TwiddleGeek

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Okajima Rokuro’s life takes an unexpected turn when he’s kidnapped by pirates in Southeast Asia during a business trip with a secret disk. Unfortunately for him, he’s taken hostage in hopes of a ‘ransom bonus’ only to find out his company has discarded his life. Sick of being treated like a nobody and disgusted by being tossed aside, he resolves to start his life over as a member of the pirate crew who kidnapped him.

Black Lagoon is an interesting popcorn anime in that it’s fast, dirty, and fun. Each episode is filled with non stop gunfights, swearing, and the shameless tomboy Revi. I enjoyed it enough to marathon the entire 12 episode first season in one night. The animation is superb and the plots are more or less interesting, however if it lacks in any area it’s that it lacks an overall story. It can be a bit too episodic, and nothing much comes of the ominous company and the boss shown in detail at the beginning.

Thankfully a season 2 has been released which hopefully clears some of these issues up, but you can just feel that this is an incomplete manga adaptation. On the other hand, I really grew to like the characters, and it’s great to see that Rock (Rokuro) actually develops a spine. His calm, calculating nature along with his showdown with Revi made the series believable for me. I will definitely watch season 2.

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School Rumble is a simple yet amusing comedy that keeps the laughs coming, but tends to reuse the same gag too many times. While certain gags had me rolling, and nearly every episode got a good laugh, sometimes they just really didn’t know when to say when. The cast is all very likable, and the story stays fresh through the paced introduction of new members.

The awkward love-triangle plot however, never really gets going. And there lies the problem with School Rumble. While the cute intro and ending songs hooked me, the likable characters made things interesting, and the gags kept me entertained, it never really went anywhere or became above average. It sticks to generic manga plotlines and drawn out filler eps that really served no purpose. Amusing as some of them may be, there’s no real point in the end.

If you’re in the mood for a light hearted school romance comedy, you’ll easily find it here. There are better anime, but if you’re short on something new to watch, School Rumble is worth a try. Give it a few eps though, it starts rather slow. If you’re not enjoying yourself by episode 3, it’s not for you. If you feel things start to get repetitive, drop it and move on. You won’t be missing out on much.

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When the Throne of Yorudo is stolen by a man named Kagetsu, Tiara is sent from the Guardian World to retrieve it at any cost. Her job is not an easy one as her best friend Lena is aiding Kagetsu and her partner Japolo has only just been assigned. Tangled relations and vicious battles cross as the mystery unfolds.

In most ways, Shamanic Princess is your typical pretty good but rather forgettable 90’s OVA. Filled with magical battles and characters of all types, fans of the genre will certainly get a kick out of it. The first four episodes are set in the middle of the story, while the last two episodes tell the beginning as a prequel of sorts. It’s the last two episodes that shine the most, with the best characters, the best art, and an absolutely great storyline. Graham is easily the best member of the cast.

This isn’t to say the first four episodes aren’t good, they certainly are, but they’re simply outclassed by the last two. Regardless, the show is quite watchable from beginning to end. The animation of the first four eps is quite well done, but the last two really pull out all the stops. The story is rather forgettable, but still quite enjoyable and again peaks in the end.

The best parts of the show are easily the battle scenes, since the entire OVA seems built around the chance to show these off. From Tiara’s transformations to Lena’s plant summoning, it really shows great effort with very good results. The best scene in the whole OVA however is easily in episode 6, at the Festival of Wind. It’s worth watching the series for the last two episodes and for that scene alone.

Overall, if you watch this series don’t expect all too much. Enjoy it for what it is, and you’ll have a good time. I know I’m putting too much emphasis on the final eps, but compared to the first four they’re on a whole other level. The final two episodes would easily rank higher than this overall score, but it’s short length and “good but not great” first four episodes keep it a solid one time viewing at best.

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Well into the future, the line between man and machine has blurred. Cybernetic bodies and AI machines are common place, and even the human brain has been replaced. The last remaining difference between a living being and an ordinary AI is the presence known as a ghost.

Stand Alone Complex is the story of an elite covert group, Section 9, focusing on a specific series of cases involving “The Laughing Man”. The Laughing Man is an A-class hacker, able not only to hack machines, but minds as well and nearly at will. His trademark logo, skills, and cause have made him a legend, but how much is myth and how much is fact quickly become heated debate as new cases suddenly begin to flair up once more.

GitS SAC can be thought of something like a prequel to the Ghost in the Shell movie, but it’s better to simply think of it as an alternate version. It’s much closer to the manga series than anything, and focuses more on complex interactions between characters and plots than action or drama. SAC may be a bit too intelligent for it’s own good, as the wordy and often times lengthy explanations will be sure to turn off anyone tuning in simply for the action. For the patient, there’s plenty of action and a surprising amount of gore to keep things interesting.

Each episode does a respectable job of presenting a deep, twisting somewhat self contained story, while relating in various ways to the overall arc. If there’s one thing that really hurts the show, it’s that for all it’s depth, twists, and violence, none of it ever really seems to matter much. Despite what happens episode to episode, things seem pretty much back to square one, reset and prepped for a new adventure in the next episode. I would have hoped for more depth and character advancement, much less a sense of the story going somewhere, rather than the typical unchanging manga lather, rinse, and repeat story arcs.

Overall anti-climatics aside, taken on an episode per episode basis SAC is quite satisfying. So long as you’re in the mood to keep up with the rather in depth backstory and information briefings along the way, you’re pretty much guaranteed a good military / political drama with a techno twist each episode. If all you can do is complain about what Motoko wears around her waist, this show isn’t for you. Otherwise, there’s enough action when it counts, smooth animation tricks, and a great soundtrack throughout for the GitS fans. Not exactly a home run, but everything a GitS series should be none the less.