Soul Eater 09: The Legendary Holy Sword! Kid and Black Star's Grand Adventure

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SO THERE'S THIS SWORD THAT'S STUCK... Kid and Black Star search for the legendary blade that cleaves the very heavens, Excalibur. What could possibly go wrong? If you've been watching Soul Eater this far, you know that the answer is: a lot. By the way, did you know that Excalibur's legend started in the 12th century?

The search for Excalibur starts out innocently enough as Black Star is sent to the library as punishment for his spotty performance in school-related activities. Here, he soon meets up with Death the Kid, who is searching for a book about the legendary sword Excalibur. By the way, did I mention that this sword's legend started in the 12th century?

Naturally, both are fascinated about acquiring the legendary living weapon, but for different reasons. Of course, any Soul Eater viewer can likely guess the motivation that drives these two goofs. With a little inside info from Dr. Stein, who apparently failed to truly wield the sword, Black Star and Kid set off on their grand adventure to find the sword -- whose legend started in the 12th century.

Now in earlier posts about this series, I mentioned that Black Star is at his best when paired with Soul because they're just a hilarious duo. Well, Black Star with Kid is a pretty hilarious combination, too. Of course, the funny parts are best experienced by watching as opposed to me telling you so I'll just leave it at that. Let's just say that Death the Kid's reaction to water reminded me of my past misadventures about flooding when I used to live in Manila -- and I even had an uncle help me the same way Black Star helped Kid on my way to school. Just like Kid, I guess I was a "perfect" student, too. Perfectly stupid.

I also like the Gintama-ish reaction from the fairy in the cave when asked about Excalibur. By the way, that's another series I highly recommend. It's actually even funnier than Soul Eater, and that says a lot. Anywho, our two heroes eventually meet up with the legendary sword. Will one of them be compatible enough with the Excalibur to draw it out? The answer will surprise you -- and probably make you laugh out loud, too. All I can say is that any sword that makes Black Star and Kid respect each other more is truly legendary to me, regardless of whether its legend started in the 12th century or not.

Soul Eater 08: Medusa the Witch! The One Who Possesses Souls

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DESPERATION: Maka and Soul find themselves in a pinch during the battle with Chrona. With Soul severely injured, just how will the duo get out of this mess?

Extra thoughts: A new super villain from the shadows reveals herself in this episode, and more is explained about evil weapons that feed on normal human souls as well. The episode also shows the reunion of Stein and Death Scythe in the field, which was subtly foreshadowed in the previous episode.

As far as plot devices go, this episode serves as the classic hero-faces-adversