilling Master, Shirou Emiya, and his Servant, the warrior maiden Saber, are distinctly strained. He’s filled with guilt because she was injured...

Score: 5 out of 10

[Read full review]

[Reviewed: Wed, 17 Mar 2010]

Romeo X Juliet #1 [TV Series]

Fantasy, Romance, 0 comments

Preview: ‘Is this truly a love that can never be?’ The aerial city of Neo Verona is governed by the harsh Lord Montague; his carabinieri bully and persecute the citizens, while the nobles enjoy a life of luxury, racing their dragon steeds. Montague came to power...

Score: 8 out of 10

[Read full review]

[Reviewed: Sun, 21 Feb 2010]

Fate/stay night #1 [TV Series]

Action, Romance, Supernatural, Thriller, 0 comments

Preview: Two shadowy figures are engaged in a violent battle as an inferno rages through the centre of a city far below. A young boy wanders through rain-soaked devastation; the last thing he sees before collapsing into unconsciousness is the face of a dark-haired man staring down at...

Score: 7 out of 10

[Read full review]

[Reviewed: Tue, 16 Feb 2010]

Bleach #6 [TV Series]

Action, Adventure, Shonen, 2 comments

Preview: Bleach Season 3 Part 02 Episodes 54-63 'Taking On the Afterlife, One Soul At a Time' As episode 54 begins, it looks as if all Ichigo’s efforts will have been for nothing. Rukia’s execution has been brought forward and the captains of the Soul Society...

Score: 9 out of 10

[Read full review]

[Reviewed: Mon, 25 Jan 2010]

X TV #3 [TV Series]

Action, Romance, Supernatural, 0 comments

Preview: “The future has not been determined yet…” A young man in a long white coat is on a train journey. Alighting at a small country station, he walks past red-clad shrine statues. No one else is about. A black and yellow butterfly flits past. Something is...

Score: 8 out of 10

[Read full review]

[Reviewed: Sun, 10 Jan 2010]

Gurren Lagann #2 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

First, a warning. This review contains a couple of major spoilers for the *first* volume of Gurren Lagann because, well, I don't see how I could possibly review this volume without doing so. Bearing that in mind if you have not yet watched the first volume (unless you've had it spoiled for you...

Samurai Deeper KYO #3 (0) | Read | 6 out of 10

Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! I really should have taken detailed notes when watching these seven episodes. Because, having complained that the previous disc left viewers with too many unanswered questions, I now found myself bombarded with information. And, although I hate to complain, now...

X TV #2 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

An apocalyptic battle is fated to take place in contemporary Tokyo between the Dragons of Heaven (the Seven Seals who have been born to protect the Earth) and the Dragons of Earth (the Seven Angels who intend to bring about its destruction.) And one young man holds the future of the world in his...

X TV #1 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

‘Two Choices. Two Sides. One Future. X’ Kakyo is a dream seer. Too ill to leave his bed, the young man is forced to lie still, attached by tubes and wires to the machines that keep him alive. He lives through his dreams in which he sees visions of the future... and of the Seven...

Samurai Deeper KYO #2 (4) | Read | 5 out of 10

"What's going on? Somebody tell me!" Yuya's cry of confusion at the start of episode 13 just about sums up how I feel after watching Volume 2 of 'Samurai Deeper Kyo.' So, what is going on? Demon Eyes Kyo, who is trapped in the body of Kyoshiro, learns that his own body can be found in the...

Blue Dragon #5 (0) | Read | 7 out of 10

Blue Dragon: Volumes 5 & 6 Re-awaken your inner ten-year-old! (Beware; there may be a couple of spoilers…) Shu and his fellow Shadow Wielders are on the trail of the thief who stole the Extra Seven, the pages that were cut from the Book of the Beginning just before their...

Ouran High School Host Club #2 (4) | Read | 8 out of 10

Haruhi Fujioka has won a scholarship to the prestigious Ouran Academy. Studious and self-effacing, her accidental breaking of a priceless vase has led to her masquerading as a boy and becoming one of the Ouran Host Club to pay off her debt. The ensuing contrast between down-to-earth...

Dororo! (Live action) (0) | Read | 5 out of 10

Dororo is based on the comic by manga grandaddy, Osamu Tezuka, and even though I'm becoming more familiar with his work recently (Buddha, Black Jack, Metropolis, Astro Boy) the original Dororo manga hasn't yet made it into my reading list so I'm reviewing this based solely on the movie alone...

Samurai Deeper KYO #1 (0) | Read | 6 out of 10

“You heard it too, didn't you? The voice of the wind…” 1600 AD. A fog-shrouded battlefield…the distant cries of dying men…and as the swirling fog parts, two samurai warriors are revealed, facing each other. One, clear-eyed and grimly determined, is Kyoshiro...

Tamagotchi: The Movie (1) | Read | 6 out of 10

I may be a fully grown man that has just finished watching a movie aimed at kids but please save your pity for another time, this review was for king and country - or maybe just the simple fact that no one else wanted to do it. For those who don't know what a Tamagotchi is, well it's a small...

