Sailor Moon Crystal: Episodes 19-26 (Review)

Keeping my promise from three months ago, I am reviewing the final 8 episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal, but since I'm covering eight episodes, I will be making a brief summary of what happened in the episodes.

WARNING! THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

From where the story left off in episode 18, episode 19 starts off the part of the second arc that I personally call "The Battle in the Future," which exactly happens when the Sailor Guardians, Tuxedo Mask, and Chibi-Usa go to the future with the help of Sailor Pluto. In this future, the citizens of Crystal Tokyo are in a deep sleep (including Neo-Queen Serenity). When they reach the castle, they meet up with a spiritual projection of King Endymion, and he reveals that Chibi-Usa is Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's future daughter. Of course, at several moments of the story, the Black Moon Clan would attempt to attack the kingdom (even going so far as capturing Sailor Moon herself). Soon, the worst happens when Wiseman captures Chibi-Usa, and turns her into Black Lady. Afterwards, Black Lady captures Tuxedo Mask, and hypnotizes him to attack Sailor Moon. However, this all changes when Prince Demande (of the Black Moon Clan) gets his hands on the Legendary Silver Crystal of the Past and the Future, and tries to put them together before Sailor Pluto sacrifices her life to stop him. Her death causes Black Lady to change back into Chibi-Usa. However, it's revealed that her power has finally awaken, and she becomes a Sailor Guardian (Sailor Chibi Moon). Then, Wiseman reveals his his final form, Death Phantom, and takes both Sailor Moon and Tuxedo mask to Nemesis. At that moment, both Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion awaken to tell Chibi-Usa to help both Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask defeat Death Phantom once and for all. When she finally finds them, the three of them obliterate Death Phantom and Crystal Tokyo returns back to its original glory. Soon, the Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask return back to the past, and Chibi-Usa returns to Crystal Tokyo...until Neo-Queen Serenity sends her back to be trained in the ways of a Sailor Guardian by Sailor Moon.

From what I watched, the story remained pretty faithful to the manga just like the other episodes did. Of course, I have to admit that I really enjoyed this anime, even though it's unknown right now if there will be a continuation anime based on the later arcs. I hope this does happen one day, but we may have to wait and see until then.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Soul Eater (Review)

For the first time for this blog, I am going to do a review for a series that was requested to me by one of my friends, Joshua Maldonado. The series that he requested was actually one that I was very interested to watch, and that series is none other than Soul Eater.

Soul Eater is an anime adaptation of the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo, and it was originally aired on television from April 2008 to March 2009. The anime was directed by Takuya Igarashi (who also directed several of the Ojamajo Doremi anime series), and the animation studio behind the adaptation was none other than Bones (who were the minds behind the anime adaptations of Wolf's Rain, Eureka Seven, and both anime adaptations of Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist.

The plot of Soul Eater is based around the students of the Death Weapon Meister Academy (or the DWMA for short), which is run by Shinigami (or Lord Death in the English dub). In the school, the students are split into two different categories: Weapons and Meisters. The weapon students have the ability to transform into weapons used against evil creatures (such as witches), and the meister students are the chosen wielders of the weapons that the Weapon students turn into. The main goal that is given to each meister and weapon team is that they must fight and collect the souls of 99 evil humans and one witch for the weapon student to become a Death Scythe, which makes them become a weapon for Shinigami to use. The main students who are the main focus of the series is Maka and her partner, Soul (who can turn into a scythe). Maka is the daughter of Shinigami's current death scythe, Spirit, and is very dedicated to her work as a meister. Soul is a very laid-back character who has a talent at playing the piano, but when he's working together with Maka, he becomes very useful (even though both Maka and Soul bicker at each other throughout the majority of the series). Other meister and weapon teams includes Black Star (an arrogant yet determined assassin) and Tsubaki (who can turn into weapons used by assassins), and Death the Kid (Shinigami's son) and his partners who can turn into pistols, Liz and Patty.

