Summary

Linebarrels of Iron is a mecha anime loosely based on the manga of the same name by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi and animated by Gonzo. The story of Linebarrels is set in an alternate future and focuses on junior-high student Kouichi Hayase, who is bullied at school and often dreams of being a hero of justice. One day while running errands for his bullies, Kouichi is killed when an extra-terrestrial robot named Linebarrels crashed into the earth from outer space. Kouichi is somehow revived by the power of the Linebarrels and finds a naked and amnesiac girl name Emi Kizaki lying beside him in the crash crater. After the "accident", Kouichi discovers that he has gained superhuman strength and control of the robot, and he and Emi eventually joins the organization JUDA to fight an advance vanguard of invaders from another dimension.

Review

Linebarrels of Iron is set up like your typical shounen mecha series, but it is actually much more (or less) than that and that's not in a good way. The series stumbled out of the gates primarily because protagonist Kouichi emerged as an annoying, egoistical yet incapable character who apparently has no redeeming qualities. Kouichi's arrogance and recklessness in the first few episodes made him very difficult to like, and I found myself hoping for someone to come along and teach Kouichi a lesson. Thankfully that happened in the third episode and after that Kouichi's antics became easier to tolerate. He is still sometimes arrogant and reckless, but on many occasions his behaviour is played for laughs and he did managed to display some real heroics. Other than Kouichi, another questionable decision that stood out at the start of the series is the facial designs and animation of the characters. Perhaps this is a matter of personal taste, but the faces of many of the characters just didn't look right from certain angles.

After Kouichi is humbled in the third episode, Linebarrels looked like it was on its way to being your average mecha series. The next few episodes were by no means great or even good, but it was tolerable and plausible enough (for your average mecha series) to watch. There were bits of random comedy being thrown in, which again weren't great but nonetheless added some entertainment value. Just when it looks like Linebarrels was on the right track, all hell broke lose in episode 13 when JUDA's ace pilot Moritsugu killed JUDA's leader Ishigami and joined the bad guys. This betrayal basically came out of nowhere and there were no prior indication that Moritsugu was a traitor, but one can argue that a sudden betrayal may just be a plot device to introduce more drama and urgency to the storyline. Unfortunately, Moritsugu's betrayal was just the beginning of whole slew of improbable events including multiple characters switching sides, characters coming back from the dead, and near the end it's revealed that all the bad guys are actually working towards the same cause of the good guys and the two sides join forces to battle the real bad guys. So basically the story, especially the character statuses, became more and more ridiculous as the show went on, and the only reason I kept watching because there was no point dropping a series past the half-way mark; I have a weakness for mecha series; and also I was curious to see how much more ridiculous will the show become.

Moving on from all the senseless side-changing, the final battle in Linebarrels was a disappointment because it was poorly planned out, and the final boss was defeated rather unceremoniously. The battle was also filled with many clichés seen in superpower mecha series, including favorites such as all the supporting good guys voicing their support for the protagonist and sending him their energy for a big power-up. I concede that many mecha series utilize such setups in their big battles, but Gonzo went out of its way to make it obvious and cheesy.

That's all for my rant about Linebarrels of Iron. Of course, not everything was terrible in Linebarrels. The CG action is passable and actually gets better as the series went on, and the mecha designs are quite interesting once examined closely. Despite some redeeming aspects, Linebarrels is easily the worst of the anime series that I've been following in the past half year, but one thing that Linebarrels should be given credit for is that it is certainly not a boring series. Instead, it is just really ridiculous and full of clichés. Perhaps the people who produced this series meant it as an off-beat parody to the typical boy-becomes-mecha-pilot shows, but I somehow failed to get that impression. If you managed to watch all 24 episodes like I did, it's time to give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.

Summary

Fans of the previous Ace Attorney games will appreciate the new touch-screen mechanics and improved presentation, but these changes don't do much to spice up the series' often slow and tedious pacing.

Review

The Ace Attorney games have always been exclusive to the Nintendo DS in North America, but they were essentially ports of the Japanese games, which were originally released on the GameBoy Advance. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney marks the first time a game in the Ace Attorney series has been built from the ground up for the Nintendo DS, and it includes many features (several of which were first introduced in the bonus case in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney) that take advantage of the handheld's touch-screen capabilities. It also has a new protagonist: Apollo Justice. These changes, along with an excellent final case, freshen things up enough to make Apollo Justice worth investigating for diehard fans of the series, but if you found your interest waning in any of the previous games, you'll want to temper your expectations when it comes to how much has changed.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney focuses surprisingly enough on...Apollo Justice, an attorney with more than a passing resemblance to the series' previous star, Phoenix Wright. Apollo is young, has spiked hair, lacks confidence in court, and even has a young, quirky girl for a sidekick. In addition to Apollo, there are many new characters, some who are interesting, but few of whom are as endearing as the characters from the Phoenix Wright games. The good news for anyone suffering from nostalgia is that quite a few familiar faces make appearances throughout the game. The judge, Winston Payne, and a few other more notable people make their presence felt here. Returning characters are a blessing and a curse. On one hand, they're a nice way of tying the two story arcs together, but on the other hand, they serve to show how the new cast isn't quite as endearing as the old one.

There are four turnabouts (cases), all of which find you defending a client accused of murder. The first three cases are solid but aren't anything special. It's the last case that steals the show. It's interesting, it has a number of genuinely intriguing twists and turns, and it weaves a number of past cases together into one really compelling finale. The writing is as witty as ever (if not a bit more long-winded), and you'll notice various pop-culture references to U2, Harry Potter, Bon Jovi, and more. For the most part it's business as usual with regard to gameplay. You'll spend your time out of court investigating crime scenes, collecting evidence, and interviewing witnesses. The in-court proceedings are almost completely unchanged. You'll cross-examine witnesses and present evidence and profiles to support your position in hopes of getting the judge to hand down a "not guilty" verdict.

There's less ambiguity in Apollo Justice when it comes to presenting evidence, because the game automatically narrows down whether you need to show a character profile or a physical piece of evidence, but many of the series' flaws are still present. Witnesses repeatedly lie on the stand without any sort of punishment; the proceedings are strictly linear so there's no room for creative thinking; you'll still find yourself occasionally stuck while in the investigation portion of the game because you didn't show someone a particular object or look in some out-of-the-way corner; and the story moves along at a snail's pace, often forcing you to watch a flashback for an event that occurred just minutes before.

It's not all bad news, though. The developer has finally added some new forensic investigation mechanics that take advantage of the touch screen. Many of these were found in the last case of the first game, which was created specifically for the DS, but they've been MIA ever since. The new features will let you inspect and rotate items in 3D, dust for fingerprints, spray evidence to find traces of certain liquids, make plaster casts out of footprints, and even isolate music tracks with a mixing board. Many of the new mechanics are really neat, and they do help break up the monotony of investigating, but they're used too infrequently to have much of an impact. Like Phoenix, Apollo has the power to sense when someone's lying, though his ability is used only in court. Thanks to Apollo's magic bracelet, you can perceive when a witness is hiding something by zooming in on the witness and looking for a twitch or other slight movement. Unfortunately, perceiving when someone's lying involves some guesswork and a lot of tedious trial and error when you're hearing the same testimony over and over looking for a tiny, almost imperceptible movement.

Another benefit of having the game designed specifically for the DS is the improved presentation. There are a few nice-looking full-motion video sequences, character sprites are larger and more detailed, and the courtroom, lobby, and detention center have finally been redrawn. None of these improvements drastically enhance the way the game plays, but when you're genuinely excited that there's a new piece of artwork in the defendant's lobby, you know it was time for a change. Apollo Justice's music isn't quite as catchy as the music in previous games (admittedly the bar has been set pretty high), but it's still enjoyable and fits each character well.

