Manga Fragment: Bleach

Full Manga at:

http://www.onemanga.com/Bleach/1/00-cover/

Spoiler Box - Howl's Moving Castle (Hauru no Ugoku Shiro)

Coming Soon!

Scenes - Captain Tsubasa

Manga Fragment: Death Note

You can read all the chapters on:
http://www.onemanga.com/Death_Note/
Enjoy it, folks ;)

Spoiler Box - Paprika Movie Scene

Manga Fragment: Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas

You may read it at:
http://www.onemanga.com/Saint_Seiya_-_The_Lost_Canvas/

Elfen Lied

Original title: Erufen Rito
Genre: Drama, Horror, Psychological.
Director: Mamoru Kanbe
Author: Lynn Okamoto
Studio: ARMS.
Original run: From July 25, 2004 to October 17, 2004.
Lenght: 13 episodes.

"Hurry up and take off your clothes.
Good girl.
Now, as you always do."

Elfen Lied was a great experience for sure, I didn’t found many fights on it, but its physiological side is something like: BIG! It may be just my guess, but such a condensed anime (only 13 episodes) and within such characteristic approaches, led to a stronger bet in drama and in human mind rather than in action and fight sequences.
The plot take place in Japan, at some isolated facility, where some experiences with the new human race “Diclonius” come about. One of these, Lucy, is the main character of the series and her actions in the first episode turned it, probably, in the best entertaining episode of all the 13.
Certainly, this story will grant you a couple of sad feelings sometimes. It’s hard to opposite this since all the characters have to deal with rejection, loneliness, and even torture and several bad treatments, not to mention other situations like even a rape scene. They don’t have much, and some even don’t have anyone who cares about. In spite of everything, you’ll find that they all are cute, kind and really good persons without any bad feelings like revenge. Well, we’ll open here an exception for Lucy perhaps, but notice that even she was a good one at start and through all the pain, she will emerge into a second personality, probably the most pure of all, and I bet that this only comes out because of her primary essence and her will to believe in a better world.
Elfen Lied, breathe from the emotions, views and interactions between humans and “Diclonius” within an environment where the leader of the research will constantly attempt for the retrieve and neutralization of the fled product. Harsh scenes of social alienation, violence, abuse or nudity complete the polemic profile of the animation.
It is definitely worth to watch, mainly for its high point: the story, since the main components of this anime are just average.
At the end, the value of the humanity achieved a really pleasant ground to struggle.

Story- 9.5
Design- 7
Action dynamics- 6
Soundtrack- 8.5
Sound effects- 8.5
Characters- 9.5
Voice performances- 9
Overall: 8,4

Manga Fragment: Claymore

The full manga at:
http://www.1000manga.com/Claymore/1/00-cover/

Claymore

Original title: Kureimoa
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Action.
Director: Hiroyuki Tanaka
Author: Norihiro Yagi
Studio: Madhouse.
Original run: From April 3, 2007 to September 25, 2007.
Lenght: 26 episodes.

"Teresa... I'm still alive. I can almost hear you saying... that's the way it should be!"

Since Bleach that I didn’t had any anime like this… it got myself jammed, devouring episode after episode and this, is saying so damn much!
I’m expecting a second season and a couple of improvements since the actual ending would make it a bit weird and leave the feeling of something unfinished. Although, we already have 26 episodes within you’ll have some real fun watching the story flowing through many and well achieved, fighting scenes.
In the plot, humans coexist with the “Yoma”, sentient monsters that feed on human innards and are able to use the human form. There is also another kind, the half-yoma, half-human, mainly associated with an organization which trains them as warriors to protect humans from the yoma, for a fair amount of fee. These warriors are called “Claymores” based on their swords and only half-yoma women’s are recruited to fulfill these duties. At some point, a claymore will become a yoma too, and for that reason she’ll send a letter to her closest friend, requesting this closest claymore to get to her and kill her. Ultimately, when a Claymore realizes that her human side it’s fading and that soon she will reach the yoma status, her only wish is to die with consciousness and with his human side alive yet.
Each Claymore has a rank number which is based on their strength and ability within 47 possible ranks, each one corresponding to the number of regions of the world. They are also referred as the “Silver Eyed Witches” based on their appearance and cold nature. Even so, you’ll find them much more sensitive while watching the series than they appear to at the beginning, specially the key character, the 47th ranked claymore, known as Clare, who saves a small human boy: Raki. In spite of a bit annoying, he will be her companion and probably her second source of hope and strength in this anime. Well, about the other source, you’ll have to watch it, but believe me, it’s the main reason why “Claymore” it’s above all, a tale of revenge, with the plus that this “other reason” hoist even further the level of the fighting sequences.
The dynamic of the animation it’s really fluid and the graphics and colors also good. The story itself may not be the masterpiece of the decade, but its good enough and some of the remaining components lift to a lofty level.

