The Anime World of Last Year (2016)

In the anime-otaku world, pocky is a friend just like dogs are a man's best friend. Pets and pocky were made to cheer you up. Just like anime and video games boost pop culture among certain pop lovers.

Like in Pokemon Go, you get a pokemon at first and then go battle for victory. The debut anime had Ash Ketchum as the main character and obsessed with pokemon battling. He seems kind of introverted and shy compared to Pikachu and his friends Misty and Brock. There were other successful platformers that came with an anime such as Kirby and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT). The TMNT show was even more popular than the "Nintendo (r)" game. The turtle heroes were humanoid hero turtles but they battled bad guys and didn't back down from their challenges and hundreds of foes. As much as Ash Ketchum might have had second guesses about his Pokemon training abilities and his Pokemon, he was not much inspiration to my child self... He was always debating in a way to himself about why he couldn't take all of the Pokemon he caught with him on all of his journeys, which would be impossible for someone who second guesses himself. In a way, he's not exactly a friend you could trust that much, what do you think? Actually he may be excellently trustworthy because he sees trust in Pokemon, they are his friends.

"Tiger and Bunny" - When you saw the title you knew there would be an accidental tiger attack on a helpless bunny. Actually the anime is about two guys who fight bad guys on reality TV as actual superheroes. Off camera, they control their powers and build social lives with each other and their families. But Bunny has a number of problems and Tiger is losing power... Together they overcome all of their issues with The Man and bad guys to save Sternbild over and over again.

"Chi's Sweet Home" - There are slow episodes (though they are only five minutes long) about a stray kitten that is lucky to find a home in the 'burbs of a Japanese city. If you and I keep watching the episodes, Chi starts to love her new home.

"Gintama" - Samurai and aliens are among Edo's post Meiji crowds, where Gin-san runs Yorozuya Gin-san with Kagura and Shinpachi! Don't forget there's Sadoharu a kind of dog (is he a Samurai or not?) that Kagura adopted and likes. ...And there might be some interesting perspectives on the growing stray cat population.

"Yu-Gi-Oh" - That's deja-vu for the popular card game, c.a. the Pokemon fad that we love. Yugi and his friends (!!!) are on a quest and they want the strongest (monsters?) to defeat Yugi's nemesis at Yu-Gi-Oh battle! Some of the card monsters, dragons and knights, are so strong that the battle is almost over when they're called out!

"Natsume Yuujinchu" - The book of friends contains the names and bonds of kinship to untold "youkai" who were befriended by Natsume's grandma. He wants to begin his grandma's second legacy of giving freedom or friendship back to them. Along the way he gains companions who are interested in the book of friends and in Natsume.

"Tegami Bachi" - There are letters to deliver and the terrain is hazardous due to large metallic insects. There is a message of a kid named Lag Seeing who delivered to a new family by his Tegami Bachi, Gauche Suede or Noir. Later, Lag Seeing becomes a "letter bee" or "tegami bachi" that delivers the last messages of the people of that place to distant far out-of-the-way remote locations there, along with partner 'Niche' who is his partner. Without an eagle, without a bloodhound, or panther, Lag the tegami bachi needs to deliver every one of those backed letters of messages to become the "Head Bee" the leader of the "Tegami Bachi" HQ. Don't you ever wonder if Lag ever sees a bit of himself in every letter?

"Inuyasha" - Is he a dog, or a human, or a super demon dog? Inuyasha is the type of guy who could obey the "phrase", "down boy" by his girlfriend Kagura. His dad is somehow missing, that and the exorcist priestess Keikiyo is after him. Kagura likes Inuyasha's world and Naraku wants to wreak havoc on Kagura's human world. Can Inuyasha, Kagura and friends stop Naraku before he takes of the human world! Will Naraku ever actually take over the human world that way? Before you answer these questions, remember that Inuyasha was the most successful program on Adult Swim and that it's already pretty awesome!

 (SAO's Legend -sao.gamesprite.me)

Thought Experiment: Tensai Shoujo Hero

That's right, it's "Tensai Shoujo Hero"!