The plot goes more along the lines of following the student's missions until the introduction of the villains at certain points of the series, which includes Medusa, Arachne (who is the leader of the group, Arachnophobia), and finally, the major and most feared antagonist of the series, Asura. Other characters in the series include the meister and weapon duo, Chrona and Ragnarok, teachers of the DWMA (like Dr. Stein), and even the legendary weapon Excalibur is a character within the world of the series (even though many of the characters are annoyed by his characteristics and rules for him to become a meister's personal weapon.

Like several other anime based on manga, the series itself has a great amount of humorous moment within the plot to make the story very enjoyable, but it does have its share of dramatic moments involving such things as character and story development, intense scenes involving several of the characters in peril, and other plot related material. In a way, it balances out the entertainment values of the series.

In the terms of Soul Eater, it is very well done on its story and characters. I found the series very entertaining, and I have to give some additional credit to FUNimation (who owns the North American license to the series) for their dub. Like the series, the dub is very entertaining, and the voices are very well cast. As said, I highly recommend this series.

Soul Eater is available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD from FUNimation Entertainment, and the series is also available to watch from FUNimation's streaming services and Netflix.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Further Sailor Moon Crystal Reviews Postponed

Hey everyone.

From reading the title, I have a strong feeling of what you are about to say: "Nolan, you have reviewed 19 episodes so far! Why are you postponing your Sailor Moon Crystal reviews again?"

Well, my answer is that since there are 6 episodes left and that the last episode left off on Chibi-Usa telling Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, and Tuxedo Mask that she's going to take them to the 30th Century, I thought it would be better if I reviewed the remainder of the arc in total. So that means, I'll be able to do a proper review of 8 episodes in three months time than continuing a one two-episode review per month. So, until July, there will be no reviews of Sailor Moon Crystal episodes until then.

However, I will go back to reviewing other anime series, movies, and OVAs in the meantime.

- Nolan

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episodes 17-18 (Review)

Well, it's been another month, and that means that two more episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal has been released.

WARNING! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

So far, two of the Sailor Guardians have been captured by the Black Moon clan, and the remaining three Guardians have found out that Chibi-Usa is their target. As they discuss their plans, Makoto (Sailor Jupiter) is suffering from a terrible cold, and she meets up with one of her classmates. However, one of the two remaining Specter sisters do an all-out attack on her, and both Usagi and Minako (Sailor Venus) come to the rescue to only defeat the Specter sister in her tracks. However, Makoto is captured by Rubeus. After he leaves with Makoto, the Sailor Guardians find one of the Specter sister's earrings, and after Chibi-Usa sees it, she freaks out in fear. Then, the final Specter sister goes ahead with her plan to get her revenge for the deaths of her sisters. Soon, Usagi finds out that her broach (that contains the Legendary Silver Crystal) has been stolen by Chibi-Usa, but finds her before Rubeus appears. As Rubeus tries to attack them, Tuxedo Mask appears just in time to save them. Rubeus then retreats as Usagi helps Minako fight the final Specter sister, and kills her off for good. Afterwards, Chibi-Usa reveals that she couldn't use the Legendary Silver Crystal of the Past or the Future in opposite timelines in front of Usagi, Minako, and Tuxedo Mask, and she begs for Usagi to save her mother in the 30th century.

The more we get into, the more intense the story gets.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episodes 15-16 (Review)

Well, a new arc started at the end of episode 14, and things are about to get intense for the Sailor Guardians.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

At the end of Episode 14, we are introduced to a new character: a pink-haired girl who fell from the sky who claims her name is Usagi. Just as things get weird, the girl pulls a gun on Usagi, and demands her to give her the "Legendary Silver Crystal." Soon, she pulls the trigger, and a plunger dart hits Usagi's forehead as Mamoru pulls the girl away. Finally, the girl runs off right before Usagi and Mamoru look for her. They eventually find her at a playground where they give her the name, Chibi-Usa. Afterwards, as they arrive at Usagi's house, Chibi-Usa pulls out her iconic Luna P ball, and hypnotizes Usagi's parents and brother. Of course, this leads to Luna wondering about Chibi-Usa, while Usagi assumes that she's an enemy.