Story: 8.5
Characters: 8
Voice performances: 8 (english version)
Design: 9
Animation dynamics: 8.5
Soundtrack: 9
Sound Effects: 8
Overall: 8,4

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Original title: Serei no Moribito
Genre: Fantasy.
Author: Nahoko Uehashi
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Studio: Production I.G
Original run: from April 7, 2007 to September 29, 2007
Lenght: 26 episodes.

"I cannot let someone who knows this secret go free."


It finished already, and yet, I still do not know if I’m honestly disappointed or if I’m just surprised that it didn’t went at all like I was expecting.
Well, at a first sight I figured that it was an animation with a plot focusing a distant past, a Japanese one, with a female focal character being a powerful warrior, and that seemed a truly uncommon approach. Well, as my bet for the context was right, I can’t say the same for the second part of my personal bet, as it doesn’t have the action that I was expecting. It starts like that, and she is really strong like her opponents but soon it will be over with the majority of the episodes being quite peaceful and polite.
Resuming the plot isn’t a hard task as I only need to say that this female, Balsa, is a wandering warrior who takes the mission of saving lives in atonement for a past sin. On her journey, the second Empress hires Balsa to protect the life of the second prince Chagum, guardian of the water spirit and the eight and last atonement for the spear wielder. Quite simple, actually isn’t it?
Well, I will not recommend you this anime because of its action or because any of the common vectors. By opposite, I actually recommend this series for its environment. Serei no Moribito, more than a story, have history! The context, the places, the ways of being, all the court details, all the perspectives and traditions and even believes, turns this anime in a really educative piece of work and if you have any interest for more than superficial entertainment and if you want to acquire some reasonable knowledge about the Japanese native culture, Serei no Moribito welcomes you!
However, the emotionless of the plot as well as the lack of skirmish may decrease severally your interest.

Story: 7
Design: 8
Animation Dynamics: 6
Soundtrack: 7.5
Sound Effects: 6
Characters: 7
Voice Performances: 7.5
Overall: 7,0

Wolf's Rain

Original title: Urufuzu Rein
Genre: Adventure, Post-Apocalyptic, Supernatural.
Director: Tensai Okamura
Writer: Keiko Nobumoto
Studio: Bones.
Original run: From January 6, 2003 to February 25, 2004.
Lenght: 30 episodes (4 added later).

"There's no such place as paradise...
At the ends of the earth, there's nothing at all.
No matter how far you walk, the same road just keeps going on and on.
But in spite of that...
Why am I so driven to find it?
I hear someone's voice calling to me...
It says: Make your way to Paradise!"

A world flooded in chaos where hope it’s a really rare thing to endure. All the environments are covered in a deep grey or in a bitter white. Cold plus ruins, to emerge such desolate cities. The humans are extremely divided into nobles or commoners and the most powerful nobles are active in their own wars, spreading an oligarchic model where military power grants the lead.
Within this flux, you’ll find Paradise as the ultimate seek for the majority of the characters, main of them: wolves, taken as a far vanished kind, but they somehow lingered on, surviving by taking human form and, through the Flower Maiden, they’ll found themselves the key to achieve that common objective.
This resumes quite well the matrix of Wolf’s Rain. The plot its simple, wolves linked somehow to some curious creatures, the Flower Maiden, and trying to pinpoint them, takes action the greedy human nobles which will seek the success of their own dreams. The interconnection of these 3 king pieces will give you a really nice game of chessboard. In fact, this is for me an uncommon and yet, very refreshing approach.
Deeply, this anime plays much more with the concept of friendship, lifting that as the great conquest of the reunion of such lonely and independent characters, the wolves, uniting their common wish in the same path. Together they’ll become able to face the traps and enemies until some point. Yet, while friendship succeeds, the concept of love can’t manage the same results.
About the technical components of Wolf’s Rain, they are all average for me, never getting lower than 7 and never acquiring more than 8. I rather write about some inner curiosities, like the soundtrack, where you’ll find tracks in several languages such as Portuguese or Italian and being honest, this anime attempts clearly to loom as nearby as possible to the occident, specially pro-American and that also may explain why this anime is so similar in everything in the English version, which is actually some faithful work.

Down point: Right in the middle, around 17th episode you’ll have to be patient with the 4 recap episodes, which seemed a bit unnecessary in my opinion. And probably the path of the wolves, too far and that will decrease a bit the rank of the animation for a while.

High point: The final it’s really, really charming.

