Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East)

Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East)

    On November 22, 2010 ten missiles strike Japan. However, this unprecedented terrorist act, later to be known as "Careless Monday," does not result in any apparent victims, and is soon forgotten by almost everyone. Then, 3 months later... Saki Morimi is a young woman currently in the United States of America on her graduation trip. But just when she is in front of the White House, Washington DC, she gets into trouble, and only the unexpected intervention of one of her fellow countrymen saves her. However, this man, who introduces himself as Akira Takizawa, is a complete mystery. He appears to have lost his memory. and he is stark naked, except for the gun he holds in one hand, and the mobile phone he holds in the other.

***The blurb wasn't complete, so I just added what's in purple.

General Info:

Episodes; 11.

Language; Japanese with English subs, English dub (?) <--- It seems only for the first two episodes on animefreak.tv.

Review:

    Higashi no Eden was a little confusing at first, but nonetheless very interesting. It was funny and romantic, and very dramatic. Strangely enough I think all of the aspects (Mystery, Drama, Comedy, Romance, Si-Fi) were all equally prominent, but in different parts of the story. More so at the beginning it was romance and comedy, then around maybe episode 4 or 5 it dipped into the more Si-Fi/mystery aspect, and there was a coating of drama just overall. It was nicely done. Differing the feeling of the story kept it more watchable, if you will, but more or less just kept it from getting old. There is only so much confusion and seriousness you can take before you get bored of it. 

    As for the actual plot line, I liked it quite a bit. I'm going to add a little summary of the phones - to my understanding at least, feel free to correct me - hopefully to help people if they are still a little lost. Also a note to those who don't know, a NEET is someone who is "Not currently engaged in Education, Employment, or Training". So basically someone who isn't able or to lazy to get an education and/or a job.

    The series didn't seem very conclusive to me, but after looking around a little bit I discovered there are movie sequels. Here are the links; Higashi No Eden: Gekijouban I The King Of Eden and 

Higashi No Eden: Gekijouban II Paradise Lost. The title of the first makes sense after you watch the anime, and I'm sure the second after you watch the first movie. If you want to watch this anime on animeseason.com, the follow this link.

    The characters personalities differ which is also nice. Some animes like this most of the characters act the same, very serious and such, but you have characters like Ohsugi, Panties, and Akira himself. They all sort of act as comedic relief which is nice. There is the one kid that hides in the cover of the desk - I cannot remember his name! Kasuga maybe? - who also serves as comedic relief.

    There are also some things that make you chuckle, or at least make me chuckle, like the pun with Mr. Outside's name. Overall it's a cute and interesting show. It is rather prominent of the romance side, so if you like mystery romance genres, then you will like this one. If you find romance annoying, then you may not like it as much.

Rating:

    I would give Higashi no Eden 4.5 out of 5 stars. * * * * ½*

Explanation ***Spoiler***:

   Okay, from what I understand  12 people were given a phone with 10 billion yen on each phone. They are told to spend the money to help make Japan into a better place. These are the Selecao. They can die four ways that I know of;

1.  If someone else reaches the goal of helping Japan the most, the others will be killed. (So number 11 reaches the goal, numbers 1 to 10 and 12 will be killed.)

2. If they just spend the money on their own desires they will be killed.

3. If they simply throw away the phone, they will be killed.

4. If they use up all the money on the phone, they will be killed.

    Then there is person who has set this whole thing up, and he goes by Mr. Outside; later found out to be Ato Saizo. Among the 12  Selecao there is the 'Supporter'. The Supporter also has a phone, and it is their job to kill those who break ways (listed above)  2  and/or  3  and/or  4.

    Also, as I mentioned earlier; a NEET is someone who is "Not currently engaged in Education, Employment, or Training". So basically someone who isn't able or to lazy to get an education and/or a job. It's a term commonly used in Japan, though it was used elsewhere during a certain time period.

There you go, if there is anything else you're confused about, let me know and I'll see if I can help.

EDIT:

I has been wondering about this for a while myself, and I finally found it. The bike Akira has is called a ビックスクーター which is translated to 'Bick Scooter' - according to this thread. Here's a Google search: link.