Meanwhile, Rei discovers that there is a new threat: The Black Moon Clan. Afterwards, it is revealed that the Black Moon Clan is after what they call "The Rabbit." Soon, they begin to kidnap any Sailor Guardian that gets in the way. First up is Rei. She was captured at her school fair after Koan (one of the Black Moon Clan's Specter Sisters) used her never-ending blue flame on her as the other Sailor Guardians watch in horror while Rubeus (the leader) takes her away. They soon find out that Chibi-Usa was watching in the shadows all along, and she eventually heads to Mamoru's house with Luna following her. Mamoru realizes that she is full of fear for some particular reason, and he helps cheer her up. As this goes on, Chibi-Usa reveals that her actual name is Small-Lady after her Luna P ball repeats it a couple of time. The following morning, Mamoru brings Chibi-Usa back to Usagi's house, and he assures her along with Luna that she is not an enemy.

Soon, it is revealed that the Black Moon Clan's next kidnapping target is Ami. They send another Specter Sister, Berthier, to challenge Ami to a chess game, but gives her a choice to give up "The Rabbit" (which the Sailor Guardians think is a reference to Usagi). However, Ami wins the game before she is captured in a water sphere, and taken away by Rubeus right after Berthier's defeat.

What will happen next? Guess we'll have to see next month for episodes 17 and 18.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Review)

Well, with the Oscars coming up, I decided to review one of the nominees for Best Animated Feature, and it's none other than Isao Takahata's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

In 2013, Studio Ghibli released two animated films: The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and both films had their share of success. With The Wind Rises being quoted as Hayao Miyazaki's swansong, Kaguya was Takahata's first film since his 1999 film, My Neighbors The Yamadas. It wasn't until last year when GKIDS gave the film a limited theatrical release in the United States, and it received much praise from the critics which included getting a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

I have to give credit where credit is due: the director himself, Isao Takahata, and his choice of animation style. Ever since the release of his 1968 directorial debut, Horus, Prince of the Sun (also known as The Little Norse Prince in some territories), he has directed visually-unique films that are either very entertaining or very dramatic, and this is especially true in the cases of Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, and My Neighbors The Yamadas. In his major comeback since Yamadas, He chooses a visual style that is based off of older Japanese illustrations, and in a way, it is both impressive and beautiful to look at on screen.

Of course, there is also the story of which Kaguya is based off from, and it is none other than the ancient Japanese folktale, "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." The folktale itself is about a bamboo cutter and his wife finding a small princess in a bamboo shoot, and they raise her as she continues to grow like bamboo. Soon, the bamboo cutter and his wife ends up buying a mansion for the princess, and they later find out a major secret from her. Takahata remains faithful in his adaptation of the story, but he did make a few changes and cuts to the story to make it more appropriate for the big screen.

In my opinion, the film itself has to be one of the most visually entertaining and dramatic animated films I've ever seen in my life. However, the film does become very emotional in the third act, so if you get emotional during sad or depressing scenes, make sure to have some tissues handy before watching the film.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 13-14 (Review)

Well, the final battle between the Sailor Moon and the evil Queen Metalia happened this month, and all I have to say was "It was intense."

WARNING! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

It all starts with a recap of Usagi making the choice of taking her life along with a possessed Mamoru, and the Legendary Silver Crystal grows and covers both of their bodies. After Queen Metalia takes the crystal for herself, the remaining Sailor Guardians start their battle against her on Earth, and both Luna and Artemis go to the Chamber of Prayer after arriving on the moon. However, the Sailor Guardians are defeated, and Luna starts to pray for Usagi. Meanwhile, Usagi wakes up inside Metalia (realizing that both her and Mamoru are not dead) and the Crystal reveals its powers to Usagi. She then escapes from inside Metalia with a now awaken Mamoru, and even Mamoru gets one final visit with the spirits of the Four Kings. Finally, Usagi uses the Crystal's powers to defeat Metalia once and for all, with a little help from Luna's prayers. With Metalia finally defeated, Usagi wakes up to find Mamoru checking on her, and they kiss. Soon, Luna calls for Usagi to return to the moon, but she finds out that her brooch was damaged when she defeated Metalia. However, she uses the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal to return to the moon to receive a new brooch from the spirit of Queen Serenity, and she heals the Earth from the darkness that remained from Metalia. The Sailor Guardians are reunited with Serenity, and everything is back to normal....right?