If you've played and loved all of the previous Ace Attorney games, you'll be able to once again look past the series' inherent flaws and will love what Apollo Justice has to offer. If you're someone who feels that the franchise is in need of an overhaul, you'll likely be disappointed at how little things have changed. Problems and all, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is a good game that's worth playing.

Pros/Cons

Pros
- New forensic investigation abilities add much-needed variety
- Improved visual presentation
- Last case is quite interesting and provides a good payoff

Cons
- Flaws such as slow pacing and linear, trial-and-error gameplay are still here
- Forensic investigation tools are underused
- New characters aren't as charming and interesting as the old ones.

Summary
Trials and Tribulations is yet another enjoyable Phoenix Wright game--just don't expect anything new.

Review

The Phoenix Wright series has been an unlikely success story in North America. The games have been able to overcome slow pacing, as well as lack of innovation, thanks to likeable characters, engaging storylines, and great music. The same holds true for the third game in the series Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations. It does absolutely nothing new with the established formula, but fans of the series will be just fine with that because it has all the gameplay and characters they've come to expect from a Phoenix Wright game.

Like the previous Phoenix Wright games, Trials and Tribulations places you in the role of a young attorney named Phoenix Wright. But this time, you'll play as a few different people, not just Mr. Wright. A few of the game's five cases take place several years before the present day, so you'll get to see an awkward college-aged Phoenix find out about his deceased mentor Mia Fey's past and catch up with a few old friends. Returning characters are both a strength and a weakness for the game. Certain people like Maya or the adorable Pearl are always so dynamic and likeable that they add to the experience, even if their situations change little from game to game. But with other characters, it feels like the developer just got lazy. There's a character from the last game that's on trial again for murder and Larry Butz is still a moron that appears in just about every case. That's not to say there aren't any new characters; it's just that with the exception of Prosecutor Godot and young Ms. Hawthorne, many of them aren't very well developed or are downright annoying.

Like the first two Phoenix Wright games, the writing in Trials and Tribulations is top-notch. The dialogue is well written and natural with humorous pop culture references sprinkled in by writers who have a knack for keeping things from getting too serious. Not many games can get away with nods to Alanis Morissette, Bob Marley, The Rock, and even Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in the middle of a murder investigation.

Even though Phoenix Wright is a defense lawyer, you'll spend much of your time out in the field talking to witnesses, examining crime scenes for clues, and then presenting those clues to witnesses to learn more about the case. But not everyone wants to cooperate. Some people have deep, dark secrets that they don't want to share. These secrets are protected by psyche-locks, which can only be broken when you've accumulated enough evidence. They were an interesting way of mixing up the gameplay in the last game, but they don't feel as fresh the second time around.

Courtroom proceedings are unchanged as well. Witnesses will testify, and the defense must find contradictions in their testimonies. This can be done by pressing for more information during cross-examination. When a contradiction is found, you can yell "objection!" into the DS, or if you don't feel like making a spectacle of yourself in public, you can just tap the screen and then present evidence or character profiles that back up your objection. You'll want to be sure that you have some evidence when you object or the judge will penalize you for your mistake. If you make too many mistakes, you'll be doing a large part of the case over, but you can avoid this by saving often and reloading your save file when you mess up. The ability to save then restart at any time is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it renders the penalty system completely pointless, but on the other hand, it makes the game less frustrating because once again there are times where you just don't know what evidence to present. Thus, the only way to figure it out is through trial and error.

It's the developer's unwillingness to change this established formula that holds the third game back a bit. You'll still have times where you can't advance the story because you failed to present some random object to some random person. None of the DS-specific features, such as the cool 3D evidence or fingerprint identification introduced in the bonus case in the first game, were added to this one. This is a shame because there were certainly plenty of times where it would have fit in nicely. But none of these problems ruin the game because it's still long and enjoyable.

And it's a nice looking one too. The animation and artwork of the returning characters have been recycled to the point that even Al Gore thinks Capcom got carried away, but they still look good, as do the new characters. Even with just a few frames of animation, the game can instantly convey a person's mood. The new backgrounds are also nicely done, fitting right in with all the backgrounds and areas that are back for a third time. Seriously, isn't the guard in the detention center tired of standing at that door?!

The music in Trials and Tribulations is fantastic. This is one area where Capcom's incessant recycling of assets doesn't hurt the game--each person's theme song fits him or her to a T. Just a few bars into Maya's happy-go-lucky theme and you'll know just what kind of person she is in the game. Equally fitting is the intense music that plays when the stakes are highest at crucial points of the trial.

With the next game in the series set to focus on a whole new cast of characters, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations brings this three-game story arc to a satisfying conclusion. It's just a shame that Capcom didn't do more to spice up a formula that feels a tad bit stale here. If you've played and loved the first two Phoenix Wright games--flaws and all--you'll be plenty happy with Trials and Tribulations. It's a good game. Case Closed.

Pros/Cons

Pros
- Music is, once again, outstanding
- Great characters have a lot of depth to them
- Most of the cases are quite interesting.

Cons
- Absolutely no new gameplay mechanics
- It gets tiring to see the same people involved in similar crimes from previous games
- Most of the artwork is recycled from the other two games.

Summary

Justice for All is a good, lengthy adventure with great character-driven storylines, but it fails to build upon the promising groundwork laid by the first game.

Review

Though it only made its first appearance in North America last year, Phoenix Wright (or Gyakuten Saiban) has been a popular series for the Game Boy Advance in Japan for quite some time. The first game released outside of Japan, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney had all four of the cases found on the Japanese GBA game plus a Nintendo DS-exclusive case that made more extensive use of the handheld's touch screen and improved graphical capabilities. Thanks to an engrossing story, endearing characters, and engaging gameplay, the game was a surprise hit. Now the second game, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All, has been released, and like its predecessor, the story is top-notch and the characters are great. But the game fails to live up to the original in several ways. None of the cool DS-exclusive features introduced in the final case of the previous game are here, and far too often the game attempts to create intrigue and suspense with the same types of twists and turns from the original. Justice for All is still a very good game, but it's hard not to feel as if it's a step backward for the series.

Justice for All is a story-driven adventure in which, once again, you play the role of Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney renowned for his belief in his clients' innocence, as well as his ability to translate that belief into a verdict of "not guilty." And, once again, you'll be exclusively defending people accused of murder. After you're presented with the facts and take the case, it's up to you to visit different locations to look for clues and interview witnesses. When you've gathered all the information you can find, it's off to court, where you'll have to pull out all the stops to prove your client innocent. As they were in the first game, the cases are fascinating; there's rarely a dull moment. In fact, the pacing is slightly better here. Over the course of the game's four cases, you'll defend a policewoman accused of killing another officer; help an old friend who's in a tight spot; get to the bottom of a murder in which the perpetrator levitated from the crime scene; and even question your own moral fiber in the harrowing final case.

What made the first game great, and what's without a doubt this game's biggest strength, is the characters, many of whom return from the first game. It really does feel as if you're catching up with old friends the first time you see Maya and Mia Fey, the Judge, Detective Gumshoe, Lotta Hart, Will Powers, and even crusty Ms. Oldbag. You'll also find out what Miles Edgeworth has been doing, and you'll even take on Von Karma in court. You certainly get more from this game if you played the first one, but the game generally does a decent job of providing enough backstory that you'll understand what's going on with the returning characters. But it's not all about the returning folks; many of the new people you meet along the way prove to be just as endearing as those from the first game. There are the zany performers from the Berry Big Circus, the "director" nut job at the Hotti Clinic, and little Pearl, who is about as cute and adorable as a video game character can get.