In romanization that is, "Terrible-Strength Girl Hero"

There's no such thing in anime though. As Chansu says in his One Punch Man review, we kind of root against a hero who has everything easy and shows no effort to win. Though "One Punch Man" is more of a Millenial generation Shounen Hero because he's sarcastic about all of the enemies he beats by using no emotional attachment to them. The whole anime game is changing so...

There are already some old anime like Blood+, Birdy, Haruhi, FLCL, Evangelion, Gundam, and maybe Gintama where there are strong and terrifying female characters that kick ass and pose formidable threats to the main characters, if they are not already. That's how formidable they are in the anime world that there are so few of them starring in their own anime and in the ones that they only co-star they always manage to hurt the main character. If they didn't cartoonize those blows, the main character guy would usually sure die, such as Gintama or FLCL where Ginoki takes ninja knives to the head and FLCL where the boy takes guitars to the face so that he can finally transform again.

It's not a new thing out there. Maybe it causes guys and guy otaku some anxiety to want more anime like it but it shouldn't because they're anime and the real world is much different. It would cause thousands of tons of anxiety for a real life human man to undergo such anxiety! (LOL) So it's best that these kinds of themes are seen more in anime than in real life, right?

That's no cause for otaku to fear. We're already pretty nerdy people who deal with daily hassles already. For those of us who like shounen anime, we maybe already love the "Tensai Shoujo Hero"!

Gintoki's Wisdom

"Whether I go or not, I'll die anyway. I have an organ more important than my heart. Although you can't see it, I feel it going through my head down to my feet, and I know it exists within me. It lets me stand on my feet, it lets me walk forward without trembling. If I stop here, I feel like it would break... My soul will break." -Gintoki

Read on for more...

RPGHero's Top 25 Anime Shows

RPGHero's Top 25 anime shows,

My top 25 anime are chosen in the order of shows that have made me change my perspectives after watching them. What I really mean is that they made me feel extreme happiness, sadness, hurt, yearning, closure, or some other strong emotion after finishing the series. So the anime in the number 1 spot made me feel the most and I would think that it would make anyone feel strongly after reaching the completion of the series. The series' that are not complete are longer running shows that I included because of the nostalgia because some of them have been around for 10+ years in the anime and television industry, and are still running on present-day television. Anyway, let's go!

1.  C l a n n a d   A f t e r   S t o r y

"Clannad After Story" made me cry real live tears of extreme sadness and also extreme happiness because I watched it all the way through to the last episode (warning: without giving up in frustration!). For true fans of Clannad, it's been reviewed by them as either a very hard watch or a really great needed finale for the Clannad anime series. The struggles that Tomoya goes through with his baby daughter are above those any new parent would want to face... It is number 1 on my top-25 anime because I think if I watched the series over and over, it would always make me cry again either inside or out.

2. Welcome to the NHK

Welcome to the NHK is really popular, hence its place on Hulu.com with both its Japanese and English dub available for viewers to choose from. For me, its appeal rests on Saito's tenacity to want to both fit in to mainstream otaku culture and also to keep his mainstream pride that his society supposedly took away from him when he was going to college away from home. All of the other stuff that happens in the show add to Saito's character, but only if the viewer could see themselves going through the same situation in Japan and is a strong fan of anime, thus an Otaku. That and, the finale episodes are strong enough to make you want to choose Saito's side! (If you make it that far, that is)

3. Steins;Gate

Steins;Gate, granted it is high (extreme) sci-fi mixed with college aged anime characters. When it first came out, I remembered everyone at "Anime Expo" 2012 quoting it, especially the phrase “READING STEINER!”, which is Okabe's exclamation whenever he feels Deja Vu. Back then (in 2012), it had the same popularity as Attack on Titan (which I never actually finished) but without the cult popularity that propelled "Attack on Titan" to international acclaim and thereby widespread popularity. Either way, Steins;Gate has a plot that made me truly think to follow the details on how exactly it all was happening and if it could actually happen in everyday life or reality. Regardless, a very good thought experiment indeed! (You know, just in case that time travel actually comes through...with such ability to mess up time forever...)

