Arslan Senki: ANIME REVIEW

I think I've finally found my favorite anime genre, ADVENTURE. After literary falling in love with Akatsuki no Yona in 2015 and other anime from previous years like Naruto, Fairy Tail, SAO etc. I realized that It's time for one more adventure anime. I actually started this anime a couple of months ago. After a friend recommended it to me, I watched the first three episodes, leaving it there until a week ago. I seriously don't know why I stopped watching it so I was glad I did. Better late than never would say. 

Also maybe a bit late but I had to share my thoughts with you about this anime. On this lovely 30th of December, 2015 my last review for this year, ARSLAN SENKI! 

Plot and Story Line

You know, I sometimes really get surprised by the ratings on MAL. Arslan Senki is ranked as #643 and has a rating of only 7,91. An Adventure, Action, Historical and Fantasy anime like this really deserves a higher ranking. 

"The Heroic Legend of Arslan" takes place in the prosperous kingdom of Pars. In the kingdom's capital Ecbatana the young Prince Arslan is growing up and taught how to become a good future ruler like his fearsome and undefeated father, King Andragoras. But despite all his effort,  Arslan doesn't seem to have what it takes to become a real ruler. 

As a 14-Year-Old-Boy, Arslan goes to his first battle where he confronts defeat, loosing nearly everything he'd got. Together with Daryun, a high-ranked officer of the Parsian army, he escapes the battlefront and begins his journey and our adventure. His mission, taking back his empire, and becoming the ruler of Pars. 

The first thing you would think, oh it's again one of that stories where the prince needs to take back his kingdom from the bad guys. It is in one way, but there are many other paths that this anime takes until the very end. The main story line does follow Arslan's way to a great leader, but with the episodes more characters and background stories are introduced making this anime so good as it is. 

When talked about the main plot, it does kinda look cliche, but it kinda surprises you with every episode that follows. You always have that thoughts: "No Arslan, please!" or "Why are you...ah, never mind"!. And despite everything you continue watching because it is so interesting. And also, the thing I found so good about this anime is how it makes you think about the connections to real kingdoms from the past. If only every History lesson had been animated, maybe I would have even tried to study it. Also one of my good friends started watching it, and liked it mainly because of this historical connections.  The main story appears to be a cliche story you've already seen before, but is actually an intriguing, awesome and interesting story due to all the various characters that get engaged by the time, together with their skill, characteristics and special appeal. 

In addition to this epic story comes also a lot of action with action-loaded fights that really make you fall in love with Arslan Senki more and more. You have the strong and irreplaceable warrior Daryun, the brilliant tactician Narsus, the strong and beautiful Falangies and much more Arslan's fellows that help him on his way back to the throne. 

True it does not surprise me since the producer of Arslan Senki are the same producers of well known anime like Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Code Geass, The Blue Exorcist, Darker than Black, Angel Beats etc. 

And for the end of this review section I want to mention the favorite thing about Arslan Senki. The plot twists and "story surprises". The interesting thing is that these are definitely immense twist and enormous surprises but they don't come that suddenly. They kinda make their way slowly into the story. It does not come like a lone BOOM!, but more like a Drum-Roll with a BANG! at the end. ( I really have ridiculous ways of describing things). I hope you get what I am trying to say. 

In short, Arslan Senki is an interesting and epic story you really shouldn't miss. 

Characters

It is again one of these anime where it is hard to take just a few characters to talk about. If I discussed every important character from this anime I would go on talking until the morning. I really would like to talk about Falanies, Gieve, Alfreed etc, but let's just concentrate on these three:

ARSLAN is our main character in the story. As a kid Arslan has always been very cute and curious always wanting to explore and learn more. Arslan is also a very naive and gentle person that always thinks in an optimistic way. Even though  Arslan doesn't look like the strongest warrior, he has a great heart for every person, even for his enemies. He is an intelligent and charismatic young boy that has his whole life in front of him. But the thing that fascinates me the most about Arslan is that despite being 14, Arslan still behaves in a mature way, whether it is about his kingdom, war or just relationships with people around him. In the end I want to say that Arslan is definitely my favorite main character so far. 

DARYUN is the strongest warrior of the story. Not only is he strong, and very skillful, he is also very clever and intelligent always trying to find the best way to win. His main task in the anime is to protect Arslan, and you can clearly see his passion and loyalty trough the whole anime. He does take his "job" very serious, and so he doesn't let other emotions out. That's the thing I kinda didn't like about the character of Daryun. We don't get to know the Daryun that lies beneath the armor. I hope the next season brings us more information about Daryun or a good background story about his past. 