Ghost Hunt

Ghost Hunt

    Taniyama Mai is your everyday high school student, who has the pastime of telling ghost stories with her friends. Much to her surprise, she meets a mysterious ghost hunter, Shibuya Kazuya, the 17 year old head of Shibuya Psychic Research, sent out to investigate strange phenomenon occurring in Mai's school. Accidentally interfering with their investigations, Mai unintentionally causes the injury of Shibuya's assistant, resulting in Shibuya demanding Mai herself to aid him in his investigations. Based on the novel by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

General Info:

Episodes; 25.

Language; Japanese with English subs, English dubbed.

Review:

    This is freaky, cute, and funny all at the same time. Of course, this may freak people out more or less than myself, but I only found a few of the cases skin-crawling creepy. What's nice about this anime is that they don't maintain the super heavy horror atmosphere at all times - the fill-in's between some cases and at the beginning and ending of the episodes are rather cute and funny. 

    I like the love-triangle between kimono girl (I can't remember her name), Mai, a Naru. I actually liked John and Monk as well, men wise anyways. 

    The discovery of Mai's powers throughout the show was interesting a freaky. I'll say now that the freakiest one to me was the second to last case with mansion. Just...shiver. I was watching this show until about 8:30 in the morning, and I literally could not stop watching because I had to know that it was solved. Ugh, but I love this feeling, so anyways it definitely provides that.

    I'd like to mention the mystery solving horror bit is more prominent than the romance bit, in case your worried. It truly is creepy, I promise.

    In the middle of the episodes there are a few comic relief ones - I believe it's episode 11. Also, 12 and 13 are also fairly light, but really sad. Poor Kenji! I was so sad at the end of it!

   To be honest I don`t have much to say about this one, other than I enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it if you liked to be creeped out.7

   Also, compared to the written, the anime is much more beautiful. The dub is nicely done as well, though I did find Mai's voice slightly annoying when she was yelling.

Must Watch Episodes:

    I liked file 7 "The Bloodstained Labyrinth" which is episodes 18 - 21. I also liked episode 11 "File 4: Ghost Story in the Park!?", and episodes 12 - 13 "File 5: Silent Christmas".

Rating:

   I would give Ghost Hunt 4.5 out of 5 stars. * * * * ½* 

Death Note

Death Note

    During just another normal day, Yagami Light stumbles upon a black notebook known as the Death Note. This notebook belongs to a shinigami, Ryuk, having the ability to kill anyone who has their name written in it. As the new owner of the Death Note, Light's true desires surface, yearning to cleanse the world of evil by murdering a large number of criminals. When the world begins to notice the existence of this unknown killer, legendary detective L is brought onto the case; starting a war between "Kira" and L. Whoever is able to find out the others identity first will be the one to survive. Based on the manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

General Info:

Episodes; 37.

Language; Japanese with English subs, English dub. 

(I watched the dub and it was fantastic! Light's voice at first bothered me, but it suited him in a way. As for L's, I would have loved it no matter the person; I thought it was kind of sexy, haha. It was also really well done, though, and really suited him. Just a note - Misa's was perfectly annoying.)

Review:

    .......I honestly do not know what to say. I finished Death Note just now, and I am literally in awe and speechless. Just....wow. Apples hold significance and add to the story, keep that in mind.

    Alright, I have taken a moment to gather my thoughts, but my mind is still blown. I'll say this now that I do not recommend this as the first anime you ever watch, because I guarantee there will be no psychological thriller that will surpass this. Truly genius. 

