Funimation has put together a survey asking people for opinions on their simulcasts, specifically asking about DVD/Blu-Ray releases of those shows. So if you’re one of the many people wishing to own a physical copy of House of Five Leaves, The Tatami Galaxy, Princess Jellyfish, or any other simulcast show, now is your chance to let them know.
There’s also a space for additional comments so if you’ve been wishing they would simulcast series in HD this would be a good opportunity to tell them.
My never-ending quest to find good fantasy anime has its ups and downs. Sometimes I find really great stuff like Berserk, Moribito, or Escaflowne. Then there’s stuff that’s just kind of okay like Romeo X Juliet. Then there’s stuff that just makes me want to give up entirely.
The Sacred Blacksmith tells the story of Cecily Campbell, and her breasts, who became a knight after the sudden death of her father. When looking for a blacksmith to repair her sword she meets the rude and impatient Luke Ainsworth, who wants nothing to do with her, and his young assistant Lisa. After an attack from mysterious monsters, Cecily is tasked with guarding a Demon Sword, and the group try to figure out what could be behind the attack.
The Sacred Blacksmith takes a lot of cues from Slayers. It uses a generic fantasy setting, features a female main character who frequently fights with the male lead, and blends comedy into the storyline. Another thing it has in common with Slayers is that it likes to run jokes straight into the ground. There is literally one joke made throughout The Sacred Blacksmith, which is that Cecily has large breasts. Every single joke revolves around that. People are pointing out how big they are, or wishing their breasts were as big as hers, or her breasts are bursting out of her armour and being on full display for Luke. There’s not a single attempt at humour made in the series that does not revolve around Cecily’s breasts and their apparent largeness. It doesn’t even matter if you’re a fourteen year old boy who just discovered breasts and think they’re the greatest thing in the world, these jokes are insultingly stupid and they never stop. Continue reading
Given that I reviewed the Sengoku Basara game, it was only a matter of time before I got to the anime.
In the Warring States period of Japan, countless lords fight to take control of the country. But one lord, Oda Nobunaga, the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, cares nothing for conquest and seeks only to destroy everything. No single samurai can stand up to the Devil King’s strength, so if he is to be defeated, rivalries must be put aside and enemies must become allies.
At first glance, Sengoku Basara does little to really distinguish itself from other series of its kind. It’s a simple story about samurai banding together to defeat a powerful enemy. It even uses Oda Nobunaga, a historical figure that Japanese entertainment media frequently uses as a villain. What makes Sengoku Basara stand out is the approach it takes to walking this beaten path, which is sheer, over the top, hot-blooded action. Sengoku Basara takes such a fervent, over the top approach to telling its story that it’s impossible not to get pulled in. It’s sort of like Gurren Lagann in that sense. What you’re watching isn’t necessarily anything new or some piece of amazing storytelling, but it’s so exciting and fun that it doesn’t matter. It just has sheer entertainment from start to finish.
This is best exemplified by the fight scenes throughout the series. While the fight scenes are intense, the emphasis isn’t on long, choreographed fights like you would expect. Most of the fights are over fairly quickly. Instead the emphasis is on quick and brutal bouts of strength, filled with manly shouting and random explosions. This kind of thing normally comes off as stupid and silly, but, again, Sengoku Basara carries itself in such a way that it draws you in. The creators knew they were making something silly and over the top, so they just had fun with it. It’s impossible to not get pulled in and have fun when you’re watching a guy swing six swords around at once. Continue reading
At a Namco event held in Sac Francisco today, the company confirmed they would be releasing Tales of Graces f in North America. The website http://www.ataleoftworichards.com/ has been updated to reflect this.
Tales of Graces f is an enhanced port of the original title for Nintendo’s Wii console, released in Japan in December 2010 for the Playstation 3. It follows the story of the son of a feudal lord, Asbel Lhant, who seeks strength in order to protect the people around him after someone close to him dies. The enhanced port features improved high-definition graphics, new storyline events, new character costumes, and an additional story arc that takes place after the end of the original game.
No release date has been given yet.
