Title screenshot

I’ve been watching this anime lately titled “7-Ghost”. I don’t know if it’s a new release or if it’s been around for a while. But after watching 7 episodes, I’ve felt so compelled to write a review about. I’ve not felt this urge to review an anime since Inazuma Eleven.

The plot line of the story was simple enough to begin with. There’s this huge empire that wants to rule the world and there’s this boy who is an heir (unknown to him for the first couple episodes but there are hints that he could be someone of great importance) to one of the civilizations conquered by this other empire.

It’s setting is in medieval-age Europe with brick houses, green grass hills and people walking around in robes. Guns aren’t used here but rather a technique where they write words in the air and it becomes explosive on impact. They travel in huge aircrafts and small dinosour-bird aircrafts.

To be totally frank, this anime is crap. It’s so bad that I feel compelled to warn the world of it. It’s so terrible that it could probably used as an interrigation method to break people mentally if watched over and over.

This story (I’m guessing) rotates around the friendship and comradeship between 2 guys, the main character and his ‘sidekick’. It becomes icky and weird for me, as I believe that these 2 might be just more than friends. In fact, I’m certain that they’ve explored their sexuality while bunking together in Millitary School.

I maintain my belief that 2 guys can be close. It is possible to share a bed with a friend IF the situation calls for it. BUT, to constantly tell your friend, “I’ll always be with you” does strike questions on the nature of the relationship.

I don’t fancy this anime not purely based on this doubt on their sexual preferences. This anime introduces a religion where the worshipers are the faithful servants of God and the Bishops are the executioners of justice. Literally, they go around killing demons that posses people for their souls. It reminds me a bit of the Kukoo Klucks Klan (don’t they know clan is spelt with a C?) with how they walk around in their white flowing robes and Christianity with the glimpses of an alter and other similarities such as having bishops, priests and (sexually charged, I think) nuns. It becomes uncomfortable for me as this religion comes off as being the TRUE religion and through them salvation can be found.

I think as an overall package; the story line, the execution of the story, the fighting methods and characters are all too familiar and common. It’s not any different from any other fantasy anime out there but unlike other titles in its genre of animes, this one is missable and downright pass-worthy.

]]> http://supermonkey.wordpress.com/2009/05/23/anime-review-07-ghost/feed/ 5 jojo of mojo Picture 9 http://supermonkey.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/anime-review-inazuma-eleven/ http://supermonkey.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/anime-review-inazuma-eleven/#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:01:17 +0000 jojo of mojo http://supermonkey.wordpress.com/?p=451 ]]>

This looks like a real fun anime to watch. Inazuma Eleven is actually an RPG video game for the Nintendo DS. Too bad I only have a PSP. It was released in August this year. The anime is based on the game and started to air last month.

The anime starts off with a scene where one team has just been comprehensively beaten by Teikoku Academy. As a result of the lost, the losing team agrees to disband and their school is demolished by Teikoku’s huge team bus.

Reaction to the Teikoku friendly

The rest of the first episode centers around Endou Mamoru, the team captain of the Raimon Middle School Soccer Club. One day after school, he tries to rally his team to practice but with only having 7 members, the soccer club can hardly reserve the school field for practice thus. Being totally ignored, Mamoru storms out to practice by the river bank with elementary school kids which seems to be his normal routine. An incident gets them in trouble with 2 hoodlums. An unknown passer-by helps Endou and the kids. Endou tries to get his name and invites him to train with them but he gets a cold shoulder. The next day, the passer-by is introduced to Endou’s class as a new transfer student, much to the delight of Endou.

Teikoku Academy

If you think Shaolin Soccer was over-doing it, you’d probably think the same about this. But unlike Captain Tsubasa, Inazuma Eleven has a comedic element to it and this makes the over exaggerations more fun, cute and acceptable. It’s probably similar to Wild Striker but not as cheesy. Whistle! is also another football anime which I’ve watched and although I liked it, I think Inazuma Eleven will be a whole lot better.

Mamoru using tires to train

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3 episodes and I can’t wait for more. It’s refreshing to see all characters of the team having their roles to play both on and off the field unlike other football animes where they only focus on key players normally the keeper and striker. Even the jokes were funny and well timed. No Japanese puns were thrown in (which is a good thing since only the Japanese would find their puns funny). Yakitate Japan was a good anime except for their annoying insistance of filling the script with puns.

