Your Lie in April tells the story of Kosei Arima. A child prodigy in piano who steps away from the limelight after the death of his mother effects him so badly he can no longer hear the notes he plays. Fastforward a few years and Kosei is introduced to Kaori Miyazono, a free-spirited violinist who slowly encourages Kosei to take up piano once more. It’s a simple story on the surface but with a brilliant amount of depth under it all.
When the 2012 summer anime season was first being revealed Humanity Has Declined is the one series I never really looked at. A comedy set thousands of years in the future where humans are becoming a dying breed and once more living very basic and different lives from those of us currently, mixed with fairies. Strangely enough that didn’t catch my interest, and if not for a close friend of mine I’d likely never have gone near it. However, that isn’t to say I’m not glad I did start watching it because odd as the series may seem it is very, very funny and an enjoyable watch.
Fuuka acts as a sequel to Koji Sei’s Suzuka work with ran from March 2004 until September 2007. The story tells of Yuu Haruna who has just moved into a new town and while out buying dinner runs into a mysterious girl in the form of Fukka Akitsuki. With this encounter Yuu’s life is about to change in big ways forever, but perhaps that’s getting ahead of ourselves…
Children Who Chase Lost Voices is another movie by Makoto Shinkai and thus I went into it expecting good things. I’m glad to say the movie didn’t disappoint me but then if you’re disappointed by the film or not will depend a lot on the viewer.
Say I Love You is a long running Shojo manga by Kanae Hazuki that I’ve loved for quite some time. Last year an anime adaption of the manga was streamed by Crunchyroll in the US and UK and since then Kodansha Comics picked the manga up for an English release. Now we’re four volumes into the English release and yet again I find myself thoroughly enjoying this Shojo story.
Fullmetal Alchemist the original series is an interesting series to say the least. Unlike the later Fullmetal Alchemist anime series, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, this series didn’t walk down the path of telling us the same story as the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series did. This series started out telling the basics of the story and then span off on its own to tell its own tale of Edward and Alphonse Elric’s adventures which is the best move it could ever have made. Many say this is one of the best anime series in recent years and with that I can agree. It is certainly a very moving and exciting adventure but the tale can also be very heart-breaking at time.
With a long running manga behind it and Production I.G taking control it was hard not to be a little excited for Blue Spring Ride when the series started airing last season. So, did our anticipated Shojo series live up to the hype and my high hopes?
P.A Works are undoubtedly one of my favourite anime studios. They aren’t my most favourite studio by any means, but they are up there alongside Studio BONES and the like. So, when I heard they were coming into the Summer season with an original series I was quietly hopeful for a strong show. What we got was anything but…
Terror in Resonance has been an interesting work. Being directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, famed for Kids on the Slope and Cowboy Bebop, the series was hyped from the very second it was revealed. The first episode kicked off with a bang and I fell in love with it right from the off, as you can see in my review of the first couple of episodes where I went as far as to call it Shinichiro’s next big hit. After finishing the series my opinion hasn’t changed and the only thing that has is the passion and love I hold for the show, and here’s why.
Back in August the English Weekly Shonen Jump published a one-shot (Astronerd) by Blue Exorcist creator, Kazue Kato. In the same issue the magazine announced that Viz Meda would be releasing Time Killers: A Short Story Collection by Kazue Kato. A month later I’ve picked up the book for review!