    Not only was it beautifully animated, the story is unlike any other - making it beyond unique - but the creators really possess a cleverness that only a few people could actually follow. I honestly wish I could be able to guess what Light or L or Near or Mellow were thinking, but I could never guess. I simply sat and watched, waiting to be told in awed numbness.
    My only complaint would be that there is a constant tense sort of feeling, it intensifies at times and makes you more giddy or worried - or whichever, I don't remember specific feelings; I felt them all - but it never quite has a downfall of tension. You sort of get used it, meaning when it does intensify, it doesn't affect you much.
    Nevertheless, it remained interesting and thrilling. I like how time passes (6 years) before the end of the anime/manga, opposed to having this happen all within a year, as some do. Though I found Light didn't physically age much between the beginning and end of the show, others around him did; such as his sister. In a sense that added a nice touch, or perhaps a hidden meaning, or maybe it's my own nonobservance, but he's questionable aging didn't affect the story much, this is just me nit-picking.
    As for the plot it always seemed to keep my on the edge of my seat. Many times I wondered how the hell it was going to work out, peaking at the number of episodes and being confused as to why I was only half way through. It always seemed as if it was driving itself into a dead end, but it was only keeping us out of the loop. I appreciate many things that happened, and I am really, truly in awe of the creators. Honestly, I'm not sure if I should acknowledge them as clever or run like hell in the other direction. I don't think I would do the latter, seeing as I seemed to favour Light.
     I didn't exactly agree with Light's ideals, but for some reason I just wanted him to win. I liked L as well, which was confusing for me; not knowing what side I was on. I think this show would be enjoyed more if you chose I specific side, because you would react more to the actions and outcomes of certain things, whether that be a 'good' or 'bad' reaction to certain things opposed to having a neutral opinion. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense honestly; I hope I am.
    I'll sum this up quickly before I yammer on some more. The best anime I have ever watched, by far. If you have not watched this yet, you must. MUST!!!
   Actually, I would like to mention about how Light seemingly gets more insane throughout the episodes. I think it's supposed to make you lean more towards L's side, but some people cannot be swayed. I did not like Near or Mellow, though, that much I can say. Also, I hated Misa. I understood her roll in the story and everything, but I just naturally dislike people like her. I don't think she was supposed to be a particularly likable character anyways, so not matter. DO WATCH!! If you have opinions on this, please comment!

Must Watch Episodes:
    I liked all the episodes, and I don't think you can skip any - so I say you must watch them all. My favourite episode was - by far - episode 25. If you want to know why, go and watch it. As horrible of me as it is, I was undeniably happy. Also, if I remember correctly the first half of episode 26 is like a recap of what has happened in the previous episodes, but not super detailed so you make it through it just fine. I also really liked the last three episodes, 35,  36, and 37.


Rating:
    I wondering if I even have to say: 5 out of 5 stars by far. If I gave out 6, this would get a 7.
* * * * *

Note:
    I know people wonder if there is romance in this. Yes, in a sense there is, but not the kind you are looking for if you are looking specifically for romance. It's more or less a reason to explain actions, loyalties, and a certain other thing to do with the Shinigami that I won't spoil. Enjoy this anime! Read the manga too, if you fall in love, they sell them in a book store at my local mall, so I definitely plan to get the first couple - if only to support the mangakas.

Psychic Detective Yakumo

Psychic Detective Yakumo

    In order to help a friend possessed by a spirit, Ozawa Haruka knocks on the door of her university's movie research association. There she meets Saitou Yakumo, a rude, unkempt young man with a red left eye, who is said to have spiritual powers. At first Haruka is skeptical, but she comes to believe him when he conveys messages from her older sister, who died when she was a child. Together, they work to shed light on the terrifying events happening at their university. But this is only the prologue of what's to come...

General Info:

Episodes; 13.

Language; Japanese with English subs.

Review:

    I love mystery-like shows, and 'detective' was not just part of the name. Despite the cases seeming relatively random, they were all connected in one way or another; in my opinion that is the work of a clever mind. 

    I found the romance between Yakumo and Haruka gentle and sweet. It wasn't exactly basking in the spotlight, but subtly hinting. I think their non-extreme relationship suited Yakumo's internal conflict with himself, and Haruka's self-unawareness, so it worked really well with them. It left me completely satisfied in that sense to say the least.

    The story had interesting twists and each ending was both conclusive and a cliff-hanger - again takes a clever mind to do - with left me happy with the episode, and eager for the next. 

    I feel as if I can't say much without ruining the story - but I can comment and say that I would also be in love with Yakumo, and I also really loved Nao (Isshin's daughter) I thought she was absolutely adorable.

    Also - speaking of Isshin - whatever episode it was when the crazy man was trying to resurrect his daughter, when Haruka first met Isshin, I thought he was the crazy man in disguise. Ha ha; proves how skeptical I am. It would have made a nice twist though, eh?

   On second thought, perhaps not. I really liked the opening song and video, it set the whole atmosphere for the show, so I really enjoyed this. Fantastic!

