152nd G-View: BLACK★ROCK SHOOTER TV

Hey doods and peeps, welcome to another episode of The G-Views. It’s been a while since I’ve written an anime review and I am long overdue. Also as I stated last week, I’m not going to talk about the final episode but instead post my review. Without further ado, here’s BRS TV.

In case you missed it, here’s my review of the OVA.

37th G-View: Black Rock Shooter

I’ll be making many comparisons to the OVA in this review because the TV anime is basically a retelling. Don’t let that detract your interest in watching the anime if you haven’t seen it yet.

98th G-View: Miami Guns

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. I love sexy buddy cop anime and the amount of insanity that takes place in each one. For some reason these shows tend to have the right kind of comedy to amuse my funny bone. Here’s one I recently watched and couldn’t get enough of since the 1st episode. This is Miami Guns.

Genres: action, comedy
Themes: police, girls with guns
Number of episodes: 13
G-Rating: 8/10

Plot Summary: Spoiled rich girl Yao Sakurakouji decides to join the Miami police force to enjoy car chases, gunfights and wanton destruction. The psychotic and not-too-bright Yao is partnered with Lu Amano, the soft-spoken and sharp-tongued daughter of the police chief. Together the dirty duo clean up the streets of Miami and take on a mysterious crime syndicate known only as ‘The Organization’.

If I were to describe this show in one sentence it would be: A combination of Miami Vice and Naked Gun with a touch of CSI Miami.
The story takes place in a fictional Miami, Florida and as such has some differences to it, most notable the Japanese influence, natives and of course the fact that this Miami is located near a dessert and not the everglades as it is in real life. At least they have an Alligator on the show.
There’s also the fact that this Miami uses its own currency in the form of Miami Dollars instead of regular US currency.

As for the extent of the humor, expect it to be lighthearted, yet insane at the same time.  Our two lovely heroines have to contend with exploding watermelons, giant octopi, tofu delivery boys, among many other crises.
Thematically, it’s a good old fashioned 90′s-esque police anime (it came out in 2000, but the retro flavor is quite strong) that reminded me greatly of Gunsmith Cats and Dirty Pair Flash (though less coherant and more comedic than either of those).  There are tons of references to other popular shows (Evangelion, Initial D, there’s even a spoof on Die Hard With A Vengeance, complete with a Bruce Willis lookalike)
BRUCE WILLIS! OH HELL YEAH! You heard right, Bruce Willis (in the form of Bruce Tsuji) makes a cameo on the show. Sadly the real bruce Willis was not hired to voice his anime facsimile in the English dub….BOOOOOOOOOOO! How dare you spineless dubbers rob me of the bliss of hearing the icon voice over himself in an anime?! Wussies couldn’t even get the icon to do it. Pah. Ah well, At least the guy who voices Julio in the dub is good enough for a laugh or two.
Oh but make sure to watch it all the way to the end since the show gets a bit intense near its final episodes.

Animation: Has a 90′s feel to it yet it’s still modern enough to not look dated. Not much to complain about since I was laughing too hard to pay much attention to any errors. As you can expect from a show like this, there’s ecchi scenes, but thankfully they aren’t excessive or in your face. They are balanced and only used when necessary which is a good thing.

Music: OP and ED rock so hard. The 1980′s style music only intensifies the experience of where exactly the show is taking place.

Characters:
Yao Sakurakouji and Lu Amano.

As the plot pretty much summed up, our main protagonists consist of Yao and Lu, a classic quiet and loud duo. Yao’s pretty much a glory hog who will do whatever it takes to shine in the spotlight, even at the expense of her friends and partner. She absolutely refuses accepting defeat or someone other than her being praised, although she does have a soft spot for Lu. She’s only interested in cases that sound exciting to her or where all the action is. Lu’s always the one who ends up convincing Yao to take a case more seriously.
Lu’s soft-spoken and sharp-tongued. She always knows what makes Yao tick and when she doesn’t realize it right away she is usually the one who figures out what Yao’s deal is first. She’s usually level headed and rarely looses her cool. Of course Lu is the one who takes her job seriously and upholds the law because it’s the right thing to do. As one can expect from the very 1st episode, the most important person to Lu is Yao, though she rarely shows that she does.

Chief Amano

He’s the Chief of the Miami City Police and is the father of Lu. He’s a bit tight with money, especially when payday comes at the department. He also gets a lot of flak about his dated afro hairdo, and would like nothing more than to get rid of Yao.

Kaken Masume

Kaken Masume is a scientist and part of the Miami City Police, but doesn’t usually go on missions. She does come with Yao and Lu in episodes like “The Sea! Bikinis! Ghosts!” and “Princess Nokemono”. Her clothes features a dart gun in her bow tie, helpful for subduing distraught bystanders… or when used by Yao, to knock out the chief so that she could do her grandstanding.

