Clockwork Planet - Anime Review

Length: 12 30m episodes

Clockwork Planet is set on Earth in a reality where the planet was rebuilt using nothing but clockworks. The planet, at one point, was beyond repair, so someone named Y said they could rebuild it. Cities, entire countries, now sit atop giant spinning cogs that tick away into the future. How does life work in a world ruled by gears and clockworks?

Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya Zwei/Zwei Herz - Anime Review

Having settled everything in the first season, there's nothing left to do but fix the mana lines. Unfortunately, an earthquake turns the situation dire. Quickly, Miyu and Illya spring into action to try and keep Rin and Luvia safe. Long story short: After the ordeal, Illya ends up with a Doppleganger. Huh? Oh, ya, and she's quite the bad seed.

Love Live! - Anime Review

Love Live! is a 26 episode series complete with a 99 minute movie in the Slice of Life genre. This story starts off with series protagonist, Honoka Kousaka, discovering her school is going to be closed down due to low enrollment. Thinking of ways to increase her school's popularity, she finally settles on forming a high school Idol group. The problem is, trying to get something like that going is quite difficult!

Girls und Panzer Comple OVA Series - Anime Review?

We are back with a small collection of shorts(6) starring the lovable cast of Girls und Panzer(GuP). It is basically just a little bit more in the way of character development for the main cast. I guess that's all that needs to be said.

Wandaba Style - Anime Review

Wandaba Style is a 12 episode series about a singing group, Mix Juice, trying to make it big. Their sleazy manager hooks them up with a weird child scientist, Dr. Tsukumo, who is trying to find a pollution-free way to get from Earth to The Moon. This just so happens to be the destination for Mix Juice's big concert debut. What could top a concert on The Moon?

Top and Bottom Anime of 2016

Note: This will be my second attempt at writing this as Blogger is sometimes a huge pile of crap. Apparently hitting CTRL+Z too many times without any edits in the history will delete your entire post. Why? Why indeed.

We come, finally, to the last list of the year. Anime! Glorious anime. If you know me well then you know I love animation. So it should be no surprise that I am making a list for it too. The only downside is that you have to read it; but that's only a downside for you. Shall we start?

I decided to shorten this up a bit since the Video Game list proved to be really long. It helps to keep things snappier, right? Anyways, the farther down the respective list the item is, the more it is liked/loathed. Honorable mentions are all good but are in no particular order.

Dragonar Academy - Anime Review

Duration: 12 episodes
Published: Funimation
Supplied: Blurays purchased via RightStuf

Dragonar Academy is set in a world where many people have the fortune to be "Breeders". People who are specifically marked with a "Star Brand" to show that they will one day give birth to a dragon. Dragons are a key component in this society and they are held in extremely high regard. We follow one such breeder, Ash Blake, who has yet to give birth to his personal dragon companion.

When They Cry - Rei - Anime Review

Duration: 5 episodes
Supplied: Purchased via RighStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

*Note: Absolutely do not watch this if you have not yet watched the first two parts of the series.

We are back, once again, in tiny Hinamizawa with Keiichi and Co. Things should all be back to normal, right? Well, they are, for the most part. Having fun with your friends at the swimming pool is a great way to celebrate a hard-fought victory against fate itself. However, after being careless things start to go awry once again. Will there be a way out this time?

The Asterisk War - Anime Review

Duration: 24 Episodes
Watched: Crunchyroll
Published: Aniplex

Introduction
Ayato is a regular guy who gets in over his head far too easily. His first day he manages to earn the ire of one of the school's most powerful casters. Fortunately, he's a formidable warrior. He came to Asterisk to try and find out what has happened to his older sister, who turned up missing a few years before. It certainly will not be easy, though, as there seems to be a lot more going on behind the scenes than anyone would have believed.

The Familiar of Zero - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

Louise is a terrible mage. Everything she tries to do magically results in a disaster; usually an explosion. When it comes time for all 2nd year magic students to summon their life-long magical familiars, everyone is understandably on edge when it's Louise's turn to begin the ritual. While all the other students ended up with some sort of animal familiar, Louise is not so fortunate. She manages to summon a totally average human male; Saito Hiraga. Forced to keep him as her familiar, shenanigans ensue.

Dream Eater Merry - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

In a universe where dreams are a lot more integrated into the fabric of existence we can experience whole new levels of nightmares. Yumeji Fujiwara has a unique ability; he can tell exactly what kind of dream you are going to have and his accuracy is terrifying! Yumeji, unfortunately, has been having recurring nightmares about cats and has no idea why. His dreams and reality eventually collide when he meets a strange girl named Merry who is looking for answers of her own.