 NARSUS is the character I love the most in this anime. He is so quick-witted and crazy, yet so skillful and smart. Not smart, brilliant. He is the tactician of every battle 

always outsmarting the opponent. He does look like he is hiding something, something about him is mysterious but I can't grasp it. And that's exactly what makes him so interesting, and makes me love him so much. And by the way, who would have ever thought that the only wish of the once well known chief adviser of Pars would be to become the royal painter. He is such a cool guy and trust me you'll love him. Can't wait to see what will happen to him in the next season. 

Animation

Arslan Senki has a great animation, which is in my opinion a not so surprising fact because it is a 2015 anime. It is awesome and the style is perfect.

I loved the landscapes and the looks of all the castles and backgrounds. I really don't know what to write in this section. Here is a cute pic for you (xD). 

Well, if I may add I loved the second opening. Here a You Tube link if you want to see..<3

Conclusion

Arslan Senki is definitely one of my favorite anime from 2015. I was very glad to get one more story similar to Akatsuki no Yona. So If you want some adventure and good action don't miss Arslan Senki. It is intriguing, with an awesome plot and story line, great characters and breathtaking animation. 

Your AnimeGirl <3

P.S. If you are reading this review I scheduled it to be posted exactly at 00:00 at New Year's Eve! AnimeGirl wishes you a Happy New Year and much great anime in the upcoming seasons of 2016. Let's see what the new year has prepared for all us Otaku. I am ready, are you? 

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Noragami Aragato: ANIME REVIEW

I literary waited for four hours on the net for the last episode of this anime's second season. I couldn't wait to see what would happen because it was one of the most intriguing anime I have ever seen this year. After the very good first season of Noragami in 2014, the Fall 2015 season brought us Noragami Aragato, and believe me or not, this is one of the rare cases where I found the second season better than the first. This won't be a standard review because most of you probably know about characters and animation of Noragami. If not, check out my review on the first season under THIS LINK. And now let me review this. Just for you, NORAGAMI ARAGOTO. 

Plot and Story Line

What else to say than PERFECT! I loved the story and the plot of the second season much more than of the first one. It was intriguing, inspiring, emotional, action-loaded etc. It was really awesome. 

First of all the plot. It kinda consists of two parts. It was really surprising for Bishamonten to kinda be in the center of the story, but I loved it. You finally get the answer for the question from the first season: Why does Bishamonten hate Yato so much? It was a story about the past, which they both want to overcome in one or the other way. Also it doesn't lack in action and epic fights. The fights between Bishamonten and Yato were so epic that I watched them over and over again. I think I don't overdo when I say they were one of the best fights I have ever seen. For all you action fans out there this is really an anime you should watch very soon.Some big swords, guns, awesome powers etc. I am sure you'll love it. Also, I have to mention how emotional the whole story is. It made me almost cry, almost. It is about trust, kindness, responsibility and family. 

The second half is more about Yato and his past. His relationship with Nora and his father. Yes, Yato's father is also introduced but more trough the shadows, you don't see him but you get a grasp at the end, and that is exactly what I'll talk about now.  

The 13th episode of Noragami Aragoto. 

The 12th episode was definitely the highlight of the season and than the cliff-hanger in the end...I nearly died waiting for the last, 13th episode. And then...nothing...kinda. I mean it was an end but an undefined one. I don't know. The 12th episode was a BANG!, and then a sudden silence in the 13th one. And what do you think is the worst thing that the last episode of a season could have? A sad ending, a sudden death..NO! It is a immense cliff-hanger. An undefined end. A story that has not finished. I don't know if I was sad or angry at that moment. I only knew that I wanted to...cry. Still I am an optimist, and so I believe always in the best to happen, which would be season 3 of Noragami. I really wish for that to happen and until the producers of Noragami (Dentsu) announce it...well I'll probably watch some more anime and write my reviews for you. 

Characters 

Aragato was definitely the season of character developments. "Aragato" when translated from Japanese means "Rough Style" and in my opinion it definitely fits the season as a name. Every character in this anime has been trough a rough past and definitely had it hard most of the time. If you have read some of my reviews before you've probably noticed how much I love and focus on character developments. I hate it when an anime does not have a single character development, especially for the mains. They get boring in time and change or a plot twist is always a good thing. Noragami Aragato hit the nail on the head when talked about characters. I loved it...What else to say! 

Conclusion

This is, as I said, one of the rare anime, that were not ruined or even just worsened in the second season. Noragami aragoto was epic, I loved it and I really don't know if there is anything I could put down. Animation, Plot, Story Line, Characters, everything is perfect, I highly recommend you to watch it. 

Your AnimeGirl <3 

Coming Up...Review on Arslan Senki (2015) 

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Coming Up-Winter 2016

This year was definitely a great year for all anime lovers out there. Just remember Gangsta, God Eater, Death Parade, One-Punch Man, Noragami Aragoto, Tokyo Ghoul II etc. There were so many! Sure thing, the hopes for 2016 to be awesome are set high because of the anime of 2015. But what will the year 2016 really be like? We don't know for sure, but I took a peak at the Winter Anime Season of 2016. 