Gurren Lagann #1 (5) | Read | 9 out of 10

Gurren Lagann is not the best anime ever made. There, I've said it.On the surface, Gurren Lagann isn't even particularly original. Go Nagai was doing "Over the top manly super robot fun" back in the 70's with . But what Gurren Lagann undeniably is, is absolutely bloody awesome....

Blue Dragon #3 (0) | Read | 6 out of 10

Young Shu – whose dream in life is to become a Knight Master – has left his village to travel with Zola, a female Shadow Wielder, and her apprentice Jiro, in her quest to defeat the evil tyrant Nene. It seems that Shu – and the other companions they meet along the way –...

Ouran High School Host Club #1 (4) | Read | 9 out of 10

‘Maybe you’re my love?’ Studious Haruhi Fujioka has won a scholarship to the prestigious Ouran Academy which caters for the sons and daughters of the elite families in Japan. Desperately searching for somewhere quiet to study, Haruhi stumbles upon Music Room 3 – and...

Panda! Go Panda! - Panda Kopanda (1) | Read | 7 out of 10

Panda! Go Panda! Mimiko is an orphaned girl with a perpetual pantyshot, and as our story starts her grandmother must to go away to attend her grandfather's memorial service. Why this is being held in Nagasaki, so far away from their home she has to go on a train and be away for several days...

Blue Dragon #1 (1) | Read | 5 out of 10

‘Long ago, a great battle raged between the forces of Light and Darkness, with each side possessing great strengths, the mightiest of all being the power of Shadow. During the battle, the Seven Soldiers of Light managed to defeat the forces of Darkness and sealed the power of Shadow away....

xxxHolic #2 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

High school student Kimihiro Watanuki has been working part-time for Yuko Ichihara for a while now and, as he carries out his daily chores, cleaning her mysterious shop and preparing her meals, he begins to wonder if he isn't almost beginning to enjoy himself. This housekeeping role is his...

20th Century Boys - Nijyusseiki Shōnen (0) | Read | 9 out of 10

"Listen, I know a real champion of justice. He never ran away... He fought against evil all by himself. He was my best friend..." It is the summer of 1969, and young Kenji Endo and his friends have built themselves a secret hideout in which to read comics and escape from their tormentors,...

Starship Operators #1 (0) | Read | 7 out of 10

“Reality TV” Ron Simon, an American Television Studies academic, says “could be posited as the first post-modern genre, where nothing-identity, lifestyle, or relationships-is fixed; everything is a construct for radical transformation”. Simon in...

Mushishi #6 (0) | Read | 9 out of 10

“Living in the darkness and still being able to remember the light – I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.” And so the last four stories of Ginko, the travelling Mushi-master, weave their subtle spell once more, entrancing the viewer with a glimpse of the...

Vexille (2) | Read | 7 out of 10

'Vexille' is one of a number of anime being produced with CGI as opposed to conventional cell drawn animation and is a scrumptious example of what exactly can be done with CG animation. Much like the Korean animation 'Sky Blue'; 'Vexille' has a penchant for crafting fabulous...

xxxHolic #1 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

“There is no such thing as coincidence. There is only inevitability.” Kimihiro Watanuki is a high school student with a big problem. Spirits – usually unpleasant ones – are attracted to him. They pursue him wherever he goes, even in broad daylight. So is it chance...

Death Note #3 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

“Human beings are truly disgusting creatures.” Rem (shinigami) Top student Light Yagami has given up the Death Note and, as a consequence, he no longer remembers that he was Kira, the ‘righteous’ killer of criminals hunted by the police. As part of his deal with L,...

Black Cat #5 (3) | Read | 7 out of 10

Black Cat's penultimate volume sees Train and his fellow sweepers make the final confrontation with Creed and the Apostles of the Stars. The upcoming battle becomes more complicated however when the Chronos Numbers decide to enter the fray to settle their own issues with Creed. To be honest...

Gravitation #3 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

Love – the one force that simply won’t be denied. Young singer Shuichi Shindou’s hopes and dreams//aspirations are constantly being raised higher – only to be cruelly dashed. Just as his group Bad Luck are releasing their first CD, his idol and inspiration Ryuichi...

Naruto #8 (0) | Read | 7 out of 10

Tsunade, anxious over the question of whether to acquiesce to Orochimaru's bargain or not (and equally torn over whether to become the next Hokage), here becomes centripetal in the early parts of this volume, just as she had in the later parts of the previous one. Held ransom over the...

Naruto #7 (1) | Read | 8 out of 10

Bringing yet another series of episodes - one arc in the story - to a close, and laying the groundwork for the next, volume 4.1 exhibits the lull between action scenes and storytelling frequently referred to as filler, but has enough action and emotion to be more than bearable, and shouldn't...

Gravitation #2 (2) | Read | 8 out of 10

Love – the one force that simply won’t be denied. Shuichi Shindo, the pink-haired vocalist of the up-and-coming band Bad Luck, has fallen in love with Eiri Yuki, the charismatic but cold-hearted bestselling romance novelist. But the enigmatic Yuki has many secrets in his life...