As you did in the first game, you use the touch screen to examine profiles, view evidence, press witnesses for more information, and, of course, raise objections so that you may present evidence. You can really get into character by yelling "Objection!" into the DS's microphone. However, you can't object anytime you want to; you need to be prepared to back up your statement. You lose health when you're unable to substantiate a claim, and when you run out of health you'll have to start from the last save point. The big new feature in Justice for All is the "psyche-lock," where you'll literally see chains and locks appear over a person when they have a secret that they don't want to share. To break these locks and reveal the truth you'll need to collect evidence and then confront them with said evidence until they break down and spill the beans. The psyche-locks are an interesting addition to the mix, but as the sole "big" new feature, they're underwhelming.

Quite a few issues have carried over from the first game. First, the game is extremely linear. There aren't many wrong paths you can take, and there's only one possible ending and culprit for each case (with one minor exception). You always know that if you screw up, the game will give you another chance--or you can simply load your previous save. When you're in court trying to prove a point, the connection between a question and a person or item is occasionally so incredibly vague, you'll often have to resort to guessing as to what response is appropriate. Should you guess wrong, you can take your punishment from the judge and try to play fair, but that could involve starting the same case over multiple times, so it's easier to save and restart often. It would also be nice to deal with crimes other than murder and for some of the cases to perhaps be a little shorter. You can finish the first one in an hour or two, but the last case will probably run you about eight hours. Long, memorable cases are all well and good, but these cases are drawn out the same way, time after time. Witnesses will repeatedly lie while on the stand yet never have their testimony stricken from the record, prosecutors manhandle the judge when things aren't going their way, and really, is anyone falling for the false finishes where the Judge says, "Well, I think I've seen enough to render a verdict," 10 minutes into a case?

Justice for All may be text driven, but that doesn't mean the visuals aren't important. The character designs are outstanding, and the game uses a bright, colorful palette to make them attractive. Characters will move their mouths as they talk and are generally stationary, though each person has a host of animations that allow them to react (mostly) realistically to what's happening. The people you encounter will react with rage when accused of something, cry or show fear when things are looking grim, and celebrate when the case is over. Unfortunately, it feels as if the developer cut some corners on the presentation this time around. Many returning characters have the exact same animation that they did in the first game--they're even wearing the same clothes. Many of the locations from the original game are recycled and are completely unchanged, too. The courtroom is the same, as is the detention center, Phoenix's office, and a few other locations.

Other than hollering "Hold it!" and "Objection!," there's no speech to be found, which is OK because despite a handful of errors, the localization of the text is outstanding. It's impressive that Capcom was able to translate such a text-heavy game so smoothly and even toss in nuggets from Top Gun, Finding Forrester, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. There's hardly any speech, but there sure is plenty of music, which is uniformly outstanding and used masterfully to not only convey characters' personalities, but also to create suspense, sorrow, and excitement throughout the story. You'll hear a few familiar themes from the original, but most of the music is new.

Justice for All is an entertaining, lengthy adventure with great storylines and memorable characters, but in the end, it's a bit disappointing when you consider how fantastic the original was. The cool DS-exclusive features introduced at the tail end of the first game are missing, the plot twists are often predictable, and the game is still extremely linear. Fans of the original game will certainly enjoy the sequel, but even they will probably feel somewhat let down. If you've never played a Phoenix Wright game before, the first game is clearly the better of the two, so you'll want to start there before picking up Justice for All.

Pros/Cons

Pros
- Wonderful characters
- Cases and storylines are very interesting, especially the last one
- Music is fantastic
- Gameplay is very satisfying when you get on a roll during a court case.

Cons
- Not only does it not have any new touch-screen features, it's missing several from the first game
- Game is very linear and relies too heavily on finding or doing one small thing to trigger the next event
- Plays almost exactly the same as the previous game.

Summary

(Known in Japan as "Gyakuten Saiban") Not everyone is innocent until proven guilty! Players star as a defense attorney, who must prove his seemingly guilty client’s innocence no matter how dire the circumstances may seem. The game presents twisting storylines and intriguing gameplay in a comical anime style. Players must collect evidence, weed through inconsistent testimonies, and overcome corrupt agendas to ensure that justice prevails.

Review

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney revitalizes both the adventure genre and the Nintendo DS touch-screen functionality by combining an enthralling story with interesting characters, in addition to providing a unique way of interacting with them, case evidence, and the game's scenery. Though the game is heavily text-driven and there's little replayability, it's a bright, rich, and lengthy adventure that could hardly have been improved upon otherwise. If you're interested in a clever, well-presented murder-mystery adventure game, then you'd be hard-pressed to find anything that suits your needs better than Phoenix Wright.

The game has you controlling Phoenix Wright, a lawyer fresh off the bar who is, initially, more than a little nervous. The first case you take on, a murder trial in defense of Phoenix's dopey best friend, Larry Butz, serves as a tutorial in which law firm chief Mia Fey guides you through the ins and outs of courtroom procedure. Each of the game's five cases begins in the same way, as you're treated to a brief cinematic that shows the events of the murder, during which you'll usually get to view the killer. In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, discovering the killer is not the surprise; instead, it's the way in which you bring him or her to justice. The events surrounding the murder always end up leading to the false accusations of innocent witnesses, and as a defense attorney, it's Phoenix's job to get a verdict of "not guilty," despite the lying witnesses, shady prosecutors, and a judge who sometimes forgets the letter of the law.

The majority of the visuals appear on the top screen. Though the game has little in the way of cutscenes, the story is told through a sequence of still shots and through the different exaggerated animations of the characters. There are small details in every given scene that help to give it life, such as moving mouths and other body parts, but for the majority of the game you're working from frame to frame. This is so well presented that you'll hardly notice the gameplay is barely animated. For most of the gameplay, the lower screen is used to forward the text. You can simply tap it at the end of each line to get to the next one. However, during many sequences you must use the touch screen to accomplish something else, whether it's selecting an answer from multiple choices, navigating through a tree of menus, or, most compellingly, pinpointing locations and evidence. The use of the touch screen in this game is perfectly executed, and the only problem with it is that it leaves you wanting to do more.

Each trial begins with witness testimony, and your objective is to find flaws in it, which, since the judge follows a "guilty until proven innocent" mantra, is the only way to get the defendant off the hook. After the witnesses give their testimonies, the cross-examination begins. During the cross-examination, you're free to scroll through witness testimony line by line to better dissect it. There are two ways to reveal problems with testimony. The first is by "pressing" the witness on particular statements. You can do this silently on the touch screen or audibly by shouting "Hold it!" into the DS microphone. Though you can use the microphone in several different ways--and it certainly is satisfying--there's never a requirement to use it.

The second method of procuring information from witnesses is to find a contradiction between testimony and a piece of evidence held in the court record. Throughout the game and trial, you'll acquire different pieces of evidence necessary for winning cases. You'll never need to decide whether something is important or not, because the game will do that automatically. So there's never any chance of you coming to trial unprepared. Within the court record, there's a brief description and a picture of the item. The description almost always clues you in to the facts surrounding the object's importance, whether it reveals a detail about timing, location, or the method in which the object was used. Once you've scrolled to the line in the testimony where the contradiction lies, you can select the evidence proving the contrary, and you can, again, either object silently or vocally into the microphone. To prevent you from objecting to every statement with every piece of evidence, there's a meter that consists of five exclamation points. When you wrongfully object, the judge will penalize you once. Get all five wrong and you lose the case and must start over. Although, admittedly, this is difficult to do if you simply pay attention to the events of the case--and use a little common sense.