Rating:

I would give Psychic Detective Yakumo 4 out of 5 stars. * * * *

Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru (Uraboku)

    Sakurai Yuki is a mysterious boy with a mysterious ability. He was found in the bushes as a baby and adopted by his current family. Because of this, Yuki strives for independence. The last thing he wants is to be a burden to anybody. Furthermore, when he touches others, he can feel their emotions. Unable to control his ability, he often made insensitive blunders in the past. With death threats and his abilities increasing, what will happen when a man claiming to be his older brother appears?

General Info:

Episodes; 24.

Language; Japanese with English subtitles.

Review:

    This was an extremely serious and dramatic one. Yes, it had action, but these were also drawn out in a dramatic way. I found it sort of slow in the sense nothing terribly interesting happens every episode, but it was smooth like this - making the story easy to follow. It was heavy on the whole magic-y and Duras such and so, but it was quite unique and interesting.

    The ending wasn't quite conclusive enough in my opinion, it's like the makers didn't know how to end it, so just threw out any old cliche and hoped for the best. Cliche, yes, but it was a final-seeming ending. In other words I don't exactly expect a sequel. At the same time, though, at episode 23 I was thinking there was going to be a sequel; do you see what I mean when I say abrupt?

    This is supposedly yaoi - and I guess a minor sense it is - but it more one characters feelings for another. There wasn't any kissing or sex or anything of the sort in here - so I would count it at all as yaoi. Unless you can't stand even the slightest hint homosexuality, this will be fine. And technically it's not homosexuality if you think about it (you'll have to watch it if you want to know what I mean~...)

    I did quite enjoy this one, and despite seeming slow at times, I really enjoyed it!

Must Watch Episodes:

My list this time is;

3

4
7

14

15

18

20

23

Rating:

   I would give Uraboku 4 our of 5 stars. * * * *

Hakuouki

Hakuouki:

   Based on Idea Factory's romance adventure game: Yukimura Chizuru has come to Kyoto looking for her father, a doctor who has gone missing. While there, she witnesses a fight between an Oni and the Shinsengumi. Taking her into custody, the Shinsengumi debates on what to do with Chizuru when they discover that she is the daughter of the doctor they are also looking for. The Shinsengumi then takes Chizuru along on their search after the missing doctor, from adventures to adventures.

General Info:

Episodes; 12.

Language; Japanese with English subs.

Review:

   I found this one not only slightly creepy (I love creepy!), but fantastically action-filled as well. I absolutely love samurai/ninja/sword-fight anything, so this was already shot to the top of my list. As explained by the blurb, it is about a girl who's father went missing, and so after waiting for while, she dresses as a boy and goes out to find him. Within the first five or so minutes of the show you see her basically running for her life and hiding behind some barrels from some guys, only for them to be slaughtered by the Rasetsu (sorry if I spelled this wrong). AND - I know the blurb says 'Oni', but they are not Oni's, they are Rasetsu's. They guy Kazama is a real Oni.

   Either way, there is a little romance between the characters (as expected when one girl is living in a dojo filled with hot guys). You are supposed to favour Hijikata, but how can you with all the others around!? My favourite guys were Saito, Keisuke, and the bad-sexy-guy Kazama. Kazama is my number one, why do I always like the wrong ones?

   Anyways, the fighting scenes in this are absolutely fantastic. If you have a weak stomach against blood and such, then I wouldn't suggest it. It is also a fairly serious and tense anime, considering there is a war going on at this time. It has a lot of confusing twists and unexpected moments. Just a general tip when watching animes - skip the beginning song unless you really love it, or if you do, don't watch the video. It always tends to ruin the story a little bit. 

   I, like I said before, I love fighting/tense/serious animes (I mentioned sword fighting I'm sure) and anyone who is into that stuff will surely love it. And girls who like this stuff, but can't suppress their girly nature, it is mostly action a fighting plus hot guys with a touch of romance on the side. You will like it, and I definitely recommend it.

***Just a side note, sorry for not posting in so long. Also sorry this such a shitty review, I'm a little rusty, no?

Must Watch Episodes:

    I didn't note them, I seem not to, eh? I liked them all, but my favourites were definitely episode 1,  3,  6,  & 9 of what I remember. I like any episode with Kazama in it honestly, and episode 3 because it was a bigger battle one.  

Rating:

    By far 5 our of 5 stars! * * * * *