From the thing I saw, there were a couple of anime that  are bringing something new and fresh to the new season. Again some Shounen and Slice of Life, Action Thrillers, Fantasy, Magic, Supernatural...Just as always. Some anime did catch my eye and as the AnimeGirl I thought why not share some info with you out there. In this post an overview on three anime from the WINTER SEASON 2016. Enjoy! 

DIVINE GATE is a action, fantasy, Sci-Fi anime that is produced by a well known Production Studio-PIERROT. The same producers of three of my favorite anime Naruto, Tokyo Ghoul and Akatsuki no Yona. I really can't wait to see this anime. Starting on January 8th, the so called "Divine Gate" will open and the living world, the heavens and the underworld will be connected ushering an area of chaos where desires and conflict interact. To stop the chaos the World Council is formed, and as peace is restored again the Gate becomes just an urban legend. Boys and girls who are deemed fit are gathered  by the World Council and have only one goal. To reach the Gate, of course for their personal objectives. The one that reaches it has the right to remake the world. But what lies beyond the Gate, what is it exactly? 

I am very excited about this anime, and therefore put it as first in this post. It is an action loaded anime with a great animation. The idea of the plot is in my opinion great and from the trailer on YT and the PV on MAL I could see some drama and awesome powers and weapons too. The characters also look good and promise good background stories. So in short, I can't wait to see some action, some drama and a good start in the New Year.  

HAI TO GENSOU NO GRIMGAR is an action, drama, adventure and fantasy anime that will start airing on January 11th. I read the synopsis of this anime and it kinda sounded familiar. Let's see if you can grasp it too. The main protagonist of the anime, Haruhiro, suddenly wakes up in darkness not knowing where he is. The others around him where in a same situation. The only thing they knew were their own names. When the darkness lifted they all realized what their world actually looked like. They were trapped in some kind of...Video Game. In order to survive, Haruhiro formed a party with the others, started learning fighting skills and as a soldier in the reserve force he took his first step into the world of Grimgar. 

Sword Art Online... Sorry I mean Hai to Gensou no Grimgar, is a Toho Company production, a not so well known producer (Another, Akira), still the videos I saw promise an awesome animation. From the picture on the right you can clearly see that we'll have another kind of God Eater animation, which is different but very interesting to look at. But let's be serious, why? Why another SAO. Changing only the weapon style doesn't make it another anime. Still, I am not the type of person that judges a book by its cover. I know SAO is SAO, but I'll give HTGNG a chance too. And don't they dare to ruin the action with another romance. 

AJIN is planed to be a 13-episode-long anime that will start airing on January 16th. It is a dark adventure, horror, mystery, seinen and supernatural anime produced by Polygon Pictures. So what is it about now?

The story is set in a world where creatures called Ajin exist. They are actually humans that cannot die. They firstly appeared on a battlefield in Africa seventeen years ago. Today, more Ajins exist hidden within human society. And as a new and special species that is wanted for experimental and research purposes the government wants to generously pay everyone who manages to catch one of these. 

Our main protagonist in this story is Nagai Kei, an ordinary high school student who is waiting for his summer holiday. But this summer will be everything than ordinary. The first thing that caught my attention was the animation. It is exact the same as the one of God Eater. I tried to find if they had a common producer  but I couldn't find details. However, I am sure that it will be another "Boom" in the world of horror and mystery anime just like Tokyo Ghoul. We shall see...

These are the three anime I really am looking forward to in the season of Winter 2016. There are some other names like: Boku dake ga Inai Machi, Dagashi Kashi, Musaigen no Phantom World, Dimension W, Schwarzmarken, Norn 9 and much more. I hope this won't be the last post in beautiful 2015, if yes...AnimeGirl wishes you a HAPPY NEW YEAR and YEAR FULL OF NEW, GOOD and ENTERTAINING ANIME! 

 Your AnimeGirl <3 

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Rokka no Yuusha/ Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers: ANIME REVIEW

A mystery, action, magic, fantasy anime. A ranking of #921 on MAL. A Pony Canyon Production (The producers of "Attack of Titan", "Fairy Tail", "Clannad"...). I really was optimistic about this anime and was looking forward to watching it. Now guess? 

Yes, I didn't like it. I was so disappointed. True it wasn't that bad, but when you have high expectations, even the slightest bad can change your opinion completely.  This time, a review on a rather new anime, ROKKA NO YUUSHA. 

 Plot and Story Line 

This is again one of the stories based on an old legend, with a bit magic and a couple of heroes. Tough it differs a bit and has it's special taste. Now, off to the plot! 