4. Hunter X Hunter

The second most popular manga by Togashi, compared to his previous creation, Yu Yu Hakusho. It's long running as a series. Unapologetically it deals with characters who fight to the death and unapologetically it is number 4 on my list. That's because it's a darn good shounen anime! It's one of the best in genre but has gotten a bad treatment with the animation side, whereby they had to create a bunch of different quality anime OST and then remake it totally.      

5. Toradora

Toradora made me want to be in a love triangle so badly, until I realized that everything is easier in the anime universe than in the real life universe, at least here in New York. By reaching the end, I wanted to laugh, cry, smile, and wish I was in love with Aisaka Taiga and overcame all the hurdles to be with her, like Ryuuji did in the anime. The only anime that makes you want to actually be in their love triangle, maybe forever.

6. Gintama

  Gintama would be number one, but I wanted to put a kind of anime that made me feel true sadness there. I've never laughed so much at any other anime or maybe any other television show as much as with --> Gintama. Maybe that's because I actually like anime or in other words haven't found a place in the glamour of the real world. From episode 1 Gintama starts off kind of slow and serious for the comedy it became but it had grown on me. Some jokes do go over my head and that's because they are direct parodies of Japanese culture and current events that only a Japanese person would find true. However, somewhere they mention or allude to people like Obama and Beyonce in their conversations, very quick references.. I recommend Gintama ...for everyone who doesn't get offended easily and wants to laugh.

7. Awakawa Under the Bridge

 Awakawa Under the Bridge is both kind of funny and kind of heartwarming. When the characters get past their awkwardness and struggles, they're able to get along. Riku has the most trouble, being the main character. He wants somewhere to fit in and the closest thing is "Awakawa Under the Bridge" where there are "kind misfits" who won't let him be the type of person who will get in the way of his own happiness. Who that is, is for YOU to decide when you watch "Awakawa Under the Bridge".

8. Kaiji

Kaiji is the story of a person who can't be any more down on luck than the titular character, Kaiji. Your perspective on bad luck (and good) will be forever changed if you watch carefully. I know mine has and Kaiji made this list.

9. Birdy the Mighty

Birdy the Mighty, follows codename: Birdy, who is an interplanetary hero, well agent who takes down the most difficult bounty hunts in the Universe. That is, until she accidentally kills a human middle school boy who jumped in between her and one of those difficult criminal subjects. Her adventure becomes deciding how to continue her bounty hunter job, her model job, and to save the boy's booty ...I mean... body. Birdy is a true multi-tasker and this anime is a pretty good watch. (Best anime starring a female lead)

10. Blood+

The anime Blood+ follows Saya an ordinary high school girl that figures out her true nature. That leads her, along with her gaurdian Saji, to quest where she will answer her deepest fears while saving humankind from being subjugated by another race of vampire demon creatures. But, Saya doesn't want to lose her old life, even though she finds out that she has been living various past lives in the same exact body between hibernation-like sleeps that last hundreds of years. Saya wants to keep her current life, adopted father, and friends above all else!

11. Natsume Yuujincho

Natsume Yuujincho follows Natsume who inherits the "Book of Friends" both because he was adopted and because he resembles it's original owner, his grandmother. This anime is different because it's more peaceful than others, that's why I like it actually. Sometimes, I, RPGhero get tired of anime's EXTREME shounen overtones and having to save everyone all of the time. In Yuujincho, Natsume does get in danger but his human friends and some yokai friends are always there to help him when he needs it. Mostly Natsume tries to save himself and his friends, while living a peaceful life. (Technically this is Shadow Wildcard #1, if I could choose another no. 1)

12. One Piece

One Piece is next. It's one of the most popular anime of all time and one of the first anime I seriously followed, very seriously for a minute there. You have to watch it for yourself to know the hype, just trust me on this one. It's a hit-or-miss with most real anime fans.

13. Bleach

Bleach is another anime I followed when I was first seriously watching anime in high school. It's also another hit-or-miss anime with most anime fans. That's probably because shounen anime follow one character and if that character's plot isn't appealing, it's too difficult to follow a series for 300 or 400+ episodes. But I caught on early and stuck with Bleach until the end of its anime run.