Oh, wait. I forgot that we're only halfway through the series. So, at the end of episode 14, we are introduced to a new character, a pink-haired little girl who fell from the sky who calls herself "Usagi." And, she is looking for the Legendary Silver Crystal. This is going to be interesting.

From what I saw, these two episodes were pretty faithful to the events of the manga, especially the introduction of a new character. Well, all I have to say is that the story isn't over yet, my fair readers. Looks like we are going into another story arc.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

M.D. Geist (OVA): A Review

Dang. It's been awhile since I reviewed an older anime, but I now decided to go back to do my job as an anime reviewer for this blog. So, what am I reviewing this time?

M.D. Geist, huh? Well, it looks like I'm doing one of the bad titles this time.

M.D. Geist was a post-apocalyptic/science-fiction original video animation (OVA) that was released back in 1986 (with a director's cut that contained five minutes of additional footage that was created ten years later). Some of the big things about this title is that it was one of the works of Koichi Ohata (who would later direct Cybernetics Guardian, Genocyber, Burst Angel, and the Blue Gender movie), and it was one of U.S. Manga Corps' favorite titles (since they later released a special edition DVD of the anime and had the character in their logo). However, it is known publicly as one of the worst anime titles to come out during the early days of late 80s/early 90s anime that came to the United States.

But, you are probably wanting to ask what is my opinion of the OVA. I shall explain it to you now.

The first OVA episode that came out in 1986 was probably one of the cheesiest things I have seen for an anime that came out around that time. From the over-the-top violence and a scene of nudity, you can really tell that it is a schlocky anime. However, for some reason, I was enjoying how schlocky it was, and the early 90s English dub is more along the lines of "this is our first try" bad. The OVA itself is about a man by the name of Geist, who was a part of the most dangerous (M.D.) soldiers to fend off enemies, and how he "helps" an army stop a doomsday device. Pretty much, the story is pretty generic, but my question is about this anime is: "How is this different than the other doomsday device stories?" Well, the only answer that the anime gives me is "Is Geist a good guy or a bad guy?" After watching the first OVA, I couldn't really think of Geist as a good protagonist due to how the anime portrayed him. So, technically, the anime has a "we must stop the doomsday device" storyline with a main character who is very difficult to understand.

However, things get worst in the 1996 sequel, M.D. Geist II: Death Force, where the world that the anime is based in gets taken over by carnivorous insect-looking robots (Yeah. I don't get that concept either.). We find out that Geist was genetically created along with another M.D. soldier named Krauser (who sees himself as a perfectly-created hero for the world), and how the two eventually face off against each other at Krauser's fortress (which keeps the remaining human surviors). There's not really much I can talk about this one except for the story jumping around everywhere, the carnivorous robots, and the dub. Oh boy. The dub for this one is so terrible that I busted out laughing at how some of the lines were delivered and the bad writing.

So, as I can come up, M.D. Geist is indeed a bad anime. Is it the worst I've seen? My answer is no. The way I see the OVA in total is that it's one of those "so bad it's good" anime titles. However, my recommendation for this film is going to be a bit different. If you like something with a good amount of schlock and bad dubbing, I would say watch it. But, if you're personally not into schlock, I wouldn't recommend it.

Anyway, I shall be looking forward to my next review. What older anime title will I review next? I will probably have to look deep within my anime collection for that one.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episodes 11-12 (Review)

Well, this month, audience saw a complete twist to the story which resulted in emotional moments that the Sailor Guardians faced.

WARNING! THIS REVIEW DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS!