The story is set in, let's say, ancient times. The temples and backgrounds do kinda look like the towns of the Maya or the Incas. I loved the setting for this anime. In such old times, legend were a normal thing. On one of those legends is our anime based on. It's been told that when the Demon God awakens from the depths of darkness, the Goddess of Fate will select six heroes and bequeath them with the power to save the world. One of those heroes is also our main protagonist Adlet, that claims to be the strongest man in the world. He is a skillful fighter with a little trick here and there. He has a very unique fighting style but gets locked away after getting into a fight with the strongest warriors of the kingdom. What a will, I would say. 

While being in custody one night, the time to choose the new generation of the Brave Six came. He was one of the lucky ones to get a blossom tattoo on his hand along with the princess of the kingdom whom he's met some time ago. They start they journey together and hit it off with each other right from the beginning. Their first goal is to find the other four Braves and then draw into the battle against the Demon God together. 

Finally united the Braves realize something very unnatural. There are seven of them. One is a fake. One is the enemy. And they have to figure out who that one is. 
The anime is interesting in the beginning, but as episodes go on it becomes kinda boring. It does keep you on tenterhooks and you can't wait to hear who the "Seventh" one is but I found it rather boring. At some time in the anime I even gave up guessing who the fake is. All their theories become stupid, and the "magic-action-fantasy" anime becomes just a stupid and boring wannabe Sherlock Holmes. Don't think it's a spoiler now, but even the final theory about who the fake is, is so dull and it doesn't make any sense. It really gave the show the final blow to the self-destruction. 
There have been some bright moments, and by that, I mean the rare but good action and fight scenes. I was so looking forward to the fight with the Demon God but the whole Sherlock Holmes act, ruined the story that the anime was actually about in the beginning. You get the feeling that the makers wanted to solve the problem about the seventh very quickly, but got lost in doing so, and forgot what they actually wanted to do. Please! 
Now there is one more segment of the story that kinda brightened it up a little. It's the relationship development between Adlet and Fremy. From hatred to love and trough a deep character development. A side story about self-acceptance and finding a place you belong. Now is there something better. True it also got annoying by the time just as every other part of the story. 
On the whole, the story is good, I can't deny. But it got boring in time. It was not as good as I expected and the whole guessing who the fake is part put the main story and the very intriguing legend part into the shadow.  

Characters 

There is a whole bunch of unique and interesting characters in the story. There was a supporting character that reminded me with his behavior and looks of the baby-diary-holder from Mirai Nikki. I hate creepy Kids, they are the worst. But let's say a few words about the mains, shall we?

Adlet Mayer is the self-proclaimed strongest man in the world, but to be honest he is not far from that. A very skillful fighter and optimist. You probably know that optimism that gets really annoying by the time. He is a fighter with a big heart for everyone. He is also skillful with his words knowing how to convince everyone and even his enemy. He is the kind of character that wants to get to everyone's heart and get to know their life story. And while mentioning it, Adlet has a very interesting past too. He learned that life is not as beautiful as everybody thinks it is and that you have to fight. The thing I didn't like about him, and that's why he annoyed me, was his perfection. I hate perfect characters and I'll always do. I truly have some serious complexes (JK). 

Fremy Speeddraw, is definitely my favorite character in this show. It is really hard to talk about characters when you don'r want to spoil the most interesting parts about them. Although her story is a cliche "Let's move on from the past" it still gets your attention especially in the end when things get complicated and she has to decide-past or future. Fremy was haunted by her past that she is not ashamed of and that's what I like the most about her. Even though she realized that her choices haven't been always the right ones, she moves on. That needs some respect. Fremy, an introvert character that you don't see in every anime. 

 Animetion and Style 

Ah, 2015. What a beautiful year full of awesome animation. Just remember Gangsta and God Eater, then Noragami Aragoto, and don't forget Death Parade and Tokyo Ghoul (A). They all share a beautiful and detailed animation and style, and let me now ask you! What on Earth happened to Rokka no Yuusha. The animation is so poor in colors and details. The style is on a 2006 level, and Code Geass is even better than this being from 2006. There are some beautiful views, but they are very rare. And besides, the only interesting character looks are the ones from Fremy and princess Nashetania (and I am really not sure about the second one because it lines with a cliche look). I expected a better job here, but okay...

Conclusion

On the whole the anime Rokka no Yuusha is not bad, but it also isn't that good. I really expected it to be better especially because of the legend and heroes stuff but I was disappointed in the end. There are some good parts, no denying. So in short now. If you like mystery and anime where there is, let's say, a case to be solved Rokka no Yuusha would be an awesome recommendation for you. But if you want a good legend and an adventure don't watch this. Instead try Akatsuki no Yona or No Game No Life, that would be way better.

Your AnimeGirl <3  

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HAPPY WORLD OTAKU DAY!

