Alternative Title: Shin Seki Evangelion
Episodes: 26
Year: 1995
Status: Complete, Licensed by ADV Films
Neon Genesis Evangelion Official Site (Japanese)
Rating: Great
This is a classic anime series from 1995-1996 that is a must-watch for any serious anime fan. The series is set in a apocalyptic / post-apocalyptic world where Angels (which take the form of giant robots) are descending to earth to destroy everything. The narrative follows the paramilitary organization NERV which fights the invading Angels using their own giant mecha called Evangelions. These Evangelions are poiloted by the teenagers Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, and Asuka Soryu. These characters are portrayed as protagonists as they each have their own flaws, from being a spineless wimp (Shinji) to other dynamics that arise between the interactions of the leads. The female characters Asuka, Rei, and Misato became cultural icons due to their attractive designs.
Neon Genesis has a lot of biblical themes to it and includes a large amount of Judeo Christian symbols through the entire series. This adds an interesting dimension to the storyline and adds more depth to an already interesting story. The secret organization also has aspects of international politics as countries other than Japan band together as well to fight off the invading monsters. There are some really nice fight scenes in this anime. If you enjoy destruction, apocalypse, and aren’t too offended by massive amounts of blood than you will enjoy this one.
The later episodes also have a drastic change in tone—some of it actually feels unfinished (I believe the writer left before finishing the final episodes) so there is a change in feel near the end. It turns into a emotional/psychological thriller as the end game plays out between NERV and the Angels in a very climatic end. This postmodern ending might confuse some viewers and even piss off the more sensitive, so it might be worth skipping the final two episodes. There is also a movie version that cuts out some of the extra scenes (some of them just make you cringe a little) and cuts down on the fluff. Overall, this is a classic story and I recommend to anyone not overly sensitive to the inevitable gore and blood that stains the fight scenes. It is also worth noting that Evangelion spawned a few knock-off animes, one of them being the lesser Rahxephon series that features a very similar story and protagonist.
So, as always, I am looking for new anime to watch and some of the series I’ve been taking a look at are the following (for now I’ve just put external links for their synopses since they haven’t been reviewed here yet) :
Kaiji: a psychological anime about gambling much in the same story and art style as Akagi. Subbed by: The Triad
Hatenkou Yugi: Full of adventure, comedy and magic – this story about the journey of three unlikely travellers as pursue their personal goals. Subbed by: Kiss Subs and Shinsen Subs
Saiunkoku Monogatari II: Which takes off from where the first season left off – very interesting turn of events though 
. This one is a little slow on subs this season so I recommend finding your own sources for it.
Look forward to these reviews – and any other suggestions for some good anime??
A new addition to the reviews here is a quaint rating system I’ve decided to put up to help distinguish between the good and not-so-good anime I’ve been reviewing. The system works quite well although I still plan on tweaking it now and then. Rather than using stars or numbers for ratings, I use the following 5 standards: Awesome, Great, Alright, Barely Watchable, Aweful. For more on what they mean and to browse reviews by rating, check out: Browse by Rating
Happy browsing and enjoy the new addition!
Episodes: Unknown
Year: 2007
Status: Ongoing
Subbed by: Eclipse Productions
Shakugan no Shana Official Site (Japanese)
Rating: Yet to be rated
Shakugan no Shana II takes off from where the first season left off. After the last clash between Bal Masque and the Flame Hazes, things have more or less returned to normalcy. However, the Bal Masque still have their eyes on the Reiji Maigo carried by the Mystes – Sakai Yuuji. In the meantime, Yuuji vows to fight by Shana, and to do that trains to be stronger and control the power of the Reiji Maigo. Amidst the threat of the Bal Masque and the inevitable love triangle at high school, the mysteries of the Reiji Maigo come closer to being revealed.
The second season brings about some interesting new developments and furthers the plot. While the last season left off with little attention on the romantic aspect of Shana and Yuuji’s relationship, season 2 spends much more time on the question. While I found the first half of the series to be interesting, I also wanted to see more action. Fret not – its not all about love in this season! The action soon begins to pick up with the storyline coming back around to the confrontation between Bal Masque and the Flame Hazes.
The first season really had me hooked to it since the story plunged right into the crisis scenario. The second season doesn’t quite do that since it starts off much slower taking on the high school-drama character rather than the action-packed-world-on-the-edge-of-doom feel. That said, although a little later in the game than expected, the series does deliver some good Flame Haze action. For those of us who were wondering whatever happened to Shana’s feelings for Yuuji, this season offers some sort of closure. All in all, if you watched the first season, you probably want to get your hands on this one!
Alternative Titles: Lunar Legend Tsukihime, Tsukihime
Episodes: 12
Year: 2003
Status: Complete, Licensed by Ganeon Entertainment
Tsukihime Official Site
Rating: Alright
Tohno Shiki is far from the average high school student. An accident at a young age has left Shiki’s past a complete mystery even to himself. Moreover, Shiki possesses the eyes of a Shinigami – an ability to see the lines of death of anything. Shiki’s routine life takes a turn for the unexpected when he suddenly experiences an urge to kill and using his ability, kills a female vampire. The vampire, Archeid Brunestud, tracks down Shiki’s help on her own mission and find and kill the infamous and deadly Roa. Shiki’s journey thus begins in using his ability and uncovering the secrets of his own past.
Tsukihime opens with an incredibly intriguing plot to keep us hooked onto the series. Questions of Shiki’s past, vampires and all the rest of it are key to the storyline. However, at the same time, Tsukihime also develops the romance aspect of the story which is less well done than the mystery. It provides decent action and a progressive storyline while bringing up the tension and drama of the plot. However, one the main drawbacks of the series is that it left many questions unanswered even towards the end. As far as violence and gore is concerned, Tsukihime contains a lot of blood, violence and death. Overall, if you like vampires, supernatural plots and the like, Tsukihime will be a good watch. Apart from the awkward romantic development, Tsukihime does deliver in a great story.
Episodes: 12
Year: 2005
Status: Complete
Subbed by: C1 Anime, MDC Fansubs
Lamune Official Site (Japanese)
Tomasaka Kenji moved to a town by the sea when he was a young boy. His new neighbour was Nanami, whose room’s balcony was only a meter away from his own. The two have grown up together and come to share many memories and a special relationship. Now attending high school, the two are often teased by their friends as being a couple – but neither Kenji nor Nanami are ready to move into that relationship. Lamune traces one summer where Kenji and Nanami’s relationship slowly but surely progresses to them recognising its importance and its true meaning.
Lamune is a laidback story of love and romance – so don’t expect a lot of drama, lovers’ spats or anything for quite a bit. Given its slow pace, I found the story to be rather relaxing to the usual charged up high school love-triangle series. However, I must admit, come episode 8 I was beginning to wonder – are these guys ever going to get together? Watch it to find for yourself! The animation is bright and colourful, and the alternation between Kenji and Nanami’s childhood memories and their relationship is well done. While the story is slow, it doesn’t really lose any of the emotional depth which really draws the viewer into this series. If you’re looking for a compelling drama then this probably wouldn’t be on that list. On the other hand, if you’re looking to watch a lovely slice-of-life romantic story of the countryside, this is a wonderful one to pick.