Julio Peacemaker

A freelance bounty hunter. He refers to himself as a “Messenger of Peace” and travels around with his pet alligator Al. He runs into Yao and Lu in several episodes of the 13-episode series.

In conclusion: I’m not sure who else likes this type of comedy but if you’re like me and simply enjoy insanity with style, then give this awesome show a try. For those who are worried that this is going to be a bad buddy cop movie like “Cop Out” or “The Other Guys”, I assure you that it’s not that bad at all. Give it a go and see for yourself whether it’s for you or not.

68th G-View. Controversial edition 2: Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. How many people around here have watched and miss the glory days of Adult Swim, where each one of their original shows was pure awesome and the programming didn’t rely on having to broadcast other shows like Simpson, Family Guy, American Dad, etc. Do any of you out there miss the greatness that was “The Great Mighty Poo”? Well then,the  following show represents everything I enjoyed from Adult Swim and then some. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt. You know what the funniest part is, this show is brought to us by the same people that created Tengen Toppa Gurrenn Lagann, Gainax Studios.

The transformation sequence that opened eyes

These two lovely demons changed the history of male animeniacs forever after their debut in episode 6.

Genres: action, comedy

Themes: angels, ecchi, girls with guns, gross-out humor, parody

Objectionable content: Intense (graphic depictions of sex, drug use, or bloodshed)
Number of episodes: Possibly 26, (Hopefully as far as I’m concerned)
G-Rating: 8/10 (For those who can and are allowed to watch this one)

Plot Summary: A company of ghosts has moved into Daten City, taking advantage of human greed. Two angels, Panty and Stocking, are sent from heaven to exterminate them — but in reality they got kicked out for bad behavior. Don’t worry, it’s not THAT sexually active that you see naked breasts and sex.  No, it’s around the “Rated R” range.

The 1st 3 episodes are more than enough to show the viewer what he/she is in for should he/she decide to stick around.

WARNING! This show contains the same level of material or possible even stronger than Adult Swim cartoons. As you can tell, this anime is NOT for the young or those with weak constitutions. Later on, I’ll post a few tips, showing what you need in order to watch this show.

This entire show feels like a spoof to all forms of American Culture, EVERY known form. Why is it controversial you ask? Watch the 1st episode and see for yourselves.

The animation: In my view, it’s a mixture of the Powerpuff Girls, Invader Zim, Hihi Puffy AmiYumi and a 1970′s-80′s setting. Each episode is chock full of madness in each and every corner. you won’t get a chance to breathe from all the wacky stuff that takes place in each episode. Expect many dirty jokes, cursing in both “Engrish” and Japanese, sexual situations (courtesy of Panty), sex jokes, spoofing American Media and a little bit of the culture. (Mostly media and celebrities). As for direction, there is none. Actually, if there were a purpose then it’s this. Beat up bad guys and get enough “Heaven Coins” so Panty and Stocking are allowed back to heaven.
Think of it as Japanese animators making an American cartoon.

This show is the epitome of 1970′s spoof show. It’s so stupid, so vile, so retarded that I consider it a work of art. THIS is what you call a side-dish show, THIS is a “so bad it’s good” show for those who enjoy B-Rated shows.
*Yup, the dog, Chuck, looks like Gir’s retarded cousin from Baltimore.
*The main characters do look like adulterated Powerpuff Girls.
*Heck, Great Mighty Poo’s uncle, twice removed and Turbo Man (From Megaman 7)’s rejected nephew are the first villains they beat up.

The music: Oh so glorious 1970′s and 80′s music. If you don’t like these rocking beats, then I don’t know what you want in terms of music.

There’s not much I can say about the characters that isn’t explained in the poster above.
Panty is a sex hungry whore who doesn’t care about anyone other than herself.
-Stocking is the less mean than her sister, but equally rude. She’s a gothic lolita with a HUGE sweet tooth (Meaning that she LOVES sweets).
-Garterbelt is their guide and kind of father figure. He often loses his temper because of the girls but tries hard to not explode, which he often fails at doing.
Despite all the trouble the girls go through just being moral citizens, they at least get the job done when push comes to shove.
Chuck is, as mentioned above, a retarded look-a-like of Gir from Invader Zim. Not much to say about him other than he’s nutty as a fruitcake and invulnerable to all harm.