We last left off seeing that Mamoru is now under the control of Queen Beryl, and now, he's going by his original incarnation's name, Endymion. Plus, with Queen Beryl controlling the strings, he is after the Legendary Silver Crystal, and he has even brain-washed Motoki, who works at the arcade. Soon, the Sailor Guardians are up against him, and Usagi being reluctant to fight him. Then, Queen Beryl comes in and reveals the true villain to the Guardians: Queen Metalia. However, before she can escape with Mamoru, Queen Beryl is finally killed off, and Usagi follows Mamoru into the Dark Kingdom. The four other guardians follow suit, but they are greeted by the Four Kings. However, the guardians are able to purify them before Queen Metalia finishes them off for good for disobeying her orders. Afterwards, Usagi makes the most difficult decision to help bring Mamoru back to his senses, which may cost her life to do.

Besides changing the manga's story by having the Four Kings remain as long as they did in this reboot, there were some alterations and cuts made to have the story give the story a bit more flow in the show's case. However, this leaves the question, what will happen now? Well, with the New Year coming in a couple of days, we won't have that long to wait.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episodes 9-10 (Review)

After a pretty dramatic cliffhanger at the end of episode 8, the Sailor Guardians face some big revealing information within both episodes nine and ten, and if you are a hardcore Sailor Moon fan, then you already know what the big reveal is.

WARNING! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

As we begin episode nine, we start off by recapping the end of episode eight where Tuxedo Mask is hit by a energy blast. Believing that he's dead, Usagi begins to cry out, until...

Yep. Her powers turns her into Princess Serenity, and one of her tears turns into the "Legendary Silver Crystal." Also, Sailor V's crescent symbol on her forehead turns into the Venus symbol. The Princess's memories re-awakens in Usagi as she sees the flashbacks of her and Prince Endymion of Earth (aka Tuxedo Mask). Soon, the powers of the Crystal goes into Tuxedo Mask, and the Dark Kingdom runs off taking him with them. After several days, Usagi and the other Sailor Guardians finally decide to go to the Moon.

Meanwhile, the Four Kings of Heaven's memories start to re-awaken in episode ten as they look upon the unconscious Tuxedo Mask, and it is revealed that they were once Endymion's loyal soldiers. However, Queen Beryl puts them under her control again, and send them to fight the Sailor Guardians once again. During this time, the Sailor Guardians arrive on the moon where they meet up with a memory message from Queen Serenity, who reveals the entire story of what happened many years ago to them. They then swear that they will defeat the Dark Kingdom, and Usagi swears that she will rescue Tuxedo Mask. When they get back, they are attacked by the Four Kings, but before they can re-store their memories, the Four Kings retreat. And, we end off with Queen Beryl brainwashing Tuxedo Mask, leaving us with a new plot twist.

So far, the episode have been close to the manga, except for some changes to the story as usual. However, whatever happens next depends on what is seen in both episodes eleven and twelve next month.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 6-8 (Review)

Since I last left off on Episode 5 and made a difficult decision to delay reviews of Episode 6 and 7 until Episode 8 was released, there was beginning tension towards Tuxedo Mask by Luna, and Sailor Moon was then chosen to lead the Sailor Senshi. So, instead of separating each episode into short paragraphs, I will combine the aspects of all three episodes into one.