It's the 15th of December my dear readers and anime fellows and I hope you all know what that means. Today is the day of all you anime and manga addicts that live in this crazy and colorful world. AnimeGirl wishes you a Happy World Otaku Day, and as addition I spent some time to draw something cute. I hope you like this drawing on the left ( Yes, I do draw a lot, especially in class). Being World Otaku Day I didn't care about my English book, that needs to be read until tomorrow. I spent my whole afternoon watching Noragami Aragoto which is by the way awesome. Can't wait to write a review on the second season. Episode 12/13 will arrive on Friday and I'm truly looking forward to watching it. I hope you also had a nice Otaku day and if Yes, tell me how you spent it! One more time, HAPPY WORLD OTAKU DAY and be safe! 

Your AnimeGirl <3 

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Barbie Fashionistas Swappin' Styles Hollywood Divas

Barbie Fashionistas Swappin' Styles Hollywood Divas 

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Still waiting...

The Pierrot Studios produced, in my opinion, a few of the greatest anime ever. "Naruto" and "Bleach" are enough to say but also "Tokyo Ghoul", "Kingdom", "Beelzebub"... In the Fall 2014 season they released one of my favorite anime. AKATSUKI NO YONA or YONA OF THE DAWN.

Now, the anime ends with the 47 chapter of the manga. And although I am reading the still airing manga (currently on chapter 108) I want more of the anime. And I am 100% sure that I am not the only one! 
And now comes the bad news. There is still no announcement for season two. Nothing! Pierrot is really keeping us on tenterhooks here! While others are celebrating about the new seasons of their favorite anime I have to sit here reading the manga that has some pages still written in Japanese. "Not for use", pff...This story about a princess that goes trough one of the greatest character developments really deserves a second season. It has so many unanswered questions, so many secrets, so many things and fights that are yet to come. This can't just end like this. The last 13 Naruto episodes for example are nothing but fillers (Now this deserves a blog post).Instead of making all those Naruto fillers, why not make a new Yona season? But nooo...


There is a great website called When Will that instantly shares the announcements to new TV premiers. Anime too. Akatsuki no Yona is currently on the 7th place of the "Most Anticipated" anime releases while the first three are, as follows: Tokyo Ghoul, Sword Art Online and High School DxD.    

I hope Pierrot will make up their mind soon, because I don't want to wait much longer. College, adulthood and other crazy stuff is coming so...I think you get what I am trying to say.  

-Your AnimeGirl- 

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Ao Haru Ride/ Blue Spring Ride: ANIME REVIEW

First of all I want to say that it was You who choose this anime to be my next review. In a google+ poll 133 voted and this anime won with 59% of all votes.  I actually never liked romance movies nor romance anime. I always thought that they were boring. Yet, one day I was feeling like I could watch a romance anime (i think it comes with the years) and I decided it to be a manga based anime that has a MAL rating of 7,95. From the makers of "Attack on Titan", "Psycho-Pass" and "Guilty Crown" came in July, 2014 my first romance anime: "Ao Haru Ride". 

Plot and Story Line

It's the first time that the MAL community rated an anime exactly as I did. I gave it an 8 (well 7,95 is close). The story is funny, cute, romantic and realistic. I never believed that I would say this one day, but I really enjoyed this romance. I loved it. Now let's get this started...

To the plot.

It's a fantastic story that, as I believe, happened to most of us at least once in a similar way. There is that cute and nice girl in the middle school called Futaba Yoshioka. She is very popular among the guys in her class and they really like her, but the girls don't. "Jealous girlies". She was alone most of the time, until that one rainy day when she met Kou Tanaka in a shrine where both of them tried to find shelter from the rain. Of curse that event was followed by a couple of other cute and precious memories and they even made plans  for meeting at the Summer Festival. Unfortunately Kou never showed up and literary 

disappeared  afterwards. 

Time passed and Futaba is now a high school student with a complete different attitude and personality. She had enough of being alone all the time and now she gave up her cuteness and femininity so the girls don't become jealous again. Tomboyish  and with a disheveled look she encounters the only guy she ever loved, again. Now with a life turned upside down she tries to find her place where she belongs to. 

With a set plot, let's discuss. The Story Line.  

Where does the strength of Ao Haru Ride lie? In my opinion it is the background story of Kou. As always, Rule No.1. "NO SPOILERS", but I'll tell you this. The whole first season was mainly focused of Futaba trying to reach the old Kou. All the flashbacks that were woven into the present story were amazing. The makers created an intriguing story in the past, that affects the present, which is also a great love story on its own. So you basically get two parallel story lines in the past that meet in the present. I've always loved

 retrospection.   