14. C Money of Soul and Possibility Control

C (the short name) is a short anime about the what-if question we all may have. That is, what if our money is connected to the future. Taking it to a crazy extreme, the whole Japanese economy is linked to the future of Japan via a surreal world where value has life in the entities of individual people's futures. Like Kimimaro and his future entity above, which happens to look like a girl. The plot is put together well enough that all of it is actually wildly believable.

15. Gundam 00

Gundam 00, IMO is one of the best installments in the catalogue of Gundam titled series'. It's the most contemporary or modern in terms of setting. Still the same Gundam conflicts of the Gundam meisters are re-hashed again in this series. With the addition of three main characters, (Gundam Meisters:  Setsuna, Tieria, Alelulia, and Neil) and Gundam pilots, each having their own story and place in the Gundam world, the show to me is the most dynamic and interesting in the Gundam line.

16. Darker Than Black

Darker than Black is more of a thriller or psychological kind of anime than actually being a shounen anime. The plot is sometimes very intricate but I like it because of the main character's determination to find his sister, even though he's frequently outmatched and outnumbered by other antagonist characters. Also, it has macro-paranormal elements that make it interesting such as star constellations, large-dimensional gates, and the like.

17. Inuyasha

Inuyasha is an old school favorite. Running in America since its debut in the 1990s. Inuyasha is one of my favorite animes from the Toonami days when they used to have late-night Saturdays. If I didn't fall asleep while watching Inuyasha, I was watching Inuyasha. I'm a longtime fan!

(Moving from paragraphs to sentences here...)

18. Bakuman

The best anime/manga about creating anime/manga. ...and the bond between friends / nakama.

19.Rurouni Kenshin

Rurouni Kenshin ran on toonami's 2002 or 2003 run. The classic popular anime about Kenshin, a penant (that means, dedicated to living an honorable life) samurai and hero.

20. Lovely-Complex

The unlikely pair of would-be lovers in Lovely-Complex is addictive enough to be one of my favorite anime.

21. Ah! My Goddess

If only everyone could stumble onto a hotline, mess up a wish, and have a goddess herself be their soulmate.. and college girlfriend.

22. School Rumble

A kind-of funny anime about if an ex-yakuza finally got into high school after being left back a couple times, then chases his crush who's chasing her own crush who isn't him...

23. Honey and Clover

Art school/college meets a seemingly more mature kind of love triangle, than most Ai anime are about. The outcome is what you might expect at a college, right or no? You have to had watched it to know.

24. Love Hina

Love Hina is one of the first harem anime that gave the genre its own space in anime. That doesn't mean it's all perveted, but some of it might be maybe. Also, there's a love story that is being told here in this Ai anime.

25. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood 

The remake of the original FMA series, answers the questions left unanswered in the first anime run. All of them...

That's my top 25 anime list

by RPGhero...

image cred:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d6/5d/05/d65d0558fd761b90a546b718e63be14b.jpg

Kagura and Gintoki (You May Decide???)

December, 

Month of Unlikely Anime Couples!

 

Kagura and Gintoki !!!

Gintoki takes care of Kagura since her dad travels the Amanto Outer Space as a bounty hunter. Unlikely because Gintoki is frequently paired with Tsukuyo (Tsuki) and Kagura with Okita Sougo. Also, because some episodes feat them both like the "Sleep Helps a Child Grow" (ep 153) episode.

Img cred:

http://www.zerochan.net/663005

Why are old guys in Japan so cool? Man, I would do anything to have a drink with a Japanese old guy. They are always talking about "youth" as if it were something cool to be young and not old. As if they themselves found the secret to enjoying youth and loving life; then love to see new young people being themselves.

These days, a lot of old guys seem crotchety and angry, as if young people are taking all of the oxygen away from their oxygen machines or something. It might or might not have to do with the interweb and the skyrocketing use of smart phones. Then again, it could just be because life can be a b**** or a d***. Hopefully its not beause being old is just plain hard. Then there would be no "COOL" guys to have an ice-col d beer with, those old Japanese guys.

Some Cool Anime Quotes!

