Black Lagoon | Image from Google Search

In 2006, I watched 58 anime series in 8 eight months, or 7+ series per month! Sadly, in 2007, I’m off to a pathetically slow start: Just 11 anime series in 4+ months. The reason for this: Amazing live-action series like the new Battlestar Galactica - Season 3, new Smallville - Season 6 and rewatching the older Star Trek Voyager - Season 4 (1997) which introduces “Seven of Nine” (Jeri Ryan) for the first time. And now, my best bud Vanessa convinced me to start watching her Alias (2001; Jennifer Garner) in exchange for her watching my Dark Angel (2000; Jessica Alba), lol.

So now, in an attempt to catch up with my anime, it’s time to give my long-delayed reviews of the 11 series I’ve seen so far this year, ranging from the super-cute 1992 series Sailor Moon to the ultra-violent 2006 series Black Lagoon - The Second Barrage … I hope you enjoy the ride!

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Rozen Maiden | Image from Google Search

My speed review: “WOW! Still a miniature yet captivating package!”

Ah, my first anime review of 2007!… Late last night, finished the 12-episode Rozen Maiden - Traumend, continuing from where the first season left off… Once again, it introduces the junior high school boy Jun-kun, and his come-to-life mystical dolls, the red-adorned Shinku, pink-bowed Hina Ichigo, and twin red-and-green-eyed sisters Suiseiseki and Souseiseki… While the episodes are smilingly sprinkled with new and endearing slice-of-home-life slapstick antics, the deeper drama is taken to a new level when a new doll appears, a defeated nemesis returns, and the “Alice Game” pursuit-of-perfection begins… with both tragic and hopeful consequences… Once again, this title deserves my maximum “half season” rating… 4 of 5 stars!

Otakurl it! | Click here to see my Anime Viewing List.

Naruto | Image from Google Search

my speed review: “DOUBLE WOW! Unexpectedly engaging and heartbreaking!”

yesterday, finished my LAST anime of the year “naruto” season 1 (of 9 so far!)… okay, now prior to starting this series, i’ve heard the mocking rants against it, and at first glance, i chuckled with the jokes… after all, naruto looked like just another loud-and-crazy teenaged boy on his quest to be the number one ninja, attracting anime fanboys and fangirls who seemed to be just as loud and crazy… but without having seen it, i figured why not, i’d see what everyone got so worked up about… and wow, was i surprised!!!… i admit, the first 5-10 minutes of each episode seems to be a repetitive rehash of the previous episode, but overlooking that, the eye-grabbing series is amazingly action-packed, cleverly choreographed, and unexpectedly tearful… revolving around the still loud-and-crazy yet complex Naruto, the quieter dark-haired ninja-genius Sasuke, and the book-smart pink-haired Sakura, these three rookie ninjas must learn to work as a team, endure unpredictably bloody missions, confront tragic deaths, and strive to advance to the next challenging level of their ongoing training, without tripping over each other… this is another comedic-yet-dramatic tale of friendship and personal dreams that’s worth checking out… 5 of 5 stars!

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Azumanga Daioh | Image from Google Search

my speed review: “WOW! Crazy, cute, funny, but most of all, lovable!”

a couple of days ago, finally finished “azumanga daioh“!… a light-hearted yet heart-warming stroll with a half dozen girls as they follow their bumpy winding three-year path called yes, “high school”!… (the japanese school system is organized with three-year middle schools and three-year high schools)… from the 10-year-old pig-tailed genius Chiyo-chan to the slow-witted Osaka to the loud-mouthed Tomo-chan to the quiet star-athlete Sakaki-san, these central and wild array of supporting characters and animals are a laughing treat to watch as they talk about breast size, creepy teachers, summer vacations, looming exams, and the crazily logic-defyingly random schoolgirl thoughts that fly through their heads… while there was no level of tragedy to highlight the depth of their friendships, the series leaves one with a wide smile and a bright hope for their ongoing stroll through life… 4 of 5 stars!

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Eureka Seven | Image from Google Search

my speed review: “DOUBLE WOW! Amazing epic action and complex emotion!”

lol, merry christmas again!… late last night, very early morning, finally finished the 50-episode epic drama “eureka seven“… for those who have already seen the classic “neon genesis evangelion” or melodic “rahxephon” giant-mecha series, the comparisons with “eureka seven” are many, but it also quite clearly stands on its own… boasting a hipper, trendier, flashier and more rebellious-youth-type identity, the enormous story paints both bright sunlit splashes and dark blood-streaked shadows… the more-than-a-dozen unique supporting characters create a wonderfully complex tapestry of pasts, pains, hopes, and dreams, while the young central protagonists Renton and Eureka figure out a way to find each other, find themselves, and find a common future… the animation is slick and sharp, the airboarding battles scenes are mesmerizing, the loss of memorable characters is tearfully tragic, and the soul-moving music climbs from sombre depths to dance-beating heights to awe-inspiring horizons… what started as a seemingly uncertain 3 or 4 stars developed into a resounding 5 of 5 stars!!! simply fantastic!

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Tsukuyomi Moon Phase | Image from Google Search

my speed review: “DOUBLE WOW! Both cat-eared cuteness and gothic drama!”

merry christmas!… last night, finished “tsukuyomi moon phase“… an amazingly fascinating tale revolving around a castle-bound blood-seeking girl name Hazuki and a young photographer named Kouhei… it was so intriguing to see how the cat-eared slapstick comedy intertwined with the enigmatically vampiric drama!… while the supporting characters are lovable, it is the unique interchange between the two central protagonists Hazuki and Kouhei, sometimes humorous, sometimes painful, and sometimes romantic, which sparks the story and sucks you into their world… but what sold me from the start, was the gothic atmosphere, the stylish visual composition (such as the hand-held-camera shake effect), and the dynamic range of music, all reminiscent of the eerie “Le Portrait de Petit Cossette”… plus a touch of that bonding comedy and smiling cuteness lacking in “Petit Cossette”… in a nutshell, 5 of 5 stars!

Click here to see my Anime Viewing List.

Saikano | Image from Google Search

yup, 55 in 2006!… from may-thru-december 2006, i’ve seen and rated 55 anime in 2006 so far (and may finish a couple more, lol)… after having seen others posting their “top tens” of the year, i figured why not?… for me, the most-important 5-star criteria is emotional power (can it move me to tears?), followed next by story complexity and character depth, then style, humor, music, uniqueness, and so on (not in any particular order)… also note that i only give a 4-star maximum to “half seasons”… SO, with that, here are my top 34 contenders for both “full seasons” (20-30+ episodes) and “half seasons” (10-15 episodes)… and across five self-defined categories (subject to change, lol)… impossible to choose winners!!!

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