WARNING! THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

We begin when Luna and the Sailor Senshi start to suspect Tuxedo Mask of being an enemy instead of an ally. However, Usagi still has feeling towards Tuxedo Mask, even though she still doesn't know who he is yet. Meanwhile, Mamoru is still trying to find out the secret of the Legendary Silver Crystal. It isn't until the Dark Kingdom attacks the city through the process of mind-control like they did in several of the previous episodes. Soon, a battle between the Dark Kingdom and the Sailor Senshi commences, and at the right moment, Tuxedo Mask comes in to help Sailor Moon. After Usagi faints from exhaustion, Mamoru takes her to his apartment where she wakes up in his bed with him looking at her from the doorway. It's at this moment that Usagi finds out that the man who always picked on her since the first episode is none other than her ally. Mamoru reveals to Usagi that he has been alone most of his life after his parents died in a car accident. He survived the crash but lost his memory, and he has recently been getting dreams about getting the Legendary Silver Crystal. He believes that it would help him regain his memories of who he once was. Afterwards, Usagi leaves but realises that she accidentally took a pocket watch that belonged to Mamoru. She soon meets up with the other Sailor Senshi, who find out that there is a DVD store that are renting out DVDs commanding people to capture Sailor Moon. Of course, the Dark Kingdom end up having another battle with the Sailor Senshi after they cure the citizens from the effects of the DVDs. However, another surprise comes when Sailor V comes in to assist them with their battle. Sailor V reveals that she is none other than the missing princess that the Sailor Senshi has been looking for, and they all meet up after she reveals that her other identity is Minako Aino and reveals that she also has Artemis, a white talking cat, to aid her. After a while, Usagi runs into Mamoru again and informs him about the pocket watch, but he tells her to keep it since she's keeping his Tuxedo Mask identity a secret. Luna also ends up running into Artemis, and he reveals that Mamoru is actually very important for their mission. Soon, the Dark Kingdom return again, and another battle commences that ends up leading another turn of events.

As much as I continue watching the series, the more I enjoy it, but these several episodes has their own changes along with them. Several things were cut from the manga, and another huge change comes around when it comes to Minako being a character that wants to do stuff by herself (which is never seen in Chapter 8 of the manga). From this point on, it looks like that there will be some major stuff to be revealed.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Holding Off of Sailor Moon Crystal Reviews...For Now

Hello everyone.

Ever since I wrote the review for the first episode of Sailor Moon Crystal, I've been excited to write more reviews for the blog, and watching the series as well. However, for the past couple of reviews I did for each episode of the series, I could only write so much to very little without giving any type of detailed spoilers.

So, am I ceasing to write more episode reviews? The answer, sadly, is yes. If I can't write much about a single episode (which I normally write about a paragraph or two), then I feel that I can't give it a fair review. So, I came up with a solution. I will write a review for the recently aired episode 6 and several of the upcoming episodes on a later date, so I could have more to write about for a more interesting review. I will be working on a three-episode review which will be based around episodes 6 to 8, and I will then do two-episode reviews from then on (pretty much, I'm reviewing the two episodes they air a month).

Hopefully, this will work out a bit better for any upcoming reviews on this blog.

- Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 5 (Review)

That time has come again, and a brand new episode of Sailor Moon Crystal was posted yesterday on Hulu. Of course, we were introduced to Makoto Kino, who is also known as Sailor Jupiter in the series.

In the manga, she was indeed introduced in the 5th chapter, but her first appearance in the original anime adaptation wasn't until episode 25. However, since the new anime is closely based on the manga, introducing her as soon as possible was indeed the best choice.

For the details of the episode itself, much of the chapter is adapted pretty well, but it did go through several changes and additions like episode 2 did. However, I did like some of the explanations that where in the additional flashback scenes which helped describe Makoto's character a little bit more than it did in the manga (which was described by her briefly at the end of the chapter). But, many of the characteristics of Makoto felt like they were very good in a lot of ways as well as her moments as Sailor Jupiter. Along with the brief glimpses of Tuxedo Mask, still making him a mysterious character as usual in this part of the series is very fitting.

Of course, the episode's ending brings along a new type of responsibility for the Sailor Guardians, which we will probably see in the next episode.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Road To Ninja: Naruto The Movie (Review)

Well, it's been a while since I reviewed another movie or series, and yesterday, I had the chance to see Road To Ninja: Naruto The Movie at a local Alamo Drafthouse near my hometown. Road To Ninja is the ninth film in the Naruto series (the sixth Naruto: Shippuden film), and it was originally released on July 28, 2012. However, Viz Media (who owns the North American distribution rights to both the Naruto anime and manga) got the rights to the film, and with the collaboration of Eleven Arts (an American film distribution company), the film was able to get a limited North American theatrical release this past weekend.

