Admin's Anime Review: Toaru Majutsu no Index - A Certain Magical Index of Prohibited Books

Title: Toaru Majutsu no Index
Studio: J.C. Staff
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Science-fiction
Original Run: October 4, 2008 - March 19, 2009.
Episodes: 24
Director: Hiroshi Nishikiori
Original Character Design: Kazuma Kamachi and Kiyotaka Haimura
Number One Theme Song: Opening Theme "PSI Missing" by Mami Kawada

Admin's Score:
Story: 90
Character Development: 90
Artwork: 90
Songs: 90
Animation/ Battle Depiction: 90



Toaru Majutsu no Index's all stars (left to right, front to back): Shirai Kuroko, Kamijyo Touma, Index Librarum Prohibitum, MISAKA Sisters, Misaka Mikoto, Accelerator, Tsuchimikado, Stiyl Magnus, Kanzaki Kaori, and Himegami Aisa.



Toaru Majutsu no Index is originally a series of light novel written by Kazuma Kamachi and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura. The series is published by ASCII Media Works under Dengeki Bunko imprint. A manga began serialization in May 2007.

Synopsis
The story took place in Academy City, a technologically advanced city located in western Tokyo, in which superhuman students are studied and reside there. Kamijyo Touma, a high-schooler in Academy City is a level 0 esper, meaning that he holds no esper power. He, however, possessed a mysterious power called Imagine Breaker in his right hand, a power that neglects all other powers with a touch. But, it doesn't neglect only espers and magic powers, but also his luck, resulting in him experiencing unfortunate events in his daily life. One day, he found a nun on his apartment's railing, starving. She turned out to be Index Librorum Prohibitum, a junior nun from English Purist Church, Necessarius. Despite her childish acts and high appetite, she got a hold of 103,000 forbidden magical books in her head, resulting from her ability of Perfect Memorization. Touma's encounter with Index was the beginning of another Touma's misfortune, as magicians from Necessarius was looking for Index to secure the 103,000 grimmoires. Together, they faced massive amount of battles and conflicts. When science and magic cross path, the tale begins !!

Strength:
Great original idea and basic concept of the story, and it is well refined by the story development that brings suspense to the audience. The unique thought of Touma and his ability of problem solving spice up the story and most of the battles, making it more interesting. Almost flawless artwork and very detailed, well-made background, perfectly depicting the Academy City. Nice battle depiction supported by the use of theme song, like in eps 23.

Weakness:
Some illogical scene like Touma's running almost too long to reach Index in only a small room, and Kanzaki spitting out the details of her origin while fighting against God-powered angel.

Screenshot:



The first time Touma met with Index. Touma gave the starving Index a hotdog he tripped over and suddenly, Index chomped up all of them , including Touma's hand. After this too, Index's tendency to bite Touma has not going down, even increasing...



Touma's Oscar-winning acting. Even having his right arm cut off, he still managed to stay calm, and even turn his whole self into the "real Imagine Breaker" for his opponent. This scene made me think that every ordinary human has Imagine Breaker, the power to exceed one's imagination, going beyond. That's why Touma's only level 0, normal human.



Accelerator, the strongest level 5 esper of Academy City, with MISAKA Sister series 20,001, also known as Last Order. Accelerator's involved in Virus Code case involving Last Order and made the story become his for 2 episodes, making Touma grumble about his appearance.

Bonus:
Toaru Majutsu no Index-tan favorite scene !!


I'm impressed they know Nasi Goreng !! Another phenomenal Indonesia's existence in Anime !!!
Watch also Toaru Majutsu no Index-tan for more laughter !!

Admin's Anime Review: Angel Beats !

Title: Angel Beats !
Studio: P.A. Works
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Action
Original Run: April 3- June 26, 2010
Episodes: 13
Director: Seiji Kishi
Original Character Design: Na-Ga
Number One Theme Song: Insert Theme eps 10 "Shine Days" by Girls Dead Monster

Admin's Score:
Story: 92
Character Development: 91
Artwork: 91
Songs: 90
Animation/ Battle Depiction: 91



Angel Beats ! main protagonists (from left to right): Irie, Sekine, Takamatsu, Matsushita, T.K., Otonashi Yuzuru, Yuri Nakamura, Hideki Hinata, Noda, Oyama, Fujimaki, Hisako, Takeyama, Shiina, and Yusa.