The second thing that made me love this anime is the diversity of the mini story lines in the show. It doesn't talk about Futaba's and Kou's relationship alone. There are tons of others, for instance my favorite side story line, the relationship between Kou and his older brother Youichi. And there are many more. I just hope that the makers will soon announce a second season, but for now it doesn't look like that. The manga finished airing in February, 2015, so I'll still keep my fingers crossed. 

And now, let's just focus on the main story line. The core, let's say. The romance between Kou and Futaba. I hate the romance genre because it is full of cliches and "I expected that to happen" situations.  But I'll probably give anime romances a chance. Maybe Clanned, but let's talk about that later. Kou and Futaba. It's not just a silly teenage relationship. It goes from that cute kids love to a serious love, and it's so good. There are so many moments where you have to say: "Awwww!". You just have to. It's somehow more realistic and it's not because I am AnimeGirl that caused me love this anime-relationships. They are always so undefined yet clear. They are so cute, and I love cute things. Too bad anime is not real, even love would be much easier. 

As a conclusion, Ao Haru Ride is a fascinating story with an intriguing plot that will keep you on tenterhooks until the last second. There are no plot holes and the story is also smooth without any unnecessary and stupid plot twists. There are always new mini stories that appear, but they slowly make their way into the show. They always appear at the right time to keep you interested till the end. 

Characters

Guys, I could really go on talking about the characters the whole night. They are all so special and interesting in their own way. I give it a 10 for uniqueness. But, as always, here are the main two characters of Ao Haru Ride.

Futaba Yoshioka. You have no idea how much this girl reminds me of my-self. I kinda was in a very similar situation at Middle School too. That's so unbelievable. The only difference is that in middle school I tried to hide my true self, while in high school I did the exact opposite. That's why I was happy when Futaba realized that it's not worth being someone else if there are people who accept you exactly how you are. Also I see myself in the always optimistic and happy-go-lucky person that always wants to break trough the walls that people build around their selves. I loved Futaba and her power and willpower. She is definitely one of my favorite anime characters and probably that is why I have her on my cover photo on Facebook. 

Kou Tanaka or later in the story Kou Mabuchi is the most interesting character in the whole story. I always wanted to know more about him, and luckily the anime reveals his life story, which is believe me or not on e of the best background stories I've ever seen. By the way, I love cats too. He is one of the cool guys acting emotionless while being very sensible and full of emotions on the inside. I love this type of characters because they are always so full of surprises. Funny, he is telling Futaba the whole time how she shouldn't act while doing the same thing. I think that people do that sometimes unconsciously, just as Kou. All the things that happened to him built a wall around him so that nobody can't enter. Nobody can see the real Kou. It never gets boring with this kind of people, believe me. 

Animation

Well, maybe the story isn't, but the animation definitely is a "As expected" since the makers of Ao Haru Ride are also the makers of the anime "Psycho-Pass" and "Guilty Crown" (Check out both of the reviews on my blog). And I hope you have seen the animation of those two. The word BRILLIANT is not enough to describe the stuff that your eyes see when you watch this. I love it, and since I've always found bad animation extremely repelling I was glad that this story came with the animation and style it deserves. 

The idea that I liked the most in Ao Haru Ride is the way they put that watercolor effect in the flashback scenes. Awesome!

Conclusion

If you want to change my opinion about something you really have to have good arguments to convince me. Ao Haru Ride for example really convinced me that romance anime are not bad at all. I loved it. Animation, Story, Plot, Characters. Everything is in its right place. I would really give it a try if you haven't already watched it. 

Your AnimeGirl <3 

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Finally!

As said in the title, FINALLY!  The release date for Tokyo Ghoul Season (III) is there!! The Pierrot studio has renewed the series for another season, slated to air sometime in 2016.The release date was previously set in Summer, 2015, but it didn't come. So hopefully it will air with the beginning of the New Year. 

Tokyo Ghoul was named 27th best-selling manga series in Japan in 2013 and  the 4th best-selling manga series in Japan in 2014.
I am still reading Tokyo Ghoul:re and I am so excited to see what Sui Ishida will do different now, since we actually get two stories-one in the manga and one in the anime. Although there are a lot of guys hating the fact that the anime and manga are not the same, I like it. I mean you get two Tokyo Ghoul stories at the same time. If you ask me which one is better, I think I'd say...The Anime.
The manga is also fantastic but it kinda concentrates too much on violence and brutality. And don't say now I am a little girl who can't stand drawn blood, I love action and good fights. It's just too much. The anime concentrates more on the happenings and "emotions", kinda. 
Although I'll probably be somewhere at university at that time, I won't miss the new season!
What an AnimeGirl would I be?
The next review is coming soon, and I want you to choose the anime...Answer the pool under this LINK.
Your AnimeGirl! 