The two methods of procuring information will be your primary tools for breaking down the witnesses and getting them to recant their testimonies. Generally, the witnesses will revise their testimonies a few times before you can push them to confession. The judge, although disdainful of many of the activities that go on in the courtroom (particularly when you falsely object), seems to put up with the witnesses' many cover-ups, which might be frustrating if you try to take the law in Phoenix Wright seriously. In fact, you might as well suspend your disbelief about the whole procedure, since, although it feels fairly close to reality, many things go on during the proceedings that would probably horrify actual members of the legal system. Though slightly agitating, it works well within the context of the story, and you'll just feel compelled to work that much harder for the underdog: Phoenix Wright.

The events of the game are not limited to just courtroom drama, as you'll take your investigation to the scenes of crimes, interviewing witnesses on their home turf and interacting with the defendants and police officers down at the precinct. For each trial other than the first one, you'll begin with the news of the murder and the subsequent arrest. Then you'll meet up with the defendant to take on the case, and after that you'll get the opportunity to explore the scene of the crime. This part of the procedure is critical for procuring evidence and for getting testimonies you'll have to uncover in the courtroom. This gives the game a whole Law and Order vibe, as you play the role of both the detective and the lawyer for each case.

At many points during the game, you'll be given the opportunity to choose between multiple options, whether it's to direct a line of questioning a certain way or to reveal new information. Though you'll have a genuine desire to get the correct answer (probably because of the rich reactions of the characters), all choices inevitably lead to the same result. So if you pick "Give up" as opposed to "Press harder," your legal partner will stop you and say "Oh come on, you can't give up now!" This forces you to object anyway. This makes the gameplay really safe, and if you remember that it's almost impossible to lose the game, you might not be compelled to think out the reasoning fully. Instead, you may guess for a heavy portion of the game. What makes the gameplay significant, though, and what will ultimately drive you to want to come up with the correct answer is the way in which the characters interact with one another...and with the pitiful but adorable Phoenix Wright. It's almost impossible not to find him endearing, and the numerous ways in which other people in the courtroom--including the judge, the prosecuting attorney, and even the witnesses--pick on him will have you searching to come up with any way to get him an edge.

The presentation of the game is really quite unique and outstanding. The graphics are simple but work very well to reveal the personality and mood of the characters. Though they're not taken from an existing anime, they're cohesive enough that you would think this entirely probable. Each one is over-the-top, from the naive Phoenix and the severe but gullible judge, to the sexy, evil, and quirky characters you get on the witness stand.

Very much like any evening drama or soap opera, you'll revisit the same characters in multiple trials, and you'll learn more about them and their relationship to Phoenix as the game progresses. You'll get as much information about the characters in their appearances as you do from what they say to you, as everything is revealed in their mannerisms and in their reactions to the events of the case. And although it's almost always clear what Phoenix is thinking, since he generally grimaces about some new piece of evidence or the action of the other attorney, he frequently makes asides that reveal how he really feels about a person or something that's just happened. Of course, the music and sound effects do an excellent job of keeping you clued in to the drama as well. When things get particularly hectic for Phoenix, the music speeds up appropriately. It gets dour when times are tough, and a tuneful reveal plays when something noteworthy is discovered. There's an aspect of the game's atmosphere, most noticeable within the sound effects, that makes Phoenix Wright almost feel like a fighting game. The cross-examination graphic shows the two attorneys going head-to-head, and the sound of unsheathing swords plays during moments of conflict. It's this facet of the presentation that makes the game feel really unique and much more compelling than your average adventure game, and it gives you the incentive to really want to win each case.

Phoenix Wright is a unique game that capitalizes on the DS touch screen and its microphone functionality wonderfully. Depending on your murder-mystery skills, you might find the occasional puzzle too difficult, or you might find the occasional puzzle offers you too much help. But despite being a little linear at times, it's completely satisfying. You'll get a kick out of uncovering clues, revealing different aspects of the characters' personalities, and ultimately solving each case. If Phoenix Wright starts any kind of trend, those fearing the demise of the adventure genre need not worry any longer. Adventure games are back and are hipper than ever. And they have Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney to thank for it.

Pros/Cons

Pros
- Unique and colorful game
- Excellent presentation
- Flawless sound effects
- Great use of the DS microphone and touch screen
- Fun adventure elements.

Cons
- Sometimes a bit linear
- Legal inaccuracies occasionally frustrating.

Summary
Momonari Junta is your average high schooler, with your average student desires. Except he has one little problem: whenever he sees too much of a woman, he vomits. No, seriously, he *vomits*. It doesn't help that he's trying to find a girlfriend, especially one that can cure him of his disease. Then one sunny afternoon, he happens to meet a strange girl who seems to have the answer, but instead, inflicts another curse that seems to be a blessing...the power of the Mega-Playboy. (We kid you not.)

Review

This is comedy anime at its best. First of all, the fact that he has to gaze at female flesh to trigger his curse makes fan service actually necessary! And the funniest part about it is that is happens at the worst possible times for hapless Junta. Not to mention the really neat emotional sequences which trigger his Mega-Playboy effect (which never seems to last long enough for him to fully end up with a girlfriend). Telling too much more would spoil it for you, but trust me, it's a rush.

The art and animation quality is very attractive, and Katsura Masakazu's character designs, also seen in Video Girl Ai, are stunning and lively, as well as being very distinctive. The storyline is well-paced and told, except for the very end, which throws in two spur-of-the-moment characters you don't get to see much of and that you don't get to see developed nearly as much as the others. As far as the characters we do get to meet, they are realistic, sympathetic, and likable. You can't help but feel sorry for Junta, a fundamentally nice guy trapped between two extremely opposing curses, neither of which is truly his fault. Karin, as well, is a fun character, even when she's chanting the mantra of her life-long dream each episode ("I want to find a nice husband, to live in our sweet, sweet home, with my cute pet, and my lovely backyard...it's a dream worth living for.") And Ami is that female best friend who you really want Junta to notice as something more than just a friend. As to which girl Junta gets, we can't tell you, of course, but this anime will keep you guessing.

The music is perfect for the tone of the scenes in the anime, and the opening theme song is bound to get stuck in your head sometime while you watch this series. Unfortunately, the series is just too short, and feels rushed toward the last four or five episodes, as if they had to wrap it up quickly. That's a shame, for I would've loved to see this as a full season at least. There's more than enough plot to go around for twice the length it actually had. But what we do have is a very fun and worthwhile anime that I hope you all get to see. Maybe we ought to chant an anime mantra like Karin does... ("That sweet, sweet anime DNA²...")

Reviewed by KL-Chan.

Now that it looks like that the final episode is going to be a DVD-only episode, I decided that I didn’t want to wait for such a long time just to close off this series. After all, it’s not like a bloody ending is going to save this series and heck, we all know what’s going to happen anyway. Shows like Red Garden and Zombie-Loan who also have a few DVD-only episodes have shown me that by the time they’re finished, my memory will have become too fuzzy to write a good review of it. I may edit this post after watching the final episode, but for now I just want to get over with this series.

Okay, let’s get started with this train-wreck now, shall we? School Days is another one of those hentai-game adaptations, but it’s a special one: the original game became notorious for a few of its rather bloody endings. Because of this, it’s become a fan favourite: you can’t go to any on-line anime-community where you won’t find tons of fans rambling about various death treats towards the main character. In the end though, this series became an utter failure.

