Kaleido Star Review

Kaleido Star

Watched 2009 roughly

Type: TV
Complete Episodes: 51/51
Aired: Apr, 2003 to Mar, 2004
Producers: Gonzo, Production I.G, TV Tokyo, Hal Film Maker, ADV Films, FUNimation Entertainment, G&G Entertainment, Horipro, MediaNet

Kaleido Star is an original anime created by Junichi Sato, and written by Reiko Yoshida.

Kaledio is not your standard anime. Its a anime about a troop of performers who work at the most famous ring in the world. Sora is a young woman who has come to the troop to follow her dream and perform with her idol. Sora is a good performer but what’s her more special is her endless determination. It doesn’t matter what she comes across, doesn’t matter who tries to bring her down. Sora will rise again. She is a wonder female character which as much determination of any of the boys in a sports anime.

Honestly, I love sports anime and that is likely part of the joy in this anime as well. There are obstacles to face. And they all dive head first to over come them. Working together to pull of stunts and create plays which will truly entertain and inspire the audience. In some ways the motivation of these characters are more noble than that in sports animes. Sora wants to be the best, but more than that she wants to make the audience happy. She will literally do anything to put a smile on someone’s face.

It is that fire in her which helps her gain the hearts of her colleagues. Helps her reawaken the love of performing in her idol. And more than anything, inspires everyone to grow and become the best performers they can do. The plot arcs are interesting the performances Sora and the troop but on are beautiful. I’m not sure how many of them are actually feasible in real life, however this anime so you have to accept a couple of things.

This anime is gold to me. It opened my eyes to new set of animes that were sports but showed how powerful passion can be in people. Showed how drive people are to change and succeed in their dreams. Dreams which aren’t just to beat everyone else. But dreams of actually being the best and inspiring others to become the best as well. 

Chrno Crusade Review

Chrno Crusade

Watched 2009 roughly

Type: TV

Completed Episodes: 24/24

Aired: Nov, 2003 to Jun, 2004

Producers: Gonzo, ADV Films^L,FUNimation Entertainment^L, Lantis,Kadokawa Shoten, Fuji TV

Chrno Crusade was a Manga adaptation originally written by Daisuke Moriyama.

This anime is one which i personally loved but for not many know about it. It is a wonderful anime. It is also surprising bright and light compared to others of its genre. So we have Chrno, a demon. He was once high ranking but rebelled to try and gain freedom. Its a little complicated but he ends up killing the love of his life and gets sealed away. Eventually he get released and forms a contract with one Rosette Christopher in order to save her brother from another demon. The two work for the church to destroy demons.

As normal, this series has several minor plot line that seem unrelated but end up being entwined together. Rosette is a cool character but she is a stubborn loud mouth who has no problems with telling you what’s what. But she is a good person. Risking her life every time she fights. Quite literally as every time Chrno uses his powers, he uses up some of Rosette’s life force.

Chrno is properly one of the most un-demon characters you are likely to meet. He’s caring and sweet. Even when Rosette is being unreasonable. When you get him angry though, that’s when you see the demon in him. The fights scenes in this are pretty cool as well. These are characters who stick with you even after you have watched it.

The ending is sad. Tear worthy even. Perfect but it did make me cry. Anyway. This was gold to me. It caught my heart and my imagination. And added some colour into the genre of demons, making a change to the normal dark colours which are the norm.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Review

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha

Watched roughly 2008

Type: TV
Aired: 2004-2007, 2015
Producers: Geneon Universal Entertainment, Seven Arcs, A Line, FUNimation Entertainment

This anime was the second ever Magical Girl Anime I watched, the first being Sailor Moon. Nanoha was something, is still something, that I have a special place in my heart for even years after watching it. I squealed with delight once I learned it is getting a fourth series this summer (2015) and I am eagerly looking forward to seeing how the writers combat the change in Magical Girl genre. Will they change their formula or stay true to the Nanoha franchise?

So Nanoha. Nanoha is a sweet pure heart girl who ends up on a quest to save the earth. I didn’t say the plot was original, I said the show had a special place in my heart. Nanoha is such a heart warming character, who more times than not, tries to make friends with her enemies. She is a power mage, despite being from earth and forms a close bond with the boy she is trying to help, Yuuno.

The first series is set while she is still very young. Not even in junior high yet. Nanoha stumbles upon an injured talking ferret after hearing his telepathic cries for help. The ferret turns out to be Yuuno, an archaeologist and mage from another world who had accidentally scattered the dangerous Jewel Seeds throughout Earth. Stuck as a ferret until his powers return, Yuuno recruits young Nanoha to find the Jewels Seeds before they fall into the hands of evil. Granting her a red jewel which allows to use magic to defeat the monsters. However someone else is looking for the Seeds as well.