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Beautiful Bones -Sakurako's Investigation- Episode 7

During the conversation about Sakurako’s autopsy of her pet cat, there was a sequence of close-up shots that only partially framed the face or didn’t show it at all. This practice is quite common in anime, especially during dramatic moments. I think these are done for an effect. Watching a dramatic exchange without seeing the character’s face is visually odd and uneasy, which is an effect that can add tension to the scene. Another effect of these types of shots is they put more emphasis on the voice acting and body language, which at times might be a more effective emotional stimulant than facial expressions.

The aforementioned reasons for these odd and uneasy shots hold true for this sequence in this episode but they also match the mood of the conversation. The visually uncomfortable framing accentuated the naturally unsettling idea of dissecting a pet, an idea that really bothered Shoutarou. There was also a tension between two differing personalities that this odd framing helped bring forth. Shoutarou is more emotionally sensitive while Sakurako can easily detach herself emotionally and think with pure logic.

Another effect of not seeing their faces is when they’re finally shown it can be done for emphasis. Towards the end of this sequence the centered medium close-ups of both characters really punctuated their vastly contrasting feelings on the subject. Sakurako has this cold and unflappable expression, while Shoutarou has a pained and sad look.

There were also a couple of wide shots that were nice visual story images. The first one is a frame within a frame of Sakurako that visually separates the two and reinforces their difference. The second one distorted the size difference. Making Shoutarou appear bigger accentuated his anger and irritation.

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Beautiful Bones -Sakurako's Investigation- Episode 6

The major conflict in this episode was the differing beliefs between Yuri and Isozaki about the issue of suicide. After failing to find the woman they assumed to be suicidal, their disagreement came to a head at the river bank. I thought the visual storytelling in this scene was effective at displaying the conflict, understanding and compromise between the two characters.

Low Angle

High Angle

The first set of visual devices was the commonly used high and low angles. What made the high/low angle usage in this scene a bit different than the usual was it switched on the characters. These switches were narratively driven but also done in practical manner which made the switches feel natural.

If you rewatch the sequence above it starts with Isozaki at the top of the steps and Yuri at the bottom. From a practical sense in order to account for differing elevations of the characters, a low angle was used on Isozaki and a high one on Yuri. Even after Isozaki came down the steps, a low angle was kept on him due to difference in their height. The practical usage also reflected the narrative. Low angle is often used on a dominant figure which is true for Isozaki, a teacher who’s in a position of authority. At this point he was also lecturing Yuri about his beliefs. Yuri is a student expected to defer to a teacher and a high angle reinforced her subordinate status.

When Yuri became more emotionally animated about her beliefs, their positions switched with her at the top of the steps and Isozaki at the bottom. The camera on Yuri switched to a low angle, which matched the change in elevation and the narrative. Yuri’s emotional assertiveness turned her into the dominant voice, which was appropriately emphasized by the low angle. While Isozaki was still stern in his disagreement, there was a tone of acquiescence which was made more prominent by the high angle shot.

Flat

Deep

The other visual devices used were flat space and deep space. So if you keep watching the sequence, you’ll notice the camera switching to a straight-on wide shot as shown in the above-left picture. Despite the shallow depth of field this shot feels very much like a flat space, it lacks perspective lines or depth in movement. Flat space lacks visual intensity, which was quite fitting to the sense of calmness when the two characters reached a form of understanding and compromise. When Isozaki was reasserting his advisor role, the sequence switched to the more visually intense deep space shots. These have prominent perspective lines as shown in the above-right picture. This visual intensity gave his words more weight. The sequence continued to switch between flat and deep space to match the subtle changes in the mood.

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Noragami (2014): ANIME REVIEW

After two months of watching Fairy Tail and still not being done with it, I decided to take a short break with another anime. I did miss the good, short 12-episode-long anime and it was a very good one this time if I may add. A lot of people actually hate short anime, but I like them because they omit the worst possible thing that can happen. The middle-episode catastrophe. Anime such as Zetsuen no Tempest, Guilty Crown etc. are a perfect example. But let's quit talking about that and concentrate on this anime's review: NORAGAMI! 

Plot and Story Line

As expected from a #348 ranked anime on My Anime List, Noragami was very good. After thinking about whether to rate it as a 7 or 8, I gave it a 7. It is a good one but not as good as Mirai Nikki, SAO, NGNL, Gnagsta or Gosick that have a rating of 8. But what is it now about, is the question?

Up to the setting... The world of Noragami is divided into two parts: The Near Shore, the place where people recide, and the Far Shore, or the so called Afterlife where Gods, phantoms and dead souls live. The phantoms, or in Japanese Ayakashi, are emotional fragments that try to posses humans and cause all sorts of trouble. Now, the gods, fight the Ayakashi, and our main protagonist of this anime is none other than Yato, the god of war. They do it with the help of weapons called Shinki that are actually  spirits of dead poeple. 

In the very beginning of the story we meet Yato with his Shinki Tomone, that leaves him shortly after three months of work together. After being left alone, Yato decides to run simple errands without all the ayakashi stuff. And while chasing a little cat, he nearly got hit by a buss, but luckily a girl saved his life. Her name was Iki Hiyori. Hiyori was dead for a second but came back to life afterwards, causing her soul to become unstable and leave her body from time to time. In that "body-less" state Hiyori has a fancy, pink tail. In order to become normal again she asks Yato, as a god, to help her stabilize her soul. He accepts the job for 5 yen, but he firstly needs to find a new Shinki. (I think this an "as expected" situation, and so I don't see it as a spoiler). Yato will eventually find a new Shinki and that's when the whole fun begins. 

When talking about the story it self, it is necessary to mention that it is more the character development that makes the show, rather than the happenings.

The idea behind the anime is very good in my opinion. The spirits and the gods fighting phantoms together, a girl whose soul leaves her body at least twice in one episode and  the steady flash backs from the past. I know I said in the beginning that I love 12-episode-long anime but while some anime would be better with less, Noragami would be better with a few more episodes. The background story of Yato's new Shinki, Yukine,  and the way he died weren't mentioned at all. There are some scenes in one episode where you can grasp a thought, but nothing more. Also, Yato's background story was told but it's not enough. There are a lot of questions left and I really wanted to get the answers in the anime because I don't feel like reading the manga now. Luckily, on October 3rd, 2015 Noragami Aragato (the 2nd season) started and is still airing. I am still not sure if I will start watching before it finishes airing, but I'll see. I think that we might get some answers about Yukine's history but not about Yato's. Still, figers crossed. 

Yet, I consider the character development and all the psychology in the anime to be its main turning point. The way Yato tries to kill the ghosts of his past, the way Yukine is being eaten by the causes of his own death again and the way Hiyori finds acceptance with her new self...Awesome. In addition to that, you also have the various cases of people trying to die or kill that actually happen everyday. Yato kinda finds his own way in solving those, although being the one that said that If they wanted to die, they should. 

And while being very deep from time to time, Noragami is an anime that will sure make you laugh. There are tons of scenes that force at least a smile on your face. Especially Yato, being a person as he is, always does something very entertaining. 

And while talking about entertainment, I don't want to forget all the action in the anime. Awesome fights are one of the shiny sides of Noragami and I definitely expect to see more in the next season. Can't wait for it. 

Noragami has a very smooth plot line with a little plot hole here and there mostly while talking about the past. Still, a good character story and action blended everything out and made it so good. 

Characters

The happy-go-lucky YATO is actually one of the gods of war, but better known as the "God of Calamity". After his first Shinki leaves him, he starts calling him self  "stray delivery god" doing some odd jobs for just 5 yen. When it comes to his personality it's like he has two souls inside. At one moment he is the childish young man that does all kinds of silly things such as buying fake good luck charms. He is really persistent in trying to become a more popular god and so he writes his cellphone number wherever he goes. The other Yato is more serious and very mysterious. Some secrets of the past reveal his old self form a different time, and that is what I found the most intriguing part o the show.

And here is she, our main female, IKI HIYORI. She is a daughter of a respectable family and a martial arts-loving junior high school student. She also has a older brother, and that's my dear readers what you know about her. I little bit more about her life would have made the anime considerably better. When it comes to her personality you can clearly see the positivism she carries all the time and her open and free soul. Also a very caring person that  thinks about others before her self. I hope the second season shows us more about Hiyori because I personally liked her a lot.

And this is now YUKINE, Yato's new Shinki. He is a 14-year-old boy that was found by Yato while wandering around as a small spirit. In the Shinki form he has the name Shekki and transforms into a katana. Yukine died at a very young age and so he misses his normal life as a middle schooler. A bit sad and frustrated he stole money from people thinking it would be alright since he is dead. Luckily Hiyori saves him from becoming a "bad boy" and from then on Yukine becomes more respectful an obedient towards Hiyori and Yato. As said before, I juts hope that we will find out more about his life in the second season. 

Animation and Style

As expected, a very good job done by Bones, the same producers of Fullmeetal Alchemist, Soul Eater, Darker than Black, Gosick etc. The animation is great, I mean it would kinda be impossible  to be bad since we have the year 2014. When it comes to the style, there is something special about it, but I really can't figure out what exactly. I think it's the colors, but whatever it is, I love it. 

Conclusion

I can't wait to see the second season of Noragami. It is really an awesome anime with and intriguing and  well developed plot, nice story line and pretty good characters. I think that there is nothing left to say despite the fact that this anime is worth your time, and worth giving it a try in the second season Noragami Aragato (2015). 

Your AnimeGirl <3

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