Let’s start with about the only good point of this series: the male main character, Makoto. I know it’s ironic, but this guy actually finally deviates from some of the clichés that plague all of his colleagues, and most important of all: he’s realistic. It’s a sad thing, but in real life there are tons of idiots who just date girls without caring about any of them. You’ll love to hate this guy, and the things he does to all the poor girls in the series.

I wish I could say the same about the female characters though. The story is just so incredibly fixated on that bloody ending that it turns every single female character into a plot-device to get toward that ending. Actions are forced, characters conveniently run into each other, and most of them are a tad too often in too much angst, preventing them to connect with the viewers.

Still, at the halfway point, I would have actually considered School Days decent enough. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but the love-triangle that develops was interesting enough to make me keep watching. And then, as the series draws to its end, everything falls apart with some of the most forced and blatantly obvious plot twists I’ve ever seen. I won’t mention them for the sake of spoilers, but you should be able to guess their nature, with School Days being a hentai-game adaptation and all.

And then the setting! Seriously, it nearly looks like Makoto is in a school with only TWO GUYS in it. There is another guy (the so-called “rival” that you see in nearly every hentai-game adaptation) but he’s just good for one minor plot-twist and he just disappears afterwards without leaving any trace.

Seriously, if you were planning to watch this one: don’t. The scriptwriting and plot twists are just too forced and artificial to really form a connection, not to mention that 75% of all the scenes are incredibly annoying to watch, due to the characters being teenagers and all. While I admit that it could have been good, the scriptwriters just ruined it completely.

Summary

The 15-year old Akizuki Yamato has gone to Tokyo alone to go to high school, looking to turn over a new leaf. He lays eyes on a beautiful girl in school who happens to be next door. Cue all the love cliches and Girls BRAVO-esque romance.

Review

Suzuka is an example of an absolute loss of good pastels. By this, I mean that those good colors that could shine up a nice anime in the future got thrown away in this bonfire of unnecessity.

This anime has what can be called the mother of all plotholes. The only apparent things you can get from the show is that the main character loves the best athlete in the school and that they fall in love. Plot advancement? What in the world does that mean? Not one sign of careful planning pops up in this thing as the plot ends up like pyrite: you hit it with a hammer and it separates into pieces going out every other way. If you can piece together anything in this, pat yourself on the back because you did better than me.

Artwork? This anime is like an explosion of wrong. They seem to oversize things that never really needed it (i.e. the sailor fuku collars, as they call them) and didn't understand much else in the way of artwork. Except for the scenes with...fanservice. Just for that, and as a thank you gift for watching, you get your eyes speared out by the ending video, which took the Windows type "256-Color" format WAAAAYYY too seriously. It's like you're staring into a lavalamp or one of those spinning, multi-color disco wheels. A better video could have been drawn (like the opening) that didn't scream at your eyes, but we aren't THAT lucky. If you want to see the ending video, get a pair of sunglasses because you will need them.

The music isn't all that bad and may be the only thing I really like about this anime. The composers put enough material into their work and allowed the singers to take over, creating masterpieces. The sad part was that it had to be THIS anime to get the soundtrack. If you turn down the TV's brightness control so the screen is completely black, you'll love the show. I wish I were kidding.

We also "lucked out" when we got the characters, who are mostly adapted from other characters. The main male lead, Yamato, laughs and acts like Final Fantasy X's Tidus (not a good sign except for those who really liked him). Whenever he isn't taking the form of Tidus, he's the spending man who spends for his girlfriend. Shizuka (the main female lead, as far as the show clued into it) is ALMOST like Kirie from Girls BRAVO, what with the arguments and the yelling and talking down to Yamato, but unlike Kirie, snaps out of it just after you lose all caring for this series.
Everyone else is not as cliche and some even act so cool that THEY should be the lead characters. The voices are nothing really out-of-the-ordinary, but sound rather dull and as if the actors were tired to a certain degree.

Animation quality must have been thought of a bit here, considering that I wasn't really disappointed by it, but it still couldn't make up for the rest of the sewage this anime throws your way. The movement is smooth and clear while the environment reacts nicely.

The really bad part of this anime is that it must have been made with one intention...putting all objects in the Phallic Ultraverse in here. Umbrellas look suspicious. Objects supposed to be innocent stir up controversy. Everything doesn't fit right.

If anime is judged by the amount of cheese and nothing else, then BONJOUR! WELCOME TO FRANCE!

Summary

Miyanaga Saki is a first year high school girl whose family would get angry if she won the family mahjong games. But losing would also have its consequences. Because of this she develops a new way of playing that allows her to stay on the thin line between winning and losing, the +/- zero score, an almost impossible score. In a game that relies mainly on luck, the +/- zero score is harder than winning, but Saki can achieve this every time. Having always hated the game, her friend from middle school, Suga Kyotoro, forces her to play in the schools mahjong club. Her developed skill and superhuman luck has made her a worthy mahjong opponent, even to the middle schools national mahjong champion.

Review

I don’t get it, if Kyoani is supposed to be inherently prone to bringing out masterpieces and Gonzo is supposed to be inherently prone to bringing out utter failures, then why is Saki’s opening episode so much more enjoyable than K-On’s opening episode? Granted they both leave a lot to be desired in terms of character development in their openers, as K-On opens cold with little character development and a girl joining a light music club full of other girls, and Saki opens cold with little character development and a girl joing a mahjong club primarily full of other girls, but it seems like Saki hits upon it’s actual premise in Mahjong far more than K-On hits upon it’s premise in light music.

Both series feature clear and present moe appeal in their characters. Saki has the calm and reserved Saki who wishes not to offend in her deserve to score a net zero at the end of every game, The hyperactive Yuuki who for some reason gets better at her mahjong game as she consumes tacos (don’t ask me), Nodoka who is the protypical oujo-sama character that is the alpha female and dominant player in her Mahjong club, and Hisa who is the observational president of the club. Likewise K-On has Yui who is the ditzy new member of the club, Mio the tsunderish wise cracker on Guitar, Ritsu the hyperactive girl on drums, and Tsumugi the cutesy yet reserved keyboard player. Saki=Yui, Mio=Nodoka, Ritsu=Yuuki, Mio=Hisa if you want to make some really rough comparsions.

And yet still despite the superficial similarities and comparisons, despite the fact that K-On wins flat out in terms of animation compared to Saki, I still find myself more interested in Saki. Is it because I have experience with Mahjong unlike some other reviewers (who were also either bothered by the light fanservice elements, or just plain seem to dislike Gonzo for past shortcomings), when looking at this and because I am not terribly concerned or obsessed with knocking said series down because of some light fanservice moments or for being a game played by ” old loogie-hocking Chinese ladies” (love that line by Jaalin for some reason despite the fact that it doesn’t make any sense to me)? Is it because Saki get’s right into the whole Mahjong affair while K-On lingers until the very end of the episode? I’m not quite sure what is is specifically, but it’s probably a combination of the above and the fact that I find the Mahjong fair presented to me in Saki’s opener fair more sophisticated and to my tastes (Yes by the gods despite the fanservice that is really barely noticeable unless you are looking to it and despite the fact that it’s the much maligned Gonzo and not the much beloved Kyoani producing it like is the case with K-On) then K-Ons light music which barely got approached in the first episode.

Granted if K-On’s pace can be described as too slow Saki’s pace can be described as much too fast, and it is certainly not to Mahjong noob friendly, even with the translator notes. At the end of the day K-On is the much more readibly approachable series in it’s simplicity compared to Saki, but since I get Mahjong and since I am not overly concerned with fanservice (Oh noes not wet clothing when it’s raining, I have been traumatized for life!), and since the characters in Saki are equally as charming (in a moetastic sense) as those in K-On, at the end of the day, because of that added focus on the actual premise of the series in the opener, Saki squeaks out my nod on the 4-Girl moe comedy opening episode of the season.