Story - 8
Soundtrack - 8
Sound Effects - 7.5
Design - 7.5
Dynamic - 7
Vocal performances - 7
Characters - 7.5
Overall - 7,6

Devil May Cry

Original title: Devil May Cry
Genre: Action, supernatural.
Director: Shin Itagaki
Studio: Madhouse.
Original run: From June 14, 2007 to September 6, 2007.
Lenght: 12 episodes.

"The smell of blood here is more cloying than the smell of alcohol though."


I would only say something like, “a bonus to all the fans of Devil May Cry”. And this could definitely compress this anime.
It doesn’t bring anything new, it’s too short and the plot can be a small line where you just have to say that Dante is broken, struggling under constant financial debt, and to face this, he works in a lot missions to kill the demons through his devil-hunting business.
The end.
Ah, and you have the appearances of 2 nice ladies too. The end, again? Well, if you want to hear something more accurate I can struggle here to bring you some other points.
One of them can already be found through the number of the episodes: 12. It is a short one alright, but its worst than that, you see, while you watch it, you’ll realize that one episode it’s a single mission without any connection between the others. Only at the final 2 or 3 episodes, and these ones, can only find some link with the first episode.
So, putting it clear, you have here 4 or 5 useless missions, which in such a short anime, can produce some damage. Even the fights could be better, and also the design of the demons. The games are so much fluid (ah, nostalgic mode now). And the script, well… is there even a script? Even the environment could be much more dark and twisted.
Yet, in spite of the bad aspects, the soundtrack was made to the image of the games (quite average), and the same to the sound effects along the animation. After all, it’s a mini-anime able to entertain you for a while, where you don’t have to think or expect much. Like I said, it’s really like a bonus to the fans.
You won’t kill your time if you like Dante or the girls, but you’ll easily find some other better anime to watch instead.

Design - 8
Dynamic - 6.5
Sound Effects - 8
Voice performances - 7
Soundtrack - 7.5
Characters - 7
Story - 4
Overall - 6,5

The Anime Grand Prix - Song Award

Every single year, the magazine Animage, in a joint effort with the biggest magazine about Anime in Japan (Newtype), elects the best Series of the year, a combined result from the reader’s opinion with the editor’s view.
As we’ll find several award categories, I decided to firstly launch the award for the best song.

1995 and 1996 Winner.


"...and the Oscar goes to..."

1979

1. "Kita no Okami, Minami no Tora" by Mitsuko Horie, for Baseball Enthusiasts (Yakyuu-kyo no Uta).
2. "Taga Tame Ni" by Tokyo Meister Singer, for Cyborg 009.
3. "Tobe Gundam" by Koh Ikeda, for Mobile Suit Gundam.
4. "Captain Harlock" by Ichiro Mizuki, for Space Pirate Captain Harlock.
5. "Ginga Tetsudou 999" by Isao Sasaki, for Galaxy Express 999.

1980 (1st Half)

1. "Fukkatsu no Ideon" by Isao Taira, for Space Runaway Ideon.
2. ''Honoo no Takaramono'' by Bobbi, for Lupin III : The Castle of Cagliostro.
3. ''Coming Home to Terra'' by Da Capo, for Toward the Terra.
4. ''Cosmo ni Kimi to'' by Keiko Toda, for Space Runaway Ideon.
5. ''Taga Tame Ni'' by Tokyo Meister Singer, for Cyborg 009.

1980 (2nd Half)

1. ''Cosmo ni Kimi to'' by Keiko Toda, for Space Runaway Ideon.
2. ''Fukkatsu no Ideon'' by Isao Taira, for Space Runaway Ideon.
3. ''10 Billions Light of Love'' by ???, for Cyborg 009.
4. ''Be Forever Yamato'' by Isao Sasaki, for Be Forever Yamato.
5. ''Hateshinaki Yami no Kanata ni'' by Takeshi Obo, for Ashita no Joe 2.

1981

1. ''Lum no Love Song'' by Yuko Matsutani, for Urusei Yatsura.
2. ''Joe...Forever'' By Joe Yamanaka, for Ashita no Joe 2.
3. ''Ai Senshi'' by Daisuke Inoue, for Mobile Suit Gundam II.
4. ''Monument of Love'' by Ippo Hiura, for Rokushin Gattai Godmars.
5. ''SAYONARA'' by Mary MacGregor, for Galaxy Express 999.

1982

1. ''Macross'' by Makoto Fujiwara, for Macross.
2. ''17 year old Legend'' by Yuji Mitsuya, for Rokushin Gattai Godmars.
3. ''Monument of Love'' by Ippo Hiura, for Rokushin Gattai Godmars.
4. ''Cobra'' by Yoko Maeno, for Space Adventure Cobra.
5. ''Shippu Xabungle" by Akira Kushida, for Xabungle.