Death Note #2 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

When Light Yagami wins a place at a top university, he is surprised to find that the fellow top-scoring student chosen to give the opening address is the same shambling, unkempt young man he noticed earlier at the entrance exams. It seems that the other elite student’s name is Hideki...

School Rumble #3 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

It’s summer break – and time to hit the beach! Well, I realize that it’s winter over here in the UK and, as I write this review, it’s cold, dreary and grey… but at Yagami High, school’s out and the guys and gals of Class 2-C are soaking up the rays, first...

Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

Based on it current reception, it would seem as if 'Naruto: The Stone of Gelel' were just a repeat performance of 'Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow' - attracting broadly reviews and opinions - but I don't actually think that's a fair account of the series second film. Taking place some time...

Witchblade #5 (0) | Read | 7 out of 10

Of course, you’re unlikely to be reading this with much conviction that you'll actually by the series if it gets a good review if you haven’t already been convinced by the series, but for those following it up until this point, briefly, volume five offers more of the same, but...

Witchblade #4 (0) | Read | 7 out of 10

A maternity test handed to Masane at the beginning of this volume reveals that she is not, in fact - as had seemed to be the case, but never firmly stated - Rihoko's biological mother. Masane isn't even privileged to be alone in these worries, made aware of the fact by a familiar face, her...

Hellsing Ultimate #1 (1) | Read | 9 out of 10

This is my first encounter with the Hellsing franchise, but this is actually its third iteration.  It began in manga form, with Kouta Hirano creating the original manga series which debuted in 1997.  A television anime series followed in 2001, which used the same characters but strayed...

Black Lagoon: the Second Barrage #1 (0) | Read | 9 out of 10

After treating us to neo-nazis, nuns with guns and an unstoppable chambermaid in the first season I was looking forward to see how Black Lagoon would up the ante in its much-anticipated Second Barrage. It certainly makes an explosive return by introducing two new antagonists: a pair of juvenile...

Black Cat #4 (0) | Read | 6 out of 10

Black Cat continues to be a game of two halves as it divides its time between the Apostles of the Stars with their plans to surpass Chronos and the more trivial day-to-day adventures of Train and his misfit 'sweeper' friends. While both aspects are entertaining in their own way the story is only...

Berserk #6 (0) | Read | 9 out of 10

Guts decides to rejoin the Band of the Hawk before they decide to embark on a daring attempt to rescue Griffith. What follows should be a joyful reunion but instead becomes something nobody could have predicted however, as the nature of the fate that binds them together finally reveals itself in...

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (5) | Read | 10 out of 10

At one time or another in their lives, everyone has probably made the fervent wish, ‘If only I could turn the clock back and do things differently…’ Makoto Konno – an ordinary high school girl – finds herself in exactly that situation when she suddenly acquires the...

MAR - MÄR (Märchen Awakens Romance) # 1 (0) | Read | 5 out of 10

MÄR apparently stands for “Märchen Awakens Romance”, but let’s not worry too much about that name, because it’s not explained anywhere in this volume, so it remains a mystery to me.  The inclusion of the word “romance” almost implies this is...

Mega Man: Star Force (0) | Read | 1 out of 10

I opened my eyes, soaking wet and staring at the clearest blue sky I had ever seen in my life. The sound of the sea all around me and sand creeping it's way into my boxers. I couldn't remember much about how I got there but decided to search for survivors. Instead I found some of the wreckage....

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny #9 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

“Die already – you bastard!” Shinn Asuka to Kira Yamato above Orb. Spoiler Alert! In spite of my best intentions, as this series reaches its penultimate volume, beware, there may be spoilers ahead… It’s disappointing – especially after the cliff-hanger...

Burst Angel: Infinity (0) | Read | 5 out of 10

As far as I can recall I've only seen glimpses of Burst Angel before so fans of the series will have to forgive me for my lack of Burst Angel knowledge. I may have actually seen a couple of episodes at some point but for whatever reason I don't remember anything...

Buso Renkin #1 (1) | Read | 3 out of 10

"Now go to hell! I'll splatter your guts!" Not the the catchiest of catchphrases I've heard but it cuts right to the point. Let that quote set the standard for the entire series. Buso Renkin is the story of your average joe shonen, in this case a guy named Kazuki, getting...

Berserk #5 (0) | Read | 10 out of 10

As consistently brilliant as it is, I'm reluctant to say that this volume is another turning point in the Berserk story. The thing is, not only each successive volume but every episode seems to present us with numerous plot twists and pivotal moments; the fifth outing is no exception and...

Mushishi #4 (0) | Read | 9 out of 10

Feeling tired, jaded, stressed-out by the noise and pressures of modern life? Then try watching ‘Mushi-shi’. Just a single episode will spirit you away into a very different world. Here, the pace of life is different, and you’ll soon relax into the natural rhythms of the...

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny #8 (0) | Read | 8 out of 10

“We live our lives at the mercy of the times.” Gilbert Durandal New Gundams for Shinn and Athrun have been delivered from Chairman Durandal: the Destiny and the Legend. But Athrun, having seen his friend Kira and the Freedom shot down, is in no mood to accept. Rey za Burrell...