For those of you out there with the KG-2 disc, the opening of the pilot episode shows the ending of that battle. For a better feel of what the battle entailed, watch the KG-2 disc. For those without it, Elcair and Lumiere sacrfice themselves (again) to save the universe. That takes place about 200 years after the original Kiddy Grade story.

The new stories start 25 years after that battle, in Star Century 0379 (SC 0379) - the original Kiddy Grade took place in Star Century 0165 (SC 0165).

As promised, Ascœur and Ku Fīyu make their appearances. However it is much too much like the opening of the original Kiddy Grade series - in other words, not original, and kind of boring. We see the return of the siblings Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the current director Mercredi Hiver, and longtime partner (and lover) Souma Armburst.

They now work for a new organization, the GTO:

Unified Global Governments
GALACTIC TRADE ORGANIZATION
"As it was in the beginning and now, and ever shall be, the World without End."

Plenty of action in the first episode, but like I said before, it was too much like the first episode of the original Kiddy Grade to be much fun. The two main characters are not quite as likable as Eclair and Lumiere were. As a matter of fact, I think a lot of people will be more annoyed by them than not.

What will the future have in store for them? I dont know. But so far, I am disappointed. I had hoped for better, especially at the start a new show and season.

This is the SECOND anime series to focus on Academy City - the first one was "To Aru Majutsu no Index". This time the story is revolving around the Power Users, or ESPers that live in the city. The first one centered a little more on those that used Magic primarily, and followed things happening with the Index Librorum Prohibitorum and the Church of England.

This new story focuses a bit more on Academy City itself and it's inhabitants and daily life. "Railgun" refers to the power of one of the few level 5 ESPers in the city. The power difference between each level is nearly exponential in measurement.

It seems that this story will revolve more around Judgment - the student body created self policing "peace force" for Academy City, designed to ensure the safety of everyone in the city. As you can imagine, with so many people who have abilities and powers, there are bound to be a few that will try to use their powers for doing bad things.

We will have to see which way the series breaks here - will it be more action, drama, or just a good comedy? So far its got the potential to go in just about any direction. And either one will be fine.

A good note is that this series lives on its own separate from "To Aru Majutsu no Index", so you do NOT have to see the first one to see this.

Having not played the game nor reading the manga on this title, I went into the first episode blind. I was pleasantly surprised by a good plot, good characters, decent animation, and for the first time this fall season - a good soundtrack.

The first episode sort of teases you along the plot line, and in the end leaves you begging for more. Very nicely done piece of storytelling.

The basic plot is - boy and girl both have traumatic pasts, both are childhood friends, and both get caught up a surrealistic phenomenon which pulls them from the normal world, into an alternate world where it is lit by a blood red sky and moon - a world of nightmares beyond imagination. As they are dragged kicking and screaming into this mayhem, they also begin to wonder how their traumas from the past are related to this as well, as the dead begin to show up in front of them. Will they live, or will they die? What is the truth behind it all? Only time will tell...

A definite must watch anime for this fall season.

At first I thought to myself "Oh no, not another baking anime!". Then I saw the first episode. It was actually very good. More than focusing on the sweet of the day type of thing, instead it went for good strong character development. Usually in the first episode of an anime, you have down the whole basic plot. Not here. At the end of the first episode, you are just getting into the main plot. If you read the intro info you know that a Sweets Fairy is supposed to show up. Not yet. Maybe not even by the end of the second episode. Maybe the 3rd or 4th episode it might show up. In the meantime it looks like a real story and maybe even a plot will develop here.

I definitely give this show a thumbs up for taking the time to create something that should be very memorable in the end. I am looking forward to the second episode and hope that the series will continue onward like this.

As a side note, wait until after the credits. They have a special with the chef from Paris, France who worked as the consultant to the anime making the sweets shown. A very good plus!

For those who read the manga in Ribon, or the compiled manga volumes, the first anime episode is the first 11 pages of the very first chapter. The second anime episode looks like it might be the next 18 pages of the first chapter and maybe the 3rd episode completing the first chapter. Overall an excellent anime to manga rate. The anime brings out much more details and background than the manga does, and will probably be better than the original manga.

A nice new work from CLAMP, which works with just about all audiences. However, the main audience for this series is really adults. The themes are more mature in this series than in many recent works from CLAMP over the years, and may be a way to keep providing good stories to their fans from the past who have now grown up.

The basic premise of this series is Kobato, a girl from another world, comes to Earth on a mission - to have her wish fulfilled. Tutored and tormented by her master, teacher and ultimate arbitrar of her fate - Ioryogi, a talking blue dog doll with a mean disposition - Kobato attempts to earn what is necessary to allow her wish to be fulfilled. A magic bottle - and - shards from healing wounded / broken / scarred hearts.

From the start, she has fateful encounters which will guide her to her ultimate destiny.

Some minor notes on the names.

Kobato is often called Dobato by Ioryagi. They are names of birds.
Kobato is a dove - specifically Little Dove.
Dobato is a pigeon - specifically Stupid Pigeon.

And if Ioryagi is REALLY pissed at Kobato, he calls her Dabada

For those that have read the COMPILED manga, the anime is a re-imaging of the manga, so people, places, what happens, the order they happen in, etc. may not be the same. The first two manga chapters are sort of followed in the first episode, plus new stuff. You will recognize probably half the characters in the background there. Also the Fortune Teller shows up in this episode reimaged as a kindly grandmother taking her daughter's baby for a stroll. Will she be more than that in the future episodes? Maybe so - but who knows.

For those who have read the SERIALIZED manga, the anime goes back in time and starts far before Kobato receives her job in the Kindergarten.

Hyakko centers around the main character, a girl just trying to get by in school like everyone else - but - she is outspoken, popular and totally in her own class. Hyakko is the tiger of the school, bringing together those within and without, in her search for becoming her future self. Each week the story centers on something new, as things evolve and revolve around everyone in school. School life drama and comedy in a good mix - each episode is nearly unique unto itself. The last episode wraps things up with a surprise. I wont spoil it. Overall it's a nice series, well worth it to watch.

For those that are wondering, both Hyakko and Toradora were released at roughly the same time - Hyakko is the Tiger, and Toradora the Palmtop Tiger. This was intentional.

Many people cant get past the sometimes ecchi or harder scenes that are included in this anime. You have to remember that this anime is based off a Hentai game, and was partially created for fans of that game. Once you get past that, the stories are all enjoyable and follow the Romance of the 3 Kingdoms storylines, BUT with one big difference - all the main characters are female instead of male like in the original stories. Because of this, the story moves and flows around the characters as they move from place to place, with decided changes for the female only elements of the storyline. Lots of action, comedy and drama all rolled into one. This is a great anime for all to watch.

The general premise of this show was very interesting - a drama set in an Airport. There have been many before that focus on pilots or stewardesses or on people who incidentally worked at an airport, but never one that took on an airport as a whole.

This drama does the unexpected though many times, and gets you caught up in its intricate plots and story twists. The characters are wide and varied and very well portrayed.

At the end of each episode, you are wanting more. This is one drama that does not disappoint.

The only thing that I did not like was that the drama did not run as long as originally intended, and that the second season was never done. If there was ever a drama that deserved both, this is it.

This is your classic tale of the pretty girl searching for the long lost boy she loves from her childhood. It has a great unique backdrop of a school that teaches both magic and non-magic kids. From the get-go to the ending, the story is full of surprising twists and turns, climaxing in a story arc that you would never have seen coming at you. This is an excellent story. I recommend it for everyone to watch.