Enter, Fate. Fate’s mother is the villain for much of the first season. Wanting the seeds for her own gains and not afraid to use her daughter in order to do so. Fate is stubborn, strong and bad ass. She also comes with her own fox familiar who helps look after her. Arf.

The first season is cute and heart warming with some sad moments. Eventually ending with Fate’s mother defeated, Nanoha becoming friends and Fate getting arrested for her mothers evil deeds. Yuuno leaving Nanoha to go home. Nanoha left to her own devices on earth. Though she is able to keep in touch with Fate.

Six months later and Second two starts :Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A (2005)

We are introduced to Nanoha, who is eagerly awaiting the day she can be reunited with Fate. However her peaceful life is once again shattered as a powerful mage attacks. Fate appearing to help. With a new found enemy, Nanoha must once again team up with Yunno, Fate, Arf and more to keep her home safe.

This season was sadder than the first in many ways, though it does have a happy conclusion. A group of violent mages have been attacking anything with magic power for their own goals and when they attack Nanoha, they set out to stop them before they can hurt anyone else. Fate enrolls at Nanoha’s school and there is a very cute side plot about all their friends. Including one very sick friend, Hayate Yagami, who turns out to be connected to the mysterious mages. Another important thing is that the mages are so powerful, Nanoha and Fate have to upgrade their equipment to a much more dangerous version. They are both warned not to over do it or it could cause massive damage to their bodies.

Back to Hayate. Hayate is a lovely character and as sweet as Nanoha and Fate. Which is partly how she has gained the loyalty of these mages. Hayate is suffering from a family curse, with no obvious way to fix it. As the story moves on, we learn more and more about the intentions of the mages.

As stated earlier, there is a happy ending and everything is fixed. But not before some pretty heavy angst considering these girls are all still 9 years old. The ending points to the future.

And onwards we go to season 3. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS (2007)

Set 10 years after. Yes. 10 years. Our girls are all grown up now and teaching the next generation of fights. All with some really cool weaspons of their own. Nanoha is a famous hero and well respected teacher. And things have not been easy. She may not be the naive little girl any more but she is still a strong believer in right and wrong. And still able to break the hearts of many.

Seeing these girls grow was a fantastic idea and they did not ignore the ten years in between. Nanoha has suffered. She overworked her body and due to the upgraded system of her weapon, almost died. We learn this as the guys explain to the students just why Nanoha is so strict with them and doesn’t let them overwork too much. She almost lost the ability to walk. To fly.

Nanaho is a strong character who evolves and grows with the challenges she faces, while never losing that part of her with is truly special.

And I look forward to watching the fourth instalment. Four years later. How will Nanaho be now?

Anywhere, this little universe is Platinum for me.

Ah! My Goddess Review

Ah! My Goddess

Watched 2009 roughly.

Type: TV

Completed Episodes: 24/24

Aired: Jan, 2005 to Jul, 2005

Producers: Bandai Visual, AIC, TBS,Media Blasters

Disclaimer: This are my own opinions are in no reflect anyone else. If someone disagrees, feel free to comment with your own

Standard anime tropes from this era. Bare in mind, I watched this anime soon after watching ‘DearS’ and ‘Chobits’, this anime was not all that everyone made it out to be. I am willing to admit I am more a Shounen person than a Shoujo but this. Okay, this anime was properly considerably better as a Shoujo then anything else. Enjoying a time when not every romance had to have a harem or ecchi scenes in it. This show was a fine anime. At best, I’d give it a silver.

So the plot. Well. I can remember the beginning and the end. So I guess I watched it all the way though, but considering I remember little else, I can’t say it was a brilliant story. It was a good story. Refreshingly light hearted even. Especially when compared with more die hard romances where they fall in love in five seconds flat. The story starts out with a recently rejected young man attending college who accidentally calls the Goddess Hotline. In this world, the Goddess’ are supposed to bring happiness to people and in order to this, Heaven has set up a hotline where people who are good but suffering misfortune can call up to make a wish. Yep, that’s a thing now. So how many of you can guess where this is going?

To be fair, the young man, Keiichi Morisato does not say ‘Stay with me forever’ because he actually wants the goddess, Belldancy too. He thinks this is all a joke. And is more than a little surprised when the wish is granted and Belldandy remains with him instead of going back to Heaven. This of causes a number of problems, first of which being housing as he lives in a male only dorm. Though everyday problems and not so everyday problems, (Belldandy has two sister who both show up to create more trouble), the two fall in love and eventually live happily ever after. After the big finale mind you but that would give the plot away. Kind of.

The story is an odd mix of cultures and ideas. Most of the ideas and names seem to come from Nordic and Celtic origins, which only make things stranger when put into context with the Japanese setting. Belldandy and Keiichi are a sweet couple. Both very pure hearted and do genuinely seem to fall for each other. Even with the rest of the cosmos seemingly trying to get in the way. Its just nothing overwhelming special to me. But remember it had been some time since I watched this. The outfits were pretty cool though.