Alright, let’s review by checking out my tips:
The ONLY way that someone can enjoy this show is by having at least two qualifications on this list:
-Must enjoy American Spoof cartoons.
-Must have watched and enjoyed “Adult Swim” Cartoons during Cartoon Network’s heydays.
-This show is the current ultimate definition for mindless comedy.
-Must have a strong stomach and constitution.
-Must not care about many things in life when it comes to race, society and human curiosity.
-Must not be easily offended or disgusted by dirty jokes, sexuality and random cursing.

In conclusion: Despite the negative vibes, this show is pretty good for those who can handle it. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it does please the target market from what I’ve heard. Everyone older than 18 can give this one a try. The younglings should stay as far away as possible.

65th G-View: Shigofumi, Letters from the Departed

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. The following show gives true meaning to the phrase “Any Last Words before your final curtain call?”. What would you say if you had the ability to deliver one last message before passing on the the afterlife? In the following anime, you’ll find out what others had to say, expressing their true feelings in one form or another. This is Shigofumi, which translates to “Afterlife Letter”

Alternative title:
Shigofumi – Stories of Last Letter (Japanese)
シゴフミ ～Ｓｔｏｒｉｅｓ ｏｆ Ｌａｓｔ Ｌｅｔｔｅｒ～ (Japanese)
Genres: drama, psychological, supernatural
Themes: girls with guns, life after death, magical girl, suicide, tragedy, Dark
Number of episodes: 13
G-Rating: 9/10

Plot Summary: Fumika and Kanaka are mail carriers- but not the typical kind. For one, Kanaka is a talking staff and for two, Fumika delivers shigofumi: letters from the dead addressed to the living. These letters are a final, true, communication derived from hate, hope, and love. The story unfolds following this pair and their uncommon job as well as Fumika’s unique ‘situation’.
Be warned that this show isn’t all giggles and fun. There will obviously be moments where your heart will be saddened by the events that take place here. As the short summary explains, each Shigofumi contains a special message from the departed. Whether said message is good or bad isn’t the case, it’s the story attached to the messages that matter, for each episode has an interesting premise that has either already been seen before in real life, or an event that will shock you, like for example, the true identity of our leading lady, Fumika.
Most episodes comprise of an event that usually involves the portrayal of humanity’s darkness and those who suffer because of it, eventually leading to the victim or culprit receiving the Shigofumi that will definitely make a huge impact in their life. This show is definitely not for the weak of heart. This show is drama and suspense all the way, not only with the lives of the Shigofumi;s recipients but the two main “Messengers” themselves, especially the main lead. Clues are spread throughout the series that will eventually lead to the revelation of her past and origin, which actually surprised me quite a bit. I guarantee that each story will keep you watching and interested, because they each have a charm that makes them impossible to look away.
My only petty gripe with this show is that not much is explained about the “Messengers” themselves. Sure, we get the complete story of two of them, including the protagonist, but not much else is explained about the Shigofumi society other than they deliver letters from the departed and that they’re located in heaven. I was wondering why they can be seen by everyone and not just the recipients of the letters? I’m guessing that the whole “Only a select few with special gifts can see “them” ” shtick was done too many times already, so the writers figured, screw it, let’s just make them visible to all and that they’ll only appear in public when they’re on the job. Okie dokie, I’ll take it since it makes sense.

The music is just right in my view. I’m a sucker for soft, classical music and the like. Each tune fits the situation perfectly, so I have no gripes with this one.

The animation: The series provides a great atmosphere which it tries to recreate and succeeds in doing, with great scenery and props, well recreated settings and character art, leading to an image that is very pleasing to the eyes, although I do admit that some of the secondary characters do show little to no difference in their appearance. I actually had a tough time telling some students apart at one time during the show.

The characters: As explained in my plot analysis (of sorts), each of the recipients of a Shigofumi is going through one problematic event or another and will make the viewer think about how extremely possible it is for something like this to be happening in real life right now. (Not receiving a message from the dead, but the problem). You’ll most definitely sympathize and question some of the decisions and conditions that each person has in their respective episodes.
As for the main protagonists: Aside from Fumika and the 2nd “Messenger” who are awesome, there’s also their staffs. The most noticeable being Kanaka (Fumika’s staff), the main comedy relief “character” on the show.
Other main characters include Fumika’s childhood friends from middle school, who each have their own reasons for desiring to get involved with our adorable white haired “messenger”. Aside from the obviously bad people on the show, I found nothing to whine about the good guys.

In conclusion: Shigofumi is a magnificent series recommended to anyone who likes their fair share of Dark anime and also for people who want to watch something on a less lighthearted tone. Don’ get me wrong, this show has funny moments, plenty of them, but they only serve as calms before storms, so enjoy the humor while it lasts.

P.S.: I’ll never ever take depression lightly again.