Inazuma Elecen is a long way from being a sports anime classic like Slam Dunk but it has all the right elements; cute animations and good humour. Does this sound like I highly rate it? I guess I do.

You can watch the trailer for the game here. It looks similiar to the anime and the gameplay actually looks cool. If only I understood Japanese and owned a Nintendo DS.

Story Presentation: 8/10

Story Line: 8/10

Soundtrack: 5/10

Rating: 3.5/5

Episodes to date: 3

This is a new anime that has just recently started being released.

The series starts off with an introduction of Kojima Hiromichi, a highly decorated Japanese professional baseball player who is the star player for the struggling Lycaons. He heads to Okinawa for special training to bring himself out of a slump but through a series of unfortunate events, he gets himself in a gambling match called ‘One Outs’ against Tokuchi Toua, a local favourite and undisputed king of ‘One Outs’. He has yet to be beaten.The game is a one-on-one battle between pitcher and batter. The batter merely has to hit the ball past a normal baseball diamond to win while the pitcher has to successfully strike the batter out.

Kojima vs Tokuchi

Kojima Hiromichi

The battle becomes a battle of wits but I’ll leave out the details for you to discover on your own. Eventually, Kojima gets Tokuchi to play pro baseball but upon meeting the team owner for contract negotiations, Tokuchi demands an unusual contract. One that would reflect his performance as a pitcher; he demands to be paid 5,000,000 yen for every out he earns but he will pay the owner 50,000,000 yen for every point he loses. The owner happily agrees as statiscally, the odds were against Tokuchi.

The first few episodes reveal how winning or losing doesn’t really matter to the owner as long as the team still makes profit through healthy attendances. In fact, he even schemes to make Tokuchi to give up runs. For those who still remember the move ‘Major League’, it does run around this plot; Owner gets his team to lose, players find a way to win. But that’s being implied for the first few episodes.

Lycaons Owner

But frankly speaking, there’s another reason that motivated me to do this review besides the obvious fact that the anime is actually quite decent.

Tokuchi Toua

I just wanted to tell everyone on how good the opening song is. It’s by Pay Money To My Pain titled Burn. There’s only a handful of opening and ending credits that I would watch and listen to; some being Yui’s ‘Life’ from Bleach and Rei Fu’s ‘Life is a Boat’ also from Bleach. This song is really quite addictive and is a must listen to. But while you’re at it, you might as well watch the anime too. You might probably like it.

Opening Credits: ‘Burn’ by Pay Money To My Pain

Story Presentation: 8/10

Story Line: 8/10

Soundtrack: 9/10

Rating: 4.16/5

Episodes to date: 4

Get it from Baka-Updates.

Anyone want to guess what this anime is about? Damn right, it’s about ghosts. I stumbled upon it on episode 7 so I haven’t really figured out who the main character is.

The story revolves around Shibuya Psychic Research (SPR). It is run by Shibuya Naru and his assistant Taniyama Mai. Sometimes it seems that Mai takes a leading role in this anime. Shibuya looks like a confident and knowledgable man. He takes his business seriously and is rarely suprised by anything. Mai on the other hand seems like your typical girl; she believes in her proofless instincts and is easily frightened.

It’s not a 1 case per episode anime. I’ve watched 3 episodes so far and it’s still on one case. It’s spooky but quite predictable. I have guessed the culprit but I have to wait another episode to see whether or not I’m right. It is an enjoyable anime for those who like the paranormal.

Story Presentation: 7/10

Story Line: 7/10

Soundtrack: 3/10

Rating: 3/5

Get it from Baka-Updates.

As the title suggests, this anime is about a bartender but not just any bartender. This is a story told by other characters on their encounter with Ryuu Sasakura, a bartender at Eden Hall who apparently is the creator of the Glass of God.

He whips up the perfect drink for any occasion for any customer. Its episodes have no continuitive so it’s a different story everytime. What is interesting about this anime is that it involves real drinks and even gives recipes for the particular drink that is highlighted in the show.

It has a soothing ending track and the credits show an actual bartender making a different drink every episode. It’s a good anime for beginners as it is not too windy and very easy to follow.

Story Presentation: 8/10

Story Line: 10/10 

Soundtrack: 7/10

Rating: 4/5

Get it from Baka-Updates.

I actually had this Category on my friendster blog and skipped it on my Blogspot blog but I’ve decided to return it once again as I now have broadband in my room (yea) and have continued to download various anime.

So if you’re an anime buff or a newbie and don’t know where to start then check up for these posts.