First Episode(s) Review for: Hozuki no Reitstsu

Summary:

The bureaucracy of hell is over worked and filled with incompetents, only the second in charge knows what’s going on and can keep control of things, in what is essentially a Japanese Carry on series set in the nether world.

Animation:

Bouncy, colourful with a wide mixture of styles representing the various moods of the different scenes.

Plot Potential:

It’s like an office sitcom, just in hell, there was much laughing from the other house residents

Music:

Upbeat traditional Japanese accompanying music.

Reminds me of:

Its a lot like XxxHolic with the humour from the underworld section of Dragon Ball Z and shades of plot from the Black Butler

Overall:

Gibbering insanity but good fun, with loads of WTF moments

Disclaimer: These are mini reviews of anime’s that are fresh out in Japan and are not licensed in the UK, buy them once they have been licensed or at the very least buy the merchandise, remember if the anime makers make a loss, THEY WILL STOP MAKING ANIME!!

First Episode(s) Review for: Hamtora

Summary:

A group of down on their luck (cash poor) super powered bounty hunters go about their daily business…..well that’s it really…problems with money, comedy shouting, revealing of super powers…

Animation:

Normal Anime Quality, but they have pushed up the brightness on the primary colours a lot to give it some ‘pop’ makes it look a bit like an American 80’s comic book.

Plot Potential:

At first sight there is nothing new here not even the super powers (though I was surprised to find sound as the primary characters super power as that is normally a bad guy type of power), I suspect we will have to wait a few episodes to see if it improves.

Music:

Nothing leaps out, its suitable for content but that’s it

Reminds me of:

This is totally a Get Backers knock off

Overall:

Its fun, and a pleasant background, but it fells like it is not the work of one persons vision, which I always feel is what sets out the great Anime/Manga, a brief net search revels it to be a constructed anime or “mixed-media project” well lets give it a few episodes.

Disclaimer: These are mini reviews of anime’s that are fresh out in Japan and are not licensed in the UK, buy them once they have been licensed or at the very least buy the merchandise, remember if the anime makers make a loss, THEY WILL STOP MAKING ANIME!!

First Episode(s) Review for: Buddy Complex

Summary:

The Schools “nice guy that is nearly super naturally good at everything” is tootling though his life being cool and nice to his friends when a giant mecha suddenly appears driven by a guy with a major hate-on, our hero is saved by a blushing female class mate with her own Mecha (never mind where did she hide it, why is the damn thing pink), it turns out he is something major in the future and that the people with the mecha are time travellers, will he fulfil his destiny? lets us fly to the future to find out!

Animation:

Excellent quality semi realistic, a mix between full realistic such as Ghost in the Shell and semi flat cell such as A Certain Magical Index

Plot Potential:

This has the look of a “a good guy amazingly gifted with mecha who turns to evil, and then is saved from this path by people from the future”… errr…wasn’t this the plot for Megas XLR

Update: The plot does have more to offer which shows it self in the second episode when you see the “buddy complex” in action

Music:

It would appear the directors raided Michael Bays music cast offs

Reminds me of:

Well every Gundam series for a start, but more like Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar with less harem and more shooting

Overall:

I don’t feel that this one is going to be more than a nice background anime, but its been a while since we have have a good mecha battle and the hero is a nice bloke so worth a watch.

Update: episode 2 adds more depth to the the series when the “buddy complex” comes into play.

Disclaimer: These are mini reviews of anime’s that are fresh out in Japan and are not licensed in the UK, buy them once they have been licensed or at the very least buy the merchandise, remember if the anime makers make a loss, THEY WILL STOP MAKING ANIME!!

First Episode(s) Review for: Witch Craft Works

Summary:

A silent withdrawn lad is picked on all the time for being physically near (same bus, desks near each other) the school beauty and mayors daughter, suddenly he discovers a large school building is being dropped on him from a great height, this surprise is nothing compared to the discovery that the school beauty has been staying near him to protect him, she is a “Fire witch” and that he is her “princess”….. Mecha Bunnies ATAAACK!!

Animation:

Higher than normal quality anime with a little bit of CGI mixed in

Plot Potential:

Its nice to see the gender roles reversed so completely in an anime, rather than a mealy having a bossy girl and the boy being patient with her, I really like the main female character it good to see the strong silent type getting the main role

Music:

End tune is really upbeat and fun (totally worth going on your mp3 player), rest of the music and sound effects less so

Reminds me of:

A gender reversed version of A_Certain_Magical_Index

Overall:

Really nicely paced and very engaging characters, even the main male character does not make me want to kill him which is rare, really looking forward to each episode,

Disclaimer: These are mini reviews of anime’s that are fresh out in Japan and are not licensed in the UK, buy them once they have been licensed or at the very least buy the merchandise, remember if the anime makers make a loss, THEY WILL STOP MAKING ANIME!!

First Episode(s) Review for: Kyoukai No Kanata

Summary:

A nice and understanding lad who helps others whenever he can but is a half demon is brutally stabbed but a nice and shy girl who happens to be a cursed demon slayer, despite this tricky start they are thrown together and try to get on while dealing with a whole truckload of emotional baggage (and demons)

Animation:

Another example of my favourite type of soft tone anime, as if everything is filmed on a summer afternoon.

Plot Potential:

Plenty of meat here, they have used a lot of rich settings and good characters, so lots to work with, looking forward to see if the main bad guy is as interesting as the good guys.

Music:

Just like a serious high school “soap” anime but with fight scenes

Reminds me of:

Errr well, imagine if Akane from Ranma 1/2 became a demon hunter in the setting of K-On! and you are nearly there

Overall:

I nice little series, Gripping enough to require your attention with good visuals and likable characters, thoroughly enjoying it and save for PG viewers.

Disclaimer: These are mini reviews of anime’s that are fresh out in Japan and are not licensed in the UK, buy them once they have been licensed or at the very least buy the merchandise, remember if the anime makers make a loss, THEY WILL STOP MAKING ANIME!!