1983

1. ''HELLO,VIFAM'' by TAO, for Ginga Hyoryu Vifam.
2. ''Cat's Eye'' by Anri, for Cat's Eye.
3. ''GET IT'' by Akira Kushida, for Xabungle Graffiti.
4. ''Honoo no Sadame'' by Tetsuro Oda, for Armored Tropper Votoms.
5. ''Aura Road'' by MIO, for Aura Battler Dunbine.

1984

1. ''Ai Oboeteimasuka?'' by Mari Iijima, for Macross : Do You Remember Love.
2. ''Kaze no No Reply'' by Mami Ayukawa, for Heavy Metal L-Gaim.
3. ''Galient World'' by EUROX, for Panzer World Galient.
4. ''Sora Kara Koboreta Story'' by Da Capo, for Sherlock Holmes.
5. ''Time for L-Gaim'' by MIO, for Heavy Metal L-Gaim.

1985

1. ''Ro Ro Ro Russian Roulette'' by Meiko Nakahara, for Dirty Pair.
2. ''Meros no You ni -Lonely Way'' by AIRMAIL from NAGASAKI, for Aoki Ryusey SPT Layzner.
3. ''Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete'' by Hiroko Moriguchi, for Zeta Gundam.
4. ''Zeta - Toki wo Koete'' by Mami Ayukawa, for Zeta Gundam.
5. ''Touch'' by Yoshimi Iwasaki, for Touch.

1986

1. ''Kanashimi yo Konnichi wa'' by Yuki Saito, for Maison Ikkoku.
2. ''Kimi wo Nosete'' by Azumi Inoue, for Laputa.
3. "Silent Voice'' by Jun Hiroe, for Gundam ZZ.
4. ''Ci-ne-ma'' by Picasso, for Maison Ikkoku.
5. ''Meros no You ni -Lonely Way'' by AIRMAIL from NAGASAKI, for Aoki Ryusey SPT Layzner.

1987

1. ''Get Wild'' by TM Network, for City Hunter.
2. ''Suki Sa'' by Anzen Chitai, for (Maison Ikkoku.
3. ''Pegasus Fantasy'' by MAKE-UP, for Saint Seiya.
4. ''Pure Stone'' by Risa Yuuki, for Zillion.
5. ''Dream Adventure'' by Norito Sakai, for The Three Musketeers.

1988

1. ''BEYOND THE TIME'' by TM Network, for Gundam : Char's Counter Attack.
2. ''My Neighbor Totoro'' by Azumi Inoue, for My Neighbor Totoro.
3. ''STEP'' by a.chi-a.chi, for Mashin Eiyuden Wataru.
4. ''Soldier Dream'' by Hironobu Kageyama & BROADWAY, for Saint Seiya.
5. ''Samurai Heart'' by Hiroko Moriguchi, for Samurai Trooper Warriors.

1989

1. ''Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta nara'' by Yumi Matsutoya, for Kiki's Delivery Service.
2. ''Running To Horizon'' by Tetsuya Komuro, for City Hunter 3.
3. ''Miracle Girl'' by Nagai Mariko, for Yawara!.
4. ''Shining Soul'' by Satoko Shimizu, for Shurato.
5. ''Midnight Blue'' by KISS ME QUICK, for Patlabor.

1990

1. ''Blue Water'' by Miho Morikawa, for Nadia : The Secret of Blue Water.
2. ''FIGHT!'' by Yumiko Takahashi, for Mashin Eiyuden Wataru 2.
3. ''Cha-La Head-Cha-La'' by Hironobu Kageyama, for Dragon Ball Z.
4. ''Odoru Ponpokorin'' by B.B. Queens, for Chibi Maruko-chan.
5. ''Traveling Light'' by MANNA, for Dragon Ball Z.

1991

1. ''Winners'' by G-Grip, for GPX Cyber Formula.
2. ''Cha-La Head-Cha-La'' by Hironobu Kageyama, for Dragon Ball Z.
3. ''I'll Come'' by G-Grip, for GPX Cyber Formula.
4. ''Eternal Wind - Hohoemi wa Hikaru Kaze no Naka'' by Hiroko Moriguchi, for Gundam F91.
5. ''Blue Water'' by Miho Morikawa, for Nadia : The Secret of Blue Water.

1992

1. ''Moonlight Densetsu'' by DALI, for Sailor Moon.
2. ''Hohoemi no Bakudan'' by Matsuko Mawatari, for Yu Yu Hakushô.
3. ''Kaze no mirai he'' by Arika Sato, for Legendary Brave Da Garn.
4. ''The Winner'' by Miki Matsubara, for Gundam 0083.
5. ''Magical Dreamer'' by Lindberg(?), for Yadamon.

1993

1. ''We Gotta Power'' by Hironobu Kageyama, for Dragon Ball Z.
2. ''Moonlight Densetsu'' by DALI, for Sailor Moon R.
3. ''Kimi ga Suki da to Sakebitai'' by BAAD, for Slam Dunk.
4. ''Sayonara Bye Bye'' by Matsuko Mawatari, for Yu Yu Hakushô.
5. ''Mouichido Tenderness (Tenderness Once More)'' by KIX S, for Victory Gundam.

1994

1. ''Yuzurenai Negai'' by Naomi Tamura, for Magic Knight Rayearth.
2. ''Daydream Generation'' by Matsuko Mawatari, for Yu Yu Hakushô.
3. ''Wind Climbing - Kaze ni Asobarete'' by Aki Okui, for Mahoujin Guru Guru.
4. ''Sekai ga Owaru Made Wa'' by WANDS, for Slam Dunk.
5. ''Seventh Moon'' by Fire Bomber featuring Basara Nekki, for Macross 7.

1995

1. ''A Cruel Angel's Thesis'' by Yoko Takahashi, for Evangelion.
2. ''Just Communication'' by TWO-MIX, for Gundam Wing.
3. ''Yuzurenai Negai'' by Naomi Tamura, for Magic Knight Rayearth.
4. ''Get Along'' by Masami Okui and Megumi Hayashibara, for Slayers.
5. ''Itsuka Kagayaku'' by Keiko Yoshinari, for Magic Knight Rayearth.

1996

1. ''A Cruel Angel's Thesis'' by Yoko Takahashi, for Evangelion.
2. ''Give a Reason'' by Megumi Hayashibara, for Slayers Next.
3. ''You Get to Burning'' by Yumi Matsuzawa, for Nadesico.
4. ''Successful Mission'' by Megumi Hayashibara, for Saber Marionette J.
5. ''Heart of Sword - Yoake Mae'' by T.M. Revolution, for Rurouni Kenshin.

1997

1. ''Rondo–Revolution'' by Masami Okui, for Revolutionary Girl Utena.
2. ''Soul Refrain'' by Yoko Takahashi, for Evangelion : Death and Rebirth.
3. ''Yuusha-oh Tanjou!'' by Masaaki Endo, for GaoGaiGar.
4. ''Thanatos -If I Can't Be Yours-'' by Loren & Mash, for The End of Evangelion.
5. ''Mononoke Hime'' by Joe Hisaishi, for Princess Mononoke.

1998

1. ''Dearest'' by Yumi Matsuzawa, for Nadesico : The Prince of Darkness.
2. ''Infinity'' by Megumi Hayashibara, for Lost Universe.
3. ''Tank!'' by Seatbelts, for Cowboy Bebop.
4. ''IN MY DREAM'' by Eri Shingyoji, for Brain Powered.
5. ''Saa'' by SURFACE, for Mamotte Shugogetten.

1999

1. ''Butter-Fly'' by Kouji Wada, for Digimon Adventure.
2. ''Platinum'' by Maaya Sakamoto, for Cardcaptor Sakura.
3. ''dis-'' by Mika Arisaka, for Infinite Ryvius.
4. ''Will'' by Chihiro Yonekura, for Soul Hunter.
5. ''Taiyou wa Yoru mo Kagayaku'' by Wino, for Hunter X Hunter.

2000

1. ''Platinum'' by Maaya Sakamoto, for Cardcaptor Sakura.
2. ''Still Time'' by Hidenori Tokuyama, for Saiyuki.
3. ''Sakura Saku'' by Megumi Hayashibara, for Love Hina.
4. ''Tsuki No Mayu'' by Aki Okui, for Turn A Gundam : Earth Light.
5. ''For Real'' by Hidenori Tokuyama, for Saiyuki.

2001

1. ''For Fruits Basket'' by Ritsuko Okazaki, for Fruits Basket.
2. ''Gotta Knock a Little Harder'' by The Seatbelts featuring Mai Yamane, for Cowboy Bebop.
3. ''Love Destiny'' by Yui Horie, for Sister Princess.
4. ''Reckless Fire'' by Yasuaki Ide, for S-Cry-Ed.
5. ''Dearest'' by Ayumi Hamasaki, for Inuyasha.
   

2002

1. ''Anna ni Issho Datta no ni'' by See-Saw, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
2. ''Invoke'' by T.M. Revolution, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
3. ''Wheels of Destiny'' by FictionJunction YUUKA, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
4. ''Hemisphere'' by Maaya Sakamoto, for RahXephon.
5. ''Northern Lights'' by Megumi Hayashibara, for Shaman King.