As an anime/manga fan, I know of the Naruto series really well, and getting the chance to see Naruto on the big screen is something new for an American fan, since the United States hardly ever gets anime films shown in theaters (with the exception of the Studio Ghibli films). 

The film itself is actually based around Naruto and Sakura getting put into an alternate reality by Madara (who is previously called Tobi in the series) where Naruto's parents are still alive and Sakura's parents sacrificed their lives to protect the village from the Nine-Tail Fox. Also, everyone that Naruto and Sakura know have different personalities, Sasuke is back in the village, and everyone calls Naruto Menma. Plus, Madara is aiding a new enemy within this alternate universe that he had created. So, both Naruto and Sakura must find a way to get back to their own universe.

Much can be said about the film, but there are many moments that, if explained in full detail, I would spoil the movie for those who are now currently waiting for Viz's announcement for the Blu-ray and DVD release. What I can say however is that the film is fun, entertaining, and probably answers a question that any Naruto fan would ask: What if Naruto's parents didn't die during the Nine-Tails attack? The animation is stunning and beautiful, and it goes along well with the unique story (written by Naruto creator, Masashi Kishimoto). I would have to say that the film can be easily enjoyed by any hardcore Naruto fan. Believe it!

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 4 (Review)

Last time, on the Team AnimeManga blog, the third episode of the Sailor Moon Crystal was reviewed, and now...the fourth episode.

For the first three episodes, we were introduced to much of the main characters, but for this episode, which is based on the fourth chapter of the original manga, we ended up taking a break to go to a fancy ball. I'm not kidding. Act 4: Masquerade Dance Party (aka Episode Four) is one of those moments in the original manga where it slowed the story down a bit, and how Toei Animation adapted this chapter in the reboot is a bit amazing.

For starters, there was little omitted content, but there was a good amount of additions which actually explained some of the story that wasn't well explained in the original chapter. Of course, the ball scenes were, in my opinion, beautifully animated. In the end, the episode ended with a mysterious side note, and a sneak peak for the next episode.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 3 (Review)

So, today, the third episode of the Sailor Moon reboot was released, and just like last episode, it introduced a new character.

"Act 3: Rei, Sailor Mars" introduces us to Rei Hino, a maiden at Hikawa Shrine, who senses demonic powers, and recently, a rumored bus has been kidnapping individuals late in the evening. Now, in the original anime, Rei wasn't introduced until Episode 10 (just two episodes after Ami was introduced). Also, Rei isn't the only new character to the show, we also have the introduction of both Nephrite and Zoisite (who were both introduced in Episode 14), and they are both members of the Four Kings of the Dark Kingdom just like Jadeite.

And now, to see how faithful the episode was to the third chapter of the original manga. As I looked back and forth from watching the episode to reading the manga, there were only some to little major changes, and there were skipped panels as well. As I've been watching these episodes, it only seems like the changes come whenever the battles tend to happen, but I guess that the people behind the anime want to have a result that is only slightly different than that of the manga.

Until the next episode...

Written by Nolan Schmidt

A San Japan 7 Adventure

Well, it's finally here! Here is a video consisting of our trip to San Japan!

Azumanga Daioh (Manga Review)

So, for the first time, I am reviewing a manga! And for my first manga review for this blog, I am reviewing Azumanga Daioh.

Azumanga Daioh is a school-life comedy manga by Kiyohiko Azuma (Yotsuba&!), and it is based on a group of girls' three years of high school. A majority of the manga itself is presented in four-panel strips, which are called yonkoma, but a few of the "chapters" are sometimes presented in the traditional way. In an interesting fact, the title itself, which translates to "Great King Azumanga," is actually based on several aspects. Azumanga comes from both the author's name and the word "manga," and the series was serialized in a shonen manga magazine known as Dengeki Daioh.