Conclusions:

+ Makes good use of moe appeal to bring out the concept of Mahjong to a new generation of anime viewers

- Doesn’t do much to make the game any more comprehensible to scrub players.

+ Excellent cast of Vet Seiyuu’s including Ami Koshimizu, Jun Fukuyama and Rie Kugimiya, Ryoko Shirashai and Kana Ueda at their best.

- Leaves much to be desired in the area of animation.

+/- A lot more sophisticated then your average anime out there when it comes to the premise, but if you are extremely irked by elements of light fanservice such as wet clothing/tight fitting clothing then you might be turned off.

Summary

Young-joon and So-yeo are a young couple with their marriage relatively stable. On a day their mutual friend opens a wine bar, they come across Min-jae and Yu-na, a couple quite the opposite of themselves. After a trade of talks, Young-joon becomes a client of fashion consultant Yu-na, while hotelier Min-jae agrees to help So-yeo book a hotel for her Hong Kong business trip. So-yeo meets Min-jae by chance in Hong Kong, while Young-joon trades suggestive remarks with Yu-na who visits him on a consulting session. That night, the four of them find in the other partner what had been missing in their respective marriages…

Review

Modern relationships come under scrutiny again in Korean director Jung Yoon Soo’s “Love Now” (also known by the equally appropriate title “Changing Partners”), a romantic comedy which revolves around life, love and infidelity. Boasting a top cast and promising a realistic look at the problems faced by people who have perhaps married unwisely, the film attempts to tell a bittersweet though amusing tale based around the fact that for many people, following their heart may not always be the easiest thing to do.

The set up is pretty familiar, following two married couples: rich lighting designer So Yeo (Han Chae Young, recently in “Wild Card”) and her workaholic husband Young Joon (Lee Dong Gun, also in the comedy “My Boyfriend Is Type B”), and loudmouth fashion designer Yoo Na (Uhm Jung Hwa, from the similarly themed “Seducing Mr Perfect”) and her laidback man Min Jae (Park Yong Woo, “World of Silence”). The two cross paths when Yoo Na is hired as a fashion consultant for Young Joon, and when So Yeo and Min Jae hook up during a chance meeting in Hong Kong. Sparks fly and the two naughty couples are soon flirting their way to a game of musical partners through such romantic activities as a drunken boxing match in a bar and a dreamlike barefoot run though the softly lit back streets of Hong Kong (always a lovely idea). Needless to say, complications ensue as the two affairs threaten to turn all of their lives upside down, with the question looming large as to who everyone will end up with by the time the credits roll.

Although “Love Now” is a film which styles itself as having something to say about modern relationships, it never tries to explore the subject in the same depth as for example Yoo Ha’s thought provoking “Marriage is a Crazy Thing”. To be fair, this isn’t too much of a criticism, and as a contemporary romantic comedy the film ticks all the right boxes and certainly does have more substance than many of its peers, although it would have benefited from a little more fleshing out of its characters. As things stand, the four are a fairly obvious bunch, painted in very broad strokes, with Jung content to rely on the odd subplot to provide insight, such as a suspiciously superfluous and underdeveloped blackmail thread involving Yoo Na’s unseen sister which only crops up as a rather obvious device for Young Joon to show his sensitive side and manliness at the same time. Still, for the genre, the film works well enough, mainly since the characters are all pretty likeable, and the viewer does get drawn into the plot, even if the ending is clearly signposted from the first frame.

It has to be said that the film would be a lot more romantic if it weren’t for the fact that all concerned are already married, and as such it breezes by with a casual lack of morals, even more so due to the fact that director Jung shows the two extra martial affairs developing in tandem, ensuring minimal feelings of viewer guilt. Similarly, the film only really tells one side of the story, focusing almost entirely on the excitement of new romance and never going into detail about the problems with the characters’ existing marriages. Whilst there is something to be said for encouraging people to follow their heart rather than languishing in loveless relationships, this does diffuse some of the potential dramatic tension, as the characters’ approaching indiscretions are blame free and never in any doubt. Indeed, the film gets more interesting after the first bouts of hanky panky, as the viewer waits to see just how long it will take them all to catch on to their respective spouse’s cheating ways. Entertainingly, this turns out to be very long indeed, despite the fact that their adultery is anything but subtle, involving constant text messaging, midnight phone calls, long, lingering glances, and inappropriate bathroom incidents.

“Love Now” is pretty frank for this kind of film, with a fair bit of sex and nudity, though Jung gives things a polished, glossy look and never lets the drama get too sleazy. This definitely gives the film a boost in terms of believability, and the tastefully shot scenes of coupling do add a certain air of realism and maturity. Probably its biggest flaw is that although well constructed, at nearly two hours the film is a little on the long side, and the middle section in particular tends to drag in places. However, Jung does manage to keep things moving along at a bright and breezy pace for the most part, and wisely injects a good amount of light-hearted humour into the proceedings. Although this prevents things from getting gloomy or too melodramatic, for which he certainly deserves praise, the increasingly contrived situations could perhaps have done with a little more in the way of laughs, especially the rather farcical denouement.

Even without this, “Love Now” is perfectly enjoyable, and is one of the better romantic comedies to have come from Korea over the last couple of years. Although it does represent to some extent a bit of a missed opportunity for more a more searching examination of modern morality, it certainly provides all that the genre fan could ask for and makes for enjoyable viewing.

Summary

Kyon is a high-school freshman who has absolved himself of his fantasys about aliens, time travelers and espers. Unfortunately, he becomes involved with the Haruhi Suzumiya, a hyper-moody girl who believes in said phenomena and creates a club dedicated to finding them. The resulting "SOS Brigade" expands to include the robotic Yuki, the demure "mascot" Mikuru, and the unnaturally cheerful Itsuki.

In reality, all three are observing Haruhi for the benefit of aliens, time travelers and espers respectfully, believing that Haruhi has the ability to alter reality. Haruhi is unaware of her powers, and as Kyon gets wrapped up in the uncanny her unremarkable life feeds her depression. Does the universe really revolve around Haruhi, and can Kyon prevent it from falling apart?

The series is divided into two parts. One is an adaptation of the first novel that introduces the characters and setting, though the long bouts of exposition makes it hard to re-watch. The other episodes are a series of one shots that take the cast through student movies, murder mysteries and clashes with the Computer Club.

Review

At first Haruhi Suzumiya looks like another wacky anime that uses its characters to push bunny-girl-themed merchandise, but the characters are more than cliches. Kyon serves as a narrator of the series, remarking on events with deadpan humor. His constant commentary also sets up some gags too, such as how the other characters seem to hear and respond to his asides.

Haruhi drives the series with her force-of-nature personality. In a sense she's a wish-fulfillment character since she does anything she wants with little repercussion. However, there is a disconnect between her actions and her feelings and between who she is and what she thinks she is, which makes her compelling. The other SOS Brigade members get by on their quirks and how Haruhi and Kyon react to them, and outside the club the supporting cast ranges from perplexed bystanders to an adorable psychopath.

While the supernatural elements are understated, the series goes to great lengths to explain them. The exposition can get long-winded the ways the Brigade members use their abilities, particularly Yuki's ability to screw with physics, are very clever.

Aside from a few action scenes though, the series' main focus is humor, which relies on character relationships and pop-culture references. Some of the jokes might not hit due to cultural differences, but they're usually explainable in context.