Angel Beats ! is originally written by Jun Maeda. Both Jun Maeda and the character designer, Na-Ga, are from Key, which produced visual novels like Air, Kanon and Clannad and currently working on media collaboration for Angel Beats !. Two series of Angel Beats ! manga began serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine and two internet radio shows are made to promote Angel Beats !.

Synopsis
Otonashi Yuzuru woke up in an afterlife world after his death. He, however, lost his memories and doesn't realize that he was dead until he met a girl named Yuri, who was fighting against a girl, called Tenshi (angel) with her rifle. Not believing in Yuri, Otonashi ran and approach Tenshi, asking her a question, but he got stabbed in his heart in reply. When he woke up, he found out the world that he was in, which acts like a purgatory for teenagers who was lingered by some conflict in their heart when they was alive, as in dissatisfaction, regrets and such. Taken by their feeling, those teenagers fight against the God, in whom they believed the one that gave them such unfair life in a group called Afterlife Battlefront, led by Yuri. They symbolized Tenshi as the God who they have to fight in order to "stay alive" in the purgatory world. Otonashi joined the battlefront to find his lost memories, and thus, the rebels against God began. But, what await the battlefront was...

Strength:
Amazing original idea, story, developments and plot twists. So far, the story's the best I've ever watched, as it gives a lot of meaning, touching, but don't lose the sense of entertaining with the comedies; therefore, killing boredom while watching, even if it's a slice of life, rather, the slice of life gives a lot of impression on the audience (as in the unique past of the battlefront members, although not all of them are told). Nice theme song, inside, opening and ending. The timing of the song is good, as it helped to create touching scene, not to mention that there's various song in the anime, enhancing the story even more. Great artwork (especially the background and the graphics) and animation (smoothness, battle depiction: good). The way the anime is packed in only 13 episodes even there's so many things untold is good, the ending gives enough satisfaction and curiosity to the audience.

Weakness:
Story: not all of the battlefront members' past are revealed, giving curiosity and maybe dissatisfaction to some particular audience.

Screenshot:



Otonashi, welcome to the Afterlife Battlefront. The time Otonashi joined the battlefront after being crushed up by Noda. By the way, at Yuri's right is Iwasawa, the leader of Girls Dead Monster band.



First encounter with Tenshi AKA Tachibana Kanade at the night Otonashi appeared in the afterlife world. At first sight, she seemed like an emotionless doll, but later she began to reveal her feelings. She stabbed Otonashi not long after this.



That's right. All of them are stupid, that's why Takeyama was recruited. This is the battlefront's headquarter where Yuri always announce the next operation to be done. The screen at Yuri's back is cool, I wonder where they got such sophisticated technology. This part of anime is always interesting, when Yuri announce the operation.

Personally, overall, I think this is the best anime I've ever watched. I highly recommended this anime as one in the list of must-watch-anime !!

Character Battle 4th Preliminary Announcement !!

Hereby, the Admin announce that the Fourth Preliminary of Character Battle II has ended in 26th of June 2010.

Da result:
Ikaruga Ibuki: 2 (25%)
Ikaruga Ayame: 4 (50%)
Ikaruga Chihaya: 0 (0%)
Ikaruga Kagome: 1 (12%)
Tsubame Tsubasa: 0 (0%)
Takatsukasa Angela: 1 (12%)
Sakon: 0 (0%)

Therefore, the winner of Character Battle II 4th preliminary is......Ikaruga Ayame !!! Fighting through siblings battle, Ayame emerge as the victor, beating her own sister, Ibuki !! What an amazing battle, note that Ayame thinks of herself being "lower" than her sis, Ibuki, but actually beat her even with Ibuki's charisma ! Congrats to Ayame !


Once again, not much pics of Ayame on the net and planning to keep better one for the next match. Oh well, this' not too bad - Ayame, eat your ice cream carefully and with normal expression, or else it might drip on your clothes...

Admin's Anime Review: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Heaven Piercing Gurren Lagann

Title: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Studio: Gainax
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Adventure, Mecha, Action
Original Run: April 1, 2007- September 30, 2008
Episodes: 27
Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Original Character Design: Atsushi Nishigori
Number One Theme Song: Opening Theme "Sorairo Days" by Shoko Nakagawa

Admin's Score:
Story: 91
Character Development: 90
Artwork: 90
Songs: 90
Animation/ Battle Depiction: 92



Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann main protagonists (left to right): Kamina, Simon, Yoko Littner. At their back is Gurren Lagann.


Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan has been adapted from the original anime to many media like manga, light novel, video-games, and the movie. This is Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann the movie Gurren-hen, the first part of the movie that compiles all of the act in the first arc + some additional scenes and alterations.


Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann for NDS, adding some new scenes to the original story in the anime.

Synopsis
In the future, humans are forced to live underground, in a subterranean civilization, isolated from other human and the surface. They live in a colony with the village system. In a village named Giha, lived a boy named Simon. He is an ostracized digger that has the task to dig underground in order to expand the village and anticipate the frequent earthquakes. One day, during his digging session, he found a small glowing drill. He kept that drill with him from that time and he was recruited at that time into the Gurren Brigade lead by an orphan fellow named Kamina, whose dream is to break through to the surface, following his father's path. After their first attempt to break the roof to the surface failed, Kamina was jailed. However, Simon continue his digging session illegally during night, just to find another weird thing, this time, a big robotic face. When he tried to tell his discovery to Kamina, he was captured by the elders and before their punishment is given, a huge mecha break through the roof and fall on the village. Apparently it was a Ganmen, mechas that terrors human in surface world. Following that, a woman with rifle descended to the village, fighting against the Ganmen. She was Yoko, who came from neighboring village. As their power wasn't enough to stop the Ganmen, Simon finally decided to use his discovery. It worked, the head turned to a mecha by inserting the core drill. Together with Yoko & Kamina, they crushed the Ganmen and ascend gloriously to the surface. But what awaits them on the surface ?

Strength:
Unique character design (get the best character design award). Nice original idea, well developed into a good story with many plot twists and suspense. The action here is of a grand, huge scale. Every battle is so epic, and the level of the battle rise along with the story progress (it's on the galaxy scale at the end, wow). The battle depiction and the suspense are very well made, supported by some cool music theme that built the heat of the battle. Mecha designs are unique, flexible and cool. The use of battleships built even more heat in wars. The main protagonists' character are well-developed.

Weakness:
Episodes 4's total failure. Its artwork is so lame and the animation sucks (I don't know why, it seems like another studio/ staff taking over the task...).

Screenshot:



Simon the driller found the core drill while digging. This was the beginning of his fate as a mankind's warrior who will fight to give human freedom.



The Dai-Gurren troops. In the middle is the big battleship Dai-Gurren (formerly Dai-Ganzan), stolen from enemy and then modified. The other mechas were Ganmen taken over by human from the beastmen. This is the grand battle against the capital city Teppelin. One of the best war scene in the anime.



The battle against Viral in the hot spring. Simon and friends were being trapped by hot spring Ganmen and forced to battle enemy's Ganmen. This is one heck of a scene, because, all of them are naked, except Rosshiu at the left and Leeron, the guy at the back. Even Viral gave them time to wear some clothes and called them the naked apes. (Note: At the end of the battle, Yoko's bra went off, because she still wore the hot-spring suit...)

One of the best anime I've ever seen. In terms of action, I say this is the best I've ever watch. For your consideration, this anime won 7th annual Tokyo's Anime Award in 2008. Also, Excellence Prize 2007 at Japan Media Arts Festival and Personal Best for its director. I highly recommend this anime as a must-watch.

Character Battle 3rd Preliminary Announcement !!

Hereby, the Admin announce that The Third Preliminary of Character Battle II has ended in 7th of June 2010.

Da result:
Himeji Mizuki: 1 (10%)
Shimada Minami: 0 (0%)
Kirishima Shouko: 7 (70%)
Kinoshita Yuko: 0 (0%)
Miharu Shimizu: 0 (0%)
Koyama Yuka: 0 (0%)
Yoshii Akira: 2 (20%)

Thus, the winner of Character Battle II 3rd preliminary is....Kirishima Shouko, the cold dominator !!! Blasting all the way through and dominate all of the vote given, there's no match for her in Baka to Test (excluding Hideyoshi of course...) !! Out of expectation, Yoshii Akira got 2 votes (yeah, you go, onee-chan!!), but there's still a big gap between the competitors. Shouko has proven her position in the A class is not a bluff ! Congrats, Kirishima Shouko !



There's not much pic of Shouko I can find, so this is a doujinshi pic. Anyway, I saved the more glorious pic for the next one and I think this is a good one, nice Shouko ! (Her killing aura seems to disappear in this pic...)