As mentioned before, the manga is based on a group of high school girls during their three years of high school. The series itself focuses on six main characters and four supporting characters. Out of the group of girls is Chiyo (a gifted 10-year-old who was able to attend high school), Sakaki (an animal lover), Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga (a transfer student from Osaka, Japan), Yomi (who mostly gets aggravated by the next mentioned character), Tomo (who is very obnoxious), and Kagura (who tries to rival Sakaki at athletics). From the supporting cast, there is Yukari Tanizaki (the girls' homeroom teacher), Minamo "Nyamo" Kurosawa (the physical education teacher), Kimura (a male teacher who is obsessed with high school girls...creepy), and Kaorin (a female classmate who has a crush on Sakaki). Much of the manga is based around the events at the school and after-school hours involving either the girls or the teachers. Each yonkoma is very comical in its own way, and entertaining at the same time.

Even though the manga has been released as four volumes, it is currently available as an omnibus (which contains all four volumes) from Yen Press. And yes, there is an anime adaptation, which I will eventually get to one day. I highly recommend Azumanga Daioh if you are a fan of light-hearted comedy based around school life.

- Nolan Schmidt

Fist of the North Star: A Review

For many years, Toei Animation tend to create some amazing anime based off of popular manga series like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, and One Piece. Along with these, there is one that I really like due to its story and characters, and the anime I am talking about is Fist of the North Star.

Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken) was adapted from the manga series of the same name written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, and it is famous for its ultra-violent story based around Kenshiro, who is the successor of the Hokuto Shinken technique. The manga itself was presented in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 to 1988, and the series was given its own anime in 1984. This particular anime would include both Hokuto no Ken and its anime sequel, Hokuto no Ken 2, spanning the anime into a total of 152 episodes. The both parts of the anime series and the 1986 anime film was directed by Toyoo Ashida, who directed the anime film adaptation of Hideyuki Kikuchi's Vampire Hunter D.

Hokuto no Ken is separated in four arcs that are based off of the first 136 chapters of the manga. In the first arc, we are instantly introduced to Kenshiro, who is on a quest to rescue his fiancee, Yuria, from his former friend, Shin. We are also introduced to the two young companions that follow him throughout his journey: Bat (who is a troublemaker) and Rin (who loves and cares for Ken ever since he saved her life in the first episode). During the series, we meet other characters such as Rei (who uses a technique known as Nanto Suichoken), Mamiya, Toki (one of Kenshiro's adopted brothers), and Raoh (who will become the main antagonist for the series).

The sequel anime, Hokuto no Ken 2, is based of chapters 137 to 210 of the manga, and starts off after a time skip from the events of the final fight in the previous series. Together, Kenshiro, Bat, and Rin must fight against a corrupted ruler, and Kenshiro then returns to the land that he was born in to save Rin once again. This part of the series was much shorter since it was only based on two arcs from the manga, and the rest of the manga was never adapted into any other anime series.

I really enjoyed the first part of the anime series, but I did get bored while watching the sequel as it felt like (without giving away too many spoilers) it was repeating the formula of the first series. However, I highly recommend this particular anime series, and I am planning on reviewing the 1986 animated film when the time comes.

The Fist of the North Star anime series is currently available on DVD from Discotek Media.

Written by Nolan Schmidt

Sailor Moon in the USA!

Earlier this year, I discussed in an article the North American fan base and history of the anime adaptation of Sailor Moon, and how, with the announcement of Sailor Moon Crystal, that an anime company here in the United States would have a great chance of getting the rights.

As of yesterday, the prayers of Sailor Moon fans in the United States have been answered when a certain anime distribution company announced that they got the rights. Who is this certain anime distribution company? The company that was lucky enough to get the rights is none other than VIZ Media!

That is correct. VIZ Media announced that they acquired the rights to the original Sailor Moon anime, and they have also acquired the rights to Sailor Moon Crystal as well. However, that isn't all, folks! VIZ Media also announced that they will be streaming subtitled episodes of the series on both Neon Valley and Hulu on May 19th, and that Limited Edition Blu-ray sets of the original series will be released as well.

Now, that the Sailor Moon anime will be coming back to the States, fans of the series will be prepared for what shall be THE YEAR OF SAILOR MOON!

Written by Nolan Schmidt