2003

1. ''Melissa'' by Porno Grafitti, for Fullmetal Alchemist.
2. ''Kesenai Tsumi'' by Nana Kitade, for Fullmetal Alchemist.
3. ''Akatsuki no Kuruma'' by FictionJunction YUUKA, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
4. ''FIND THE WAY'' by Mika Nakashima, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
5. ''Brilliant Road to Tomorrow'' by Angela, for Uchuu no Stellvia.

2004

1. ''Ignited'' by T.M.Revolution, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
2. ''Reason'' by Nami Tamaki, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
3. ''Shangri-la'' by Angela, for Fafner.
4. ''Tori no Uta'' by Lia, for Air.
5. ''Fields of Hope'' by Rie Tanaka, for Gundam SEED Destiny.

2005

1. ''Vestige'' by T.M.Revolution, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
2. ''Sousei no Aquarion'' by AKINO, for Sousei no Aquarion.
3. ''Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru'' by See-Saw, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
4. ''ETERNAL BLAZE'' by Nana Mizuki, for Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's.
5. ''Link'' by L'Arc-en-Ciel, for Fullmetal Alchemist : The Conqueror of Shamballa.

2006

1. ''COLORS'' by FLOW, for Code Geass.
2. ''Hare Hare Yukai'' by Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, and Yuko Goto, for Suzumiya Haruhi.
3. ''Kimi wa boku ni Niteiru'' by See-Saw, for Gundam SEED Destiny.
4. "Red Fraction" by MELL, for Black Lagoon.
5. ''God Knows...'' by Aya Hirano, for Suzumiya Haruhi.

2007

1. ''Motteke! Sailor Fuku'' by Aya Hirano, Emiri Kato, Kaori Fukuhara and Aya Endo, for Lucky Star.
2. ''Daybreak's Bell'' by L'arc-en-Ciel, for Gundam 00.
3. ''Colors'' by FLOW, for Code Geass.
4. ''Friends'' by Stephanie, for Gundam 00.
5. ''Sorairo Days'' by Shoko Nakagawa, for Gurren Lagann.

2008

1. ''Diamond Crevasse'' by May'n, for Macross Frontier.
2. ''Triangler'' by Maaya Sakamoto, for Macross Frontier.
3. ''Northern Cross'' by May'n, for Macross Frontier.
4. ''WORLD END'' by FLOW, for Code Geass R2.
5. ''Prototype'' by Chiaki Ishikawa, for Gundam 00.

Current Winner (2009): "A Path" by Nami Miyahara (Janice), for Casshern Sins.




P.S: In 1993 Wikipedia gives the Victory to Moonlight Densetsu for Sailor Moon R, but so does the same for "We Gotta Power" which means that we can't be accurate at all about this, but in case of doubts, I followed the source with main information. Altough, still risky. In 1999 the same happens with Platinum for Cardcaptor Sakura.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animage
http://animegrandprix.blogspot.com/

Animage - The Anime Grand Prix

Although the quick association with Anime, you may not recognize what is this after all. Animage is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine which Tokuma Shoten began publishing in July 1978. Quite a few manga was serialized in this magazine, such the renowned Nausiccä of the Valley of the Wind from 1982 through 1994. In spite of this, you may be thinking what’s so big about it… well I just considered that Animage and one of its relevant creations (the Anime Grand Prix) would fit as an interesting and appropriate subject to open the first article in our blog.

What is the Anime Grand Prix? It’s an annual prize, determined by the Animage readers’ votes to the anime of the year, counting with several secondary awards, such for the characters, songs or even the selection for the best episode of the year. This event started right a few after the unleashing of the magazine, in 1979, and the first prize was announced at the issue 1980 January (frequently announced at the next year’s June issue every year). And this turned the Anime Grand Prix as one remarkable pillar in the story of the Japanese animation – it’s probably the oldest one with such a height and likely, the royal link between the fans and their celebration of the work from many directors and authors until the half of the 90’s. This method to recognize the best works annually, will find some rivals at the second half of the 90’s and at the beginnings of the new century, such as the Animation Kobe Event and the Tokyo International Anime Fair.

Is this a threat to the rule of Animage main event?

Well, both Animation Kobe and the Tokyo International Anime Fair work in a different way and have their own selection processes. In my opinion this fact, and besides the query that I lifted, just have to be excellent for us, as it gives another views and break with the honorable (and yet) monopoly, of the fans. Having this said, it’s fair to say that after Animage, I will also approach the other main events and establishing here their results, as I still consider, that this brings interest and deserves to come out more often than it already seems to be.

Baccano!

Original title: Bakkãno!

Genre: Adventure; comedy, fantasy.
Author: Ryohgo Narita
Director: Takahiro Omori
Studio: Brain’s Base; Aniplex.
Original run: From July 26, 2007 to November 1, 2007.
Lenght: 16 episodes.



