Updated: Spring 2012 Anime Chart 2.0

This chart was created by Neregate

The spring chart of 2012 has actually been out for a few weeks now but I’ll post this first version of it now for future reference. Will keep updating this post as the charts get updated. Anyhow, definitely looking forward to Sankarea’s adaptation and the 2nd half of Fate/Zero. Spring should be a fun time.

 

UPDATE: Wow! What’s all this new crap on the chart? The Thomas Train? What in the hell is that doing there? Also cool to see some interesting new shows on that chart.

A Spotlight on Couples

 

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY EVERYONE!! I hope you are spending it with the one you love most. And if you aren’t, then have fun spending another day alone like I am. But hey, at least you don’t have to waste all your money away buying chocolates filled with toothpaste, roses that are going to die within a week, and a frilly card that plays Barry White music that your significant other is  just going to throw away the next day. But I’m not here to tell you how you aren’t going to get any today. I’m here to spotlight some of my favorite couples in anime, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day.

The Art of Fanart; Bomber Grape

Happy Bomber_Grape filled Valentines day everyone.

Danbooru link
Pixiv account

Review: School Days

I usually keep reviews of anime and manga to the podcast, but School Days was something very different for me and I felt like I couldn’t express what I really wanted to say about this show into words, so I’ve decided to create my first review for the blog. School Days started off as any typical romance would: Boy likes girl, boy gets with girl, with the help of boy’s friend (who is also a girl), and a relationship progresses. But School Days is not your typical romance. School Days is something completely different from what I was expecting and, for better or for worse, introduced me to a twist on a genre I have taken a great liking to for a long time now. So without further a due, let’s get right down into what makes School Days what it is.

Spoiler Warning: This post will contain EXTREME spoilers for School Days

The Art of Fanart; Moto Murabito

Moto Murabito

Danbooru link
Pixiv account

Sakamichi no Apollon PV

Director Shinichirou Watanabe, who has created notable works like Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, is directing a new series, Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope). Yoko Kanno is also on board for doing the music. Some of her well recognized work can be heard in shows like Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, and Aquarion. It already looks pretty interesting to me. With Kanno and Watanabe combo returning again, it looks like it could be a solid show.

Commanders of Fate: Characters with a Reason

Warning: This post contains minor to major spoilers for Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (general).

As a sort of branch to my personal philosophy that I’ve yet to put into words, a few characters in anime came to mind that seemed relevant to what it is. There are quite a few things to factor in when thinking of a truly well written character, and to name a few they could be development, personality, motivations, and goals. One thing about characters that I truly admire is their actions in accordance with their ideology. Normally, characters tend to follow the general flow of the narrative they’re in, reacting dynamically to what happens around them, whether it’s an impending evil, or a common day-to-day adventure. The characters that I come to value the most are the ones who aspire to become the catalyst of that very flow, which distorts the direction of the future to their liking for whatever reason they may have. Following is a short list of characters that I believe to be candidates to fit this category.

Big Ol’ Project thing coming later this year

Couldn't find a picture to relate to this post so here is Ushio sitting on a dango

 

I have been throwing around a certain idea for the past year that I’ve been wanting to do. This is something I’m sure every anime blog writer has done already by now and I believe it is time that I do the same. I’m talking about creating a list of my favorite anime’s of all time. Now I made a top 25 sometime last summer, but I sort of threw that together haphazardly  and find myself looking over it all the time questioning whether or not this list is accurate and changing it constantly. So I’ve decided that this year I’m going to do it right and put some serious time into creating this list. And by serious time, I mean re-watching a lot of anime. There are a good number of shows on the list I’ve already made that I haven’t watched in 3 or 4 years. So I have a good amount of work ahead of me because not only to I want to do  this, but I want to do it right. And when it is all said and done, I will post my results here on the blog for all to see. And hopefully, my fellow blog writers will join with me in sharing their top lists as well. Same goes to you readers out there. So keep a look out for this way down the road.

Anime Afterlife Podcast End of the Year 2011 Awards Show

Alas it is here, the 2011 end of the year awards show! Anime Afterlife Podcast hosts, DavetheZombie, Vensito, Gabe, Lerxst, and blog writer, Richard, give the annual awards to the anime shows and movies of 2011. It’s a long listen (about 2 and a half hours long), but we had a lot of fun doing this awards show. (Just imagine if we had guests on, yikes). Sorry if I seemed low tone this show, I was incredibly sick (still am too), but I did my best to put some spirit into the show.

Download: Anime Afterlife Podcast End of the Year 2011 Awards Show

Listen here:

Evangelion and the Chips off the Old Block

Warning: This post contains severe spoilers to the Evangelion franchise.
No, this is not an analytical post as to why the Rebuilds are a sequel to Evangelion.

Evangelion was and is important. Yes, because it’s a big contribution to the industry. Yes, because it’s a precedent in the mecha genre, and for anime in general in numerous ways. Yes, because it’s cool, and full of religion and mystery, and for its psychological structure. What else makes it important, and where do the Rebuilds of Evangelion stand?