Hi everyone! Here are some great anime quotes that I think show how cool anime really is. These are the memories that keep me an "Otaku" even when the times get difficult and there isn't really much time to marathon some anime. Anyway, instead of the rant, here goes!

"My house?!" Ken-sama to Gintoki
"Now that you have changed you can build 100 houses" Gintoki's reply, episodes 1-2.

"People need to live their lives with a clear conscience. When you want to walk a straight path, somehow you get yourself stained with mud. However, as long as we never give up, one day, the mud on you will dry up and fall off" Gintoki, episode 97.

"To be lost is an answer, so lets promise never to lie about it" Translation of the song "Ryuusei"/Artist-TiA, Naruto (original) ending 6.

Watch Gin-Tama on Crunchyroll.com and also the shounen anime, Naruto is there!

Gintama's Gender-Switch Arc Comes at a Conspicuous Time...

The new Gintama anime (Gintama 2015) has only been up for a few weeks now and it's already getting back into supplying everyone with unbiased laughs and action, with its usual political twist. Usually the anime makes various references to classic anime like Doraemon or Bleach. Then there's all the refs to Japanese stars and politicians. But Gintama cannot and will not stop there! They're looking at America's politics, sometimes...

In one of the newest arcs, all (well most) of the main characters had their genders switched by a group of "amanto" (aliens) that want to test the character's will to be their own gender.

Gintoki became a shorter and seemingly attractive twenty-something, girl. 

And then the girls changed genders too and were more menacing and ruthless than the guys!

Tsukuyo's character actually became a lot like Gintoki, but less pretentious and more playboyish as a man. Is he/she new toughest character?

Sogo Okita and Isao Kondou became attractive chicks, despite being weird for men.

I will not spoil the arc by talking about all of the details and you can watch it for free on Crunchyroll.com. But by the end of the three episode arc, Gintoki will once again say something that will change your perspective on gender and make you feel better, as his character always does.

And whenever you want to laugh or smile, just think about Kagura's male form XD

(Don't ask how she got really old!)

Go Go America! 4th of July, Americana, and Kantai Collection

"Wait, who actually cares about America right?! This is an anime-video game-otaku related Japan-centric blog?" This is what the girl above is likely saying with aloofness. Not just to tell you guys Happy American Independence Day! (we're an America-based blog), there may be more at foot. 

 Well, girl with America plastered across her chest (literally), let's talk about this in more detail!

It's not any kind of big news to tell you that Japan is obsessed with America, American culture, and our mannerisms! From the constant katakanizing (not a real word but you know what I mean) of English terms to Japanese, taking on a whole new meaning in Japanese (wasei eigo), seeing all the latest English blockbusters (Avengers 2, anyone?) in Japanese theatres, eating common American foods and turning them on their heads ("hamburger" is almost always served without a bun and on a platter, "pizza" has crazy mayonnaise based toppings that would make Hijikata cry in joy, etc)... It's obvious Japan loves American culture. 

Just take a look at that Animu blond female Iron-Man who still manages to be kawaii and have a girly pose. Even back in the days of the original Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, the titular generation of Joestars come from English speaking countries before being Japanese. Huh!

Is this girl a ship or a girl? Okay, I can tell it's just a girl. But how about looking below :)

And now, there's a new phase in Japanese otaku culture that focuses on culture in an interesting new way -- Kantai Collection! Well, it's not very new, but the anime was just released prior to this new season. Started as a browser game, then a table top game, then a video game, then an Anime series, Kantai collection (Fleet collection) focuses on traditional sea vessels and, well, just look below...

Ever heard of a battleship otaku? Well, me either, but they exist. And when you turn their deadly sea-faring war machines into chicks, well, they experience some true fandom. 

They range from full on characterizations to just girls equipped with ship-themed weapons, but notice how there are some American battleships?! Well well well, I think that Harrison Ford was never happier to see a tribute to his home country since he had a chilled Kirin Lager beer (kudasai).

I hope you fellow otaku have fond memories of the 4th of July, with fireworks (in your heart), barbeque (lighting a fire in your soul), and good times (now and in the future). We're halfway through 2015 and the Otaku Reviewers are far from over!

-chansu