"The Vice-director doesn't talk about the possibility of him being the lead character."


One of the main attractive points of Baccano it’s the constant change of date… the story actually starts in 1711, aboard the ship Advenna Avis, but besides this particular year, you’ll watch several times the appearances of years like 1930, 1931, 1932 and 1933 (specially these ones but notice that you’ll have to pay attention to even more than those). This is the first factor to make Baccano a kind of complex anime. You see, the story by itself it’s not that hard to follow, but the huge mass of characters, as the massive ground for their interconnection and the hypersonic rewinds and forwards will actually turn such a short and simple plot in an completely advanced test to your own abilities to catch and arrange all the information.

Another thing that it’s obviously the trump card of Baccano it’s that you’ll sooner realize that it’s all true what it’s said in the first episode… there is not such thing as a protagonist in the story! In fact, I would say that if has to be one, it is definitely (and in an abstract view), not one individual but the net established around all of them... and notice that this simple factor can cause difficulties to your perception of the series.

Plot

A group of alchemists at the 18th century, and their collective demands to get the eternal life, will lead to the summoning of a demon. He will grant them their wish, within some rules. Some of these new immortals will endure and you’ll find them at the American soil amidst the Great Depression, which it’s a profit context to the use of several bunches of gangsters that, alongside with the first ones that I referred, will spice the tale, specially yielding the flow of action and blood. Even so, if there is a reason to pick the main scenario protagonist, then, for sure, the transcontinental train “Flying Pussyfoot” would win all the bets.

What’s the great goal of the script? I guess you can’t say at all, that Baccano has a common approach… even this straight aspect isn’t obvious, and that maybe can explain why the “first” ending of this anime will so suddenly smash you with a sort of cold breeze – I just only can figure that it doesn’t have to end, in fact, even the beginning of the plot is unconventional. Although, the main target is not that hard to understand… without any central character, with a total chronological mess and without any defined ending, it’s fair to say that this anime seeks to describe a lot of personalities, performing their connections and how they work with each other, how they go on with their lives, influencing the others and at the end, after they arrive and attach, they’ll eventually depart too. And that’s it…

Did I wrote “first ending”? Yeap… thirteen episodes aired on TV, and the final one was clearly to be set as the final episode of the series. And it’s true that, for better or for worse, the plot ended there and it would be a bit unnecessary to arrange more characters and prolonging it… but the truth it’s that the 14th;15th and the 16th episode, in spite of didn’t aired on TV, they were unleashed in DVD, making Baccano even more uncanny.

High Point:

• The originality of this anime, not because of the script by itself but because of the peculiar approach.
  

Down point:

• Another ending that decreases the overall quality of the story.

Story: Effective, well maneuvered - 8.5;
Characters:

• Voice performances (just a few, yet, still above middling - 7.5)
• Personality's construction (so many characters, played in such a short anime, and still, even if the great majority of them are far from being memorable, it’s also true that you’ll recognize them even if in the middle of the crowd - 8)
  

Animation:

• Design (not a masterpiece but you definitely can’t say that is unpleasant - 7)
• Dynamic (worry not, it doesn’t lag - 6)

Sound:

• Soundtrack (a bit recurring but well contextualized - 7)
• Effects (Just average - 6.5)
  
  Overall: It may not set foot as one of the greatest series that you’ll watch, but it’s still a tasty anime - 7 cookies.

Spoiler Box - OST Pandora Hearts

Yuki Kajiura

"Everytime you kissed me"

Pandora Hearts

Original title: Pandora hãtsu

Genre: Mystery, fantasy, action, comedy, romance.
Origins: Japan.
Author: jun Mochizuki.
Director: Takao Kato.
Studio: XEBEC.
Debut: April 3, 2009, ran until September 25, 2009.
Lenght: 25 episodes.


"It's never fun to reject a single person.
But he can't be allowed to exist."


Pandora Hearts, was definitely a good surprise. At first it didn’t kept my full attention I must confess, but it suffered a significantly boost episode after episode. The plot its quite complex at a first sight but it can captivate you if you give it some time, and the same goes for the characters.

Oz Vessalius, it’s the main character and heir to one of the 4 duke houses that you’ll find at the series, well, 1 of 5 to be more accurate. And as you already may figured, this is not the kind of anime bursting with modern buildings and filled with hi-tech equipments – it is actually an anime linked to a past where nobles leads the social pyramid and horses and carriages are the great and luxurious ways of travel.