64th G-View: ECCHIMANIA episode 4: Kampfer

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. I’ve often wondered if the Japanese have some kind of fascination with gender-bending. nothing wrong with it since we got some great shows like Ranam 1/2 and Maze. Will this next one actually be good  or a pile of monkey dung? Get your glowing armbands ready, as we take a look at Kampfer, the next Ecchimania review.

Genres: action, comedy, romance
Themes: ecchi, gender switch, girls with guns, girls with guns, harem, yuri
Number of episodes: 12
G-Rating: 6/10

Here’s my problem with the plot and pace of the show: It doesn’t go anywhere. Dear me, if you’re expecting an action packed show filled with ecchi goodness and a decent story…well, you’ll obviously get the ecchi part. The action scenes are decent, but they later far and few, ranging from average to just plain anticlimactic and lame. I’m not going to spoil a lot, but let’s just say that once you learn thee origin of the Kampfer’s powers, it is one of the most far-fetched, out of place, rushed and nonsensical BS I’ve ever heard. IT MAKES NO SENSE! As far as anime plots go, THAT’S SAYING A LOT!

Music: Some steamy tunes here and there, but the rest is forgettable and kinda lacking. The OP is the only one worth mentioning. The ED…it’s okay I guess.

Animation: Well, the girls are hot.

Characters: And now for my peeps’ favorite part of the Nega G-Views, me ranting about the male lead. Today’s victim, Natsuru Senou.
Where do I begin with this piece of crap of a man? This guy has the common sense of a dust bunny. He’s a moronic fool who takes at least a week before he can put two and two together. Don’t tell me that his stupidity is understandable and can be related to a real life person, because this guy is a joke of a man. This reject is like a hernia in my lower region that has consistently plagued my sanity for 11 episodes, which felt like 11 weeks. I’d like totake the runt to the back of a wood chipper and slice his skull in half and replace his brain with either the HAL 9000, GLAdOS or SHODAN. No wait, they’re all too badass for his puny cranium to withstand. Ah forget it, you all get the point.
At least his Kampfer form is worth drooling over I suppose and she’s worthy of yuri praise I guess. Wish she used her Fire power more often.

Most of the other characters, including some villains are nothing special and forgettable.

Akane is too desperate to be pitied and her Kampfer form has a split personality that becomes dull and boring pretty quick. Sure she uses guns, which is cool, but it’s her personality (Kampfer form) that bored me as the show progressed.

Mikoto Kondo is an attempt at a spunky tomboy, but she tries way too hard to be interesting and just comes out looking pitiful. However, I admit that Kampfer Mikoto is the coolest looking of the heroines. After all, her weapon is a katana and who doesn’t like katanas.

Actually both are pitiful to be honest.

Do you all want to know who the mascot/adviser characters for the heroines are? Do you? Well…entrails animals. Basically stuffed animals with their entrails coming out of their bodies or the animal in a painful predicament. The ONLY one who is actually amusing and somewhat funny is “The Choking Stray Dog”. Mikoto’s animal.

If I sound like all the characters are lame, you’re wrong, for there are two ladies who are basically the saving grace of this program. they are Shizuku and Kaede.

Kaede Sakura.

Ah, a true Heroine and savior. KS’ existence is like a bliss to my heart. I have absolutely no complaints about this character. Basically the hottest girl on the show. Why aren’t I describing her much deeper? That’s a special secret that is revealed later on the show.

Shizuku Sangou.

If Kaede isn’t to your tastes, then Shizuku will most certainly fit the bill. She’s easily the most badass of the heroines and her personality is just too amusing. Cynical, soft spoken, seductive in tone, a genius, calm yet deadly. Yup, definitely a babe worth keeping an eye on. Of all the goofballs who want a piece of doofus meat, she’s the one who actually has merits.
Mmmmm, chained hooks. nice.

For those of you who are just looking for a harem anime you will tell me that my complaints are meaningless as long as the characters are lovable. Doods, this show even fails as a harem. I cannot fathom how any of these good looking women could even be fascinated by this DOORMAT of a man! Look, in other harem anime, they have plausible excuses to have the girls fall for the guy, this one on the other hand….when you watch it, the excuses are downright pathetic. They make me want to puke.

Lastly, I think I kinda understand where they planned to go with this. If they plan to make a sequel and greatly improve the main plot and disregard the BS revelation, then maybe the sequel has a chance of working. I’m guessing that they intentionally made this show lacking because they plan to add more to a sequel, should one be made. This could have worked…if the content of this season wasn’t as lackluster as it already is! My point being that they added too little important content and instead focused on a retarded harem formation.

In conclusion: This show sucks, yet has both Kaede and Shizuku. I’d say that to those who are interested, watch it just for those two. Basically the anime isn’t terrible, I just wouldn’t recommend it.