Fanservice also pops up at least once an episode. Scenes where the girls go out of their way to wear fetish outfits and leery camera angles only happen for a few moments and don't show anything explicit, but they appear to the point that people who don’t think big-eyed girls are attractive can get turned off. The fanservice isn't completely off-topic though: Haruhi's objectification of Mikuru is a parody of this exploitation and Kyon himself is ashamed of yet attracted to it - he is a teenager after all.

Pros/Cons

Pros
•Clever mixing of genres, cliches and stereotypes, reconstructing them into an interesting story.
•Wonderful narration, really reflecting the way that a cynical teenager thinks.
•Great development that takes characters that looked uninteresting to complex beings.
•Gorgeous animation and great use of color in the anime.
•Full of mathematical, philosophical and psychological references.

Pros/Cons
•Illustrations on the books vary between great and mediocre
•Humor will be great for some people, meh for other and offensive for others.
•Music can be either very annoying or great for dancing, depending on your tastes.

Cons
•Misaimed Fandom
•Haruhi and Mikuru can be very offensive or annoying, especially pre-Character Development.
•Over-Hype, be careful of opinions and recommendations.
•Anachronic Order makes some of the characters actions seem out of character.
•Endless Eight, the chapters 3 to 7 of Season 2.

Summary

Sena Kobayakawa is an unassuming wimp who has just enrolled onto Deimon High school. His childhood friend, Momori Anezaki suggests he join a club that he likes. However, Sena, being the wimp that he is, is immediately picked on by the local bullies, only to meet the sensitive, but rather large, soul Kurita Ryokan. When the local bullies plan to use Sena’s cellphone to beat up Kurita, Sena runs like hell. Luckily, being the lackey of other bullies for the past 10 years, Sena has learned the finer points of sprinting. As such, he’s able to speed up to 40 yards in 4.2 seconds, the perfect speed for a running back. And it just so happens, Hiruma Yoichi is ‘recruiting’ members for the Deimon Devilbats . . .

See, this is what I like about Shounen anime. People are mean to each other. They pick on each other, or worse, they blackmail each other in order to make them play for the team. Just so happens, Hiruma Yoichi is insane enough to hogtie Sena and recruit him into the Deimon Devilbats.

Eyeshield 21 centers around Sena, as he tries to hide his identity as the miraculous running back of the Deimon Devilbats. If anyone finds out about his true identity, the other clubs will mad dash in order to recruit him. The goal of the Devilbats: to go to the Christmas Bowl, where the best high school teams compete.

Review

The plot of Eyeshield 21 is so original. It concerns a group of misfits trying to win the big game. Oh wait….No it’s not! People, this is formula writing if you ever seen it. Lemme break it down for you.

1. Sena and friends will talk about the opposing team.
2. Sena will get his ass handed to him during the entirety of the first half, being the pussy that he is.
3. Things will look really bad.
4. Then, Hiruma, being a genius that he is, will come up with a super play, making a comeback.
5. A backstory of the opposing team plays in order to feel sympathy for them.
6. Comedic highjinks will occur.
7. Sena will finally stop being a pussy and run to get a touchdown, winning the game.

Is it repetitive? Yes. Is it predictable? Yes. Is it boring?

…Well, hey, no one said formula writing couldn’t be fun! That’s what Eyeshield 21 does best. It takes formula writing, but manages to have fun with it. Each game has enough visual metaphors and verbal kick that you feel like you’re watching DBZ or Looney Toons rather than American football. You get your cowboy team, your sea-based team, and what-the-hell, a team of musical spiders. Sena will always meet a linebacker in these games. He will always be blocked by the lineback until the very end. And when his opponent loses, he’ll make friends with them, just like every Shounen Jump storyline.

Friendship, loyalty, hard work…yadda, yadda, yadda. If you’ve seen a football movie before, you know the themes already. If you haven’t, well, be ready to have basic sports story themes 101. Face it, you’re not watching this for the life lessons; you’re watching this because you want to watch some football.

When people ask, “Why would you want to watch something if you know the end result?”, the answer is the same whether it’s DBZ or any other Shounen Jump anime. It’s not about what will happen, it’s about how it will happen. We all knew Son Goku will save the world, one way or another. But it’s that present moment where you’re holding your breath in suspense, waiting for the end result, having doubt in your mind. And you’ll tell yourself, “Maybe they won’t. Maybe they won’t.”

Besides that, if you can forgive the flaws of a Shounen Jump anime: the questionable laws of physics, the inconsistent animation, the repetitive formula, the slow pacing and the rampant amount of fillers, then you’ll like Eyeshield 21 just fine.

I know I did.

Characters

If it wasn’t for the characters, people would’ve tuned out of Eyeshield 21 long ago. However, thanks to some genuine development, as well as some talented voicework, Eyeshield 21 is never stale. You’ve got Miyu Irino as Sena, and Yamaguchi Kappei (Who’s L in Death Note as well as Usopp in One Piece) who’s terrific as Monta. But real credit has to go to Atsushi Tamura who plays Hiruma.

While you’ve got the typical stock characters in the genre: Sena as the reluctant pussy, Monta as the best friend, Momori as the big sister and Kurita as the gentle giant, Hiruma brings a whole ‘nother game in football. Tamura makes him into a devilish hardass who always has a trick up his sleeve. One might call him the devil-hero, as he is at times, truly evil. Yet, there’s a real sensitive side to him, not like cuddly, but honorable. For one, he’ll never replace the kicker of his team since he know he’ll comeback. He won’t think twice on supporting his teammates. And, he knows how to party like an animal.

Summary

The series is set 7 years after the conquering of Japan by the Holy Britannian Empire using their new weapon, the Knightmare Frame, which happened in 2010, August 10th, we find a boy called Lelouch Lamperouge, to what appears to be a “normal” britannian high school student who lives alone with his kid sister Nunally. Later on the day that we see him, he accidentally stumbles upon a car crash, he goes to see if the people inside are hurt, but when he does he gets stuck inside the truck because it starts moving again, it turns out that the truck is owned by the Japanese resistance known as the black knights, which is carrying stolen cargo from the Britannian Empire. The cargo contains C.C. an immortal witch with the power to grant the power of geass, which gives the yielder the power to force their will upon others, and make them do whatever they say as long as the person is looking into their eyes when the order is given, however this can be only used on a certain person once, afterwards it is ineffective. Once C.C. and Lelouch are almost caught, C.C. bestows the power upon Lelouch, making a contract. Afterward Lelouch reveals that he is Lelouch Vi Britannia, the banished prince of Britannia, he then takes over the Black Knights under a secret identity known as the terrorist Zero, and takes on the Britannian Empire who has some secrets of it’s own.

Review

I first heard about this anime at the beginning of 2008 when someone on a French site claimed it to be the best anime of 2007. Several other fans seemed to agree so I thought I'd check it out.

After watching the first episode I was too overwhelmed by the amount of information thrown at me to really know whether or not I had enjoyed it. I kept to it though, but still felt a bit lost during the first ten episodes. After that, came a long pause during which I pondered whether or not I was going to continue watching this.

But it was still there, at the back of my mind. I wanted to know how the writers were going to wrap this story up. So I picked it up again and that's when I realized I'd gotten the hang of it, after a two months pause, the characters were still fresh in my mind. It felt like I'd never left them. Moreover, I was no longer confuse and could really appreciate the anime for what it was, unlike before when I was struggling to keep up with the story and its characters.