When They Cry - Kai

Duration: 24 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentain Filmworks

Note: If you have not yet seen When They Cry - Season 1, then I suggest you do not bother reading this until you have. As with anything I write on horror, though, this will be rather brief.

Welcome back to Hinamizawa! The place where terrible things happen to nice people; repeatedly. If you are looking for more then you have come to the right place!

This second installment is in-addition-to the first. If you have not seen the first season, then stop yourself right now and watch it first.

Leviathan - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks


In Leviathan we are in the world of Aquafall. A meteorite descends to the surface unleashing untold hoards of monster-like insects known as Lucasites, which in turn release drones known as Toripu. To deal with this threat, the Fairy, Syrup, travels to enlist the help of eager young heroes to form the Aquafall Defense. In this we get to meet our trio of heroines who all just happen to be named after giant beasts of Nordic mythology; Leviathan, Bahamut, and Jormungandr . Oh, wait, they can actually transform and take on dragon characteristics? And they wield different styles of magic? Ya, sure, let's see what this is about!

Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya - Anime Review

Duration: 11 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

*Note: This series is a completely isolated spinoff and any prior knowledge about anything in the Fate universe is absolutely unnecessary.

Oh, another series in the Fate universe. Hey, this is a little different. It has some similar characters but sentient magic wands and Magical Girls? What is going on here?

Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya is a spinoff of the traditional Fate series and it stars Illyasviel Von Einzbern as its main protagonist. She ends up accidentally coming into contact with a strange, and pushy, magic wand. Being transformed into a Magical Girl was a total accident; what's the worst that could happen? Maybe it is better that we do not ask that....

Canaan - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

Canaan is set in Shanghai, China and is focused on the titular Canaan and her relationships with others; good or bad. Canaan is a top-tier assassin due to her advanced synesthesia. It allows her to discern many things that other people simply cannot. There are a lot of things happening: things like murder, terrorism, biological warfare, revenge, and assassinations. There is a little bit of everything and potentially something for everyone.

Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Tairan - Anime Review

Duration: 12 Episodes + 1 OVA
Supplied: DVDs purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

Here we are again in the third installment of the Koihime Musou series. In this season we discover a high ranking Lord is cursed and is slowly turning into a cat! They end up seeking the help of none other than Aisha and her group of bizarre characters. If you have made it this far you basically know what to expect. Why would you want it any other way?

From the New World - Anime Review

Duration: 25 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Rightstuf
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Released: March 15, 2014

From the New World follows a group of children throughout many years of their lives. Their society is seemingly simplistic, if not intentionally archaic. However, one thing certainly stands out, and it is that everyone who lives there is able to utilize Psychokinesis(PK). As the kids explore they discover things that raise a lot of questions about their culture, its history, and the world at large. There is much more at stake than anyone could possibly realize.

Shiki - Anime Review

Shiki - Anime Review

Duration: 22+2
Supplied: Purchased Blurays via Rightstuf
Published: Funimation
Release: October 27th, 2010(originally by Aniplex)

Our story this time is set in a mountain-valley town called Sotoba. It is surrounded on 3 sides by wooded mountains and it is quite secluded. It is a small town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone and secrets and gossip are the main sources of entertainment. However, once a sickness starts to spread around the town people begin to worry. Even worse, the mortality rate for the illness is quite high. Things only seem to be accelerating too.

Shiki is yet another horror series that I picked up. I have been on a horror binge lately and just could not refuse. I thought this one might put me off but I decided on trying it anyways. I am glad that I did! I will not talk too much about the main theme but viewers will pick up on it right away. It is not complicated in the least but I hate giving too much away.

Shin Koihime Musou - Anime Review

Shin Koihime Musou - Anime Review

Duration: 12 Episodes + 1 OVA
Supplied: Purchased DVDs via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks
Released: March 1, 2011

We are back again with another installment of Koihime Musou! Our lovely heroines are back to undertake another journey with newcomer Ryuubi. Her sword and identity had been stolen during the events in the first season and she is looking to reclaim her lost weapon. Unfortunately, the sword seems to have legs and wanders from place to place. In this season we get to see actual sorcery as well as the possible birth of what we know now as musical idols!

When They Cry - Anime Review

When They Cry - Anime Review

Duration: 26 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Rightstuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks
Released: March 15, 2016(this print)

Welcome to the sleepy little town of Hinamizawa. Nestled in a mountain valley, not a lot really happens in this place. Keiichi just recently moved here and is adjusting to the new rural lifestyle. Fortunately, Keiichi manages to become friends with some of his classmates. Through chance meetings and sarcastic comments, things are unwittingly discovered about Hinamizawa that people do not really like to discuss. Digging further into this mystery is where our story begins.