Attempting to not spoil too much, this 15 years old guy is wealthy and he just got in that kind of edge that all the teenagers feel sooner or later, he’s becoming a men. What’s the great deal about this detail? Well you’ll notice that Pandora Hearts will attempt to mess a bit with your own thoughts, this can be a quite cerebral anime sometimes and it will help that our leading character feels lost in this transition (it may not be even the main reason for this, but it will help for sure…). Oz is rich, the guy is straight in the way to become an important noble, perhaps even a duke, he have an uncle that cares about him, a really loyal servant and a cute and dependent sister. He is a cheery guy and he plays a lot… happy scenario, uh? Not quite, in fact his ego is broken, he feels lonely and he acts sometimes much more like a depressed person than he actually attempts to appear.

Disappointed? Don’t! After all, it’s not just Oz, but all the main characters, none of them stands full of certain and even the smartest ones are in a desperate need to discover something (well maybe 1 or 2 will also endeavor to avoid those kinds of unwanted researches).
Why are they in a sort of common demand? Well they actually were connected at same point with an epic tragedy and even some of them just lost their memories somewhere across the plot. And why this is a good thing? Above all because it accentuates the individuality of each character with the plus of extract any single point of stability, you may actually don’t feel certain about much.
To make the things even better, Pandora Hearts gives us the Abyss, where you’ll find the chains, contractors and the own will of abyss. I shall not give you many clues about this because it’s this the main vector of the series, it just boosts Pandora in originality and complexity and it’s what in my opinion turns it so much appealing after all.

Is Pandora Hearts that good?

Honestly I just think it’s your won if you watch it, but I can’t say that it’s the loss of the year if you don’t keep your eyes on it. Unfortunately Pandora Hearts ends too suddenly and after an obvious decrease of its overall quality… In the last episodes I just felt that something was changing, and not in a good way, sometimes it even seemed that the graphic quality of the series got less accurate and the worst thing was the script – it happened some kind of inversion to the plot, I can say that I almost watched 2 or 3 episodes where nothing new was bring to the story, any kind of development, almost like the teamwork was expecting some kind of defined destiny and that, it’s only my guess, didn’t happened.
Plus, you’ll probably observe that after all the characters got drunk and depressed, they suddenly find the headquarters of their enemies, which by some unknown reason wasn’t achieved by the vast resources of the significant organization (which is Pandora), linked to many of the main characters (if not all)… and besides this fact, you’ll just feel that existed a sudden need for desperate action in the 24th episode, almost like a run against time to give the series a decent end and avoid an abrupt ending but this, clearly isn’t succeeded.
Notice that at 5 minutes, before the end, it didn’t happened yet the “boss battle”, nothing really defined for the story were revealed and the destiny of a lot of characters remained unsecure and ambiguous.

In the end you’ll be trigged to read the manga if you need to keep following Pandora Hearts or, besides that and just like me, you’ll wait for a good new, such the announcement of the release of a second season (unfortunately nothing of this its yet granted).
The anime itself follows really close to the manga, which can be a good thing if you want to follow the story but it didn’t went too far ahead yet, if compared to the current ending of the series.

Even so, the story filled with riddles appears to be solid, with a good add of humor and drama. The approach to Alice in Wonderland in a twisted way, almost like a piece of work of Tim Burton it's as well, an enjoyable side of Pandora Hearts. The lack of action it’s also evident, but it works well as it is, at least at some point of the plot. But it’s clear that this same plot gave much more chances and opportunities to input more action than they actually did. The script it’s not that revealing but at least it will make you think. You may find some insufficiencies on the sound effects but the themes and the soundtrack are huge and it works perfectly well. At the graphic level, the medieval and dark environments are interesting but notice that the approach present in this anime will not satisfy everyone. Even I can say that the amateur design (deliberated) that you’ll watch sometimes can hardly take your breath away but at some point it actually can be a good bet and turns the animation much more original, specially at the treatment conceded to the abyss, the chains and some characters.

About the high and down points, I already mentioned them, so I’ll only pick 2 of each, the ones that I considered utterly relevant :

High points:

• The originality of the script, the story itself;


• A great soundtrack for sure that suits perfectly in the environment of Pandora Hearts.

Down points:

• The sudden and hasty ending;


• Less action than I would enjoy to watch and some insufficiencies with the dynamic of the animation.

Rating:

• Story 9/10


• Characters (Voice performances 8/10; Personalities Construction 8/10)


• Animation (Design 7.5/10; Dynamic 6/10)


• Sound (Soundtrack 9.5/10; Effects 6.5/10)

Overall: 7 cookies and a half glass of milk as it is for now, eventually, if comes out the announcement for the release of the second season, make it 8 cookies.

Well that's all for now, enjoy your anime ;)

Scenes - Baccano!

Coming Soon!

Scenes - Pandora Hearts

Coming Soon!