Now any anime that keeps itself curled up at the back of your head for two months is worth checking out. Furthermore, while I will keep my review, as it is always the case, spoilerfree or with very minor spoilers, I'll try to give you the background info you should have before launching into this adventure.

The strength of the anime resides in the opposition between Lelouch and Suzaku. One is a Britannian Prince who wishes nothing but to destroy his family's empire at any cost and I do mean at *any* cost. Suzaku is Japanese Eleven, soldier of the Britannian Army, considered by many as a traitor, who wishes nothing but to change the Empire from the inside in order to limit the number of deaths. The good guy is never who you think it's going to be. Both Lelouch and Suzaku strive for the same goal but have very different methods, and while their friendship is as strong as ever in their everyday life (they end up going to the same high school), they often fight one another on the battlefield without knowing it. Lelouch hides behind his alter ego, Zero, while Suzaku pilots the Knightmare, Lancelot.

It may seem like I've given you a lot of information but believe me, I haven't touched on any of the secondary characters. There's the mysterious girl who gave Lelouch the Geass, Karen who is one thing during the day and the exact opposite at night, not to mention all of Lelouch's half brothers and half sisters, Euphemia, Cornelia, Clovis and Schneitzel and the other high school students. You're in for a lot of surprises and revelations.

I really love the art, all of the character are very thin with sharp angles yet very gracefully drawn. I also love the bright colors.

Highly recommended anime if you're willing to really get involved story-wise because this is not something you can watch if your mind is elsewhere.

Season two has begun airing in Japan but I'm waiting for more episodes to be fansubbed before jumping into it.

Main Characters

LeLouch Lamperouge
Protagonist. The man behind Zero's mask. In the beginning of the series, he seems like an overly intelligent, sometimes cocky human being. And he is. But the difference between the beginning and the end is that he used to be bored with his life, unsatisfied with his position in society. However, when he gained the power of the Geass, he became overly cocky, making several tactical errors every now and then, and sometimes underestimating the enemy. But LeLouch picks up fast, and his character develops swiftly. LeLouch seems to be all the rage amongst the fangirls.

Suzaku Kururugi
LeLouch's childhood friend. When the two were young, Suzaku and LeLouch both hated the Brittanian empire with their guts. However, when the two are in their older years, Suzaku, has become an Honorary Brittanian. He now fights on the Brittanian side, against "Zero", who is actually his friend LeLouch. Hmm, THE PLOT THICKENS.

C.C.
This character's name is actually a mystery among fans. In one episode, it was described as a drop of water (or something like that). Many fans have taken guesses and made assumptions, but her name is still a memory. CC is the one that gave LeLouch the power of the Geass. She's also immortal.

Nunnally Lamperouge
LeLouch's sister. He cares dearly for her, as she is the only living relative (besides the Brittanian Emperor, whom he despises) he has (or so he thinks). Nunnally was crippled in the attack on her mother, and she was in the arms of her dying mother during the incident. She was also blinded from phsycological trauma. She is LeLouch's driving force.

Kallen Stadtfeld
Kallen Stadtfeld is a Britannian-Eleven girl who goes by her Britannian name when attending Ashford Academy, where she pretends to be ill to explain her prolonged absences. She believes herself to be Japanese at heart and prefers to be known by her birth name, Kallen Kouzuki. Kallen is a member of a Japanese resistance cell led by her brother, who died prior to the first episode, and later joins Zero's Black Knights. She is the group's most talented pilot and on par with the Knights of the Round. She pilots the unique Guren Mk-II. Her devotion to Zero is unmatched among the rest of the Black Knights.

Series

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, often referred to as simply Code Geass, is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise, directed by Gorō Taniguchi, and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by Clamp.

"Code Geass" first ran in Japan on MBS from October 5, 2006, to July 28, 2007. Its sequel series, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, ran on MBS and TBS from April 6, 2008 to September 28, 2008. Both seasons have won several awards at the Tokyo International Anime Fair, Animage Anime Grand Prix, and Animation Kobe event.

Summary

Do you believe in love at first sight? I've been flailing since I saw the first anime raw and read the first manga chapter. Oofuri is a golden combination: a great sports series and lots of scope for slash.

Ookiku Furikabutte -- Oofuri for short -- is a sports series about a high school baseball team. Mihashi was the starting pitcher at his junior high, not due to skill, but to family connections. He was hated by the rest of the team and, without their support, never developed any self-confidence. Now, at Nishiura High School, he reluctantly joins the baseball team and it's up to Abe, the experienced catcher, to build Mihashi up and turn him into an ace.

I have followed a lot of sports series and this is the first one since Slam Dunk to make me this excited. Unlike most baseball series, Oofuri doesn't focus on the hotshot pitcher. Instead, it's about team work, partnership, pulling together. And lovely boys.

Review

Because it is the BEST THING EVER. *flail* Also:

Oofuri is a great story with a fresh take on sports series, especially baseball. You can enjoy it just for that, but there is so much potential for slash as well, lots of pairings, both with Nishiura and the rival teams. Even though I'm supporting the True Battery Love of Abe & Mihashi, I already have two other Mihashi pairings I'm looking forward to writing. I haven't seen a series with this much pairing potential since Prince of Tennis and I've followed a lot of sports series.

There's not much by way of English fanworks yet but I'm hoping that as the anime and manga become available in English there will be more. In the meantime, there's fanart and doujinshi to keep us going. Jump on the bandwagon with me! We'll ride in the parade!

Main Characters

Mihashi Ren
First-year student. Pitcher. Insecure. Cute as a bug's ear. He's carrying a lot of guilt about his junior high baseball career and it's going to take a lot of effort from Abe to give him confidence. I want to hug Mihashi every time I see him.

Abe Takaya
First year student. Catcher. A bit reserved. He's the game-maker, the one who makes the decisions, and I love that SO much. He knows that he can make an ace pitcher out of Mihashi but it's going to take more than just practice on the field . .

Hanai Azusa
First-year. Strong batter. A bit of an attitude. Initially, Hanai doesn't want to join the team, but both Abe and Momoe are rather ... convincing. Hanai shaves his head and sports a variety of fashionable headgear. I think he's going to turn out to be the hottest one at Nishiura.

Tajima Yuuichirou
First-year. Bats clean-up. Total spaz. No doubt Hanai will make the attempt to resist his charms, but fail utterly. How could anyone not love Tajima?

Momoe Maria
Coach. Strong. Scary. Freaking awesome. Momo-kan is enthusiastic to the point of religious ferver. She and Abe don't always see eye to eye about Mihashi, which should lead to some interesting situations.

Shiga Tsuyoshi
Math teacher. Advisor. Full of strange and wonderful facts. My boyfriend (fair warning!). Shiga-sensei has many training theories involving psychology, nutrition, biology, and I'm sure many more fascinating subjects.

Series

The Oofuri manga, by Asa Higuchi, began in 2004 and is ongoing. In 2006, Oofuri won an Osama Tezuka Cultural award for showing new possibilities of expression in baseball manga. (It was also, from what I've read, voted the number one baseball manga of all time, but I don't know by whom!) It's only recently been picked up for scanlation by Entropy so only a few chapters are available in English so far.

The anime began in April 2007. It's being subbed by Saizen and Entropy as a joint project. I haven't seen anything about the number of episodes, so I'm hoping that means it will run longer than 26 episodes. Like for 200 at least.

Sites

oofuri [LJ Community] - news & media - lots of good stuff

oofuri_etc [LJ Community] - fanworks - fic, art, icons, doujinshi, discussion, and such

oofuri.com - official anime site

Oofuri fanart sites (Collected by iciak): Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Please respect the artists and don't use their work without permission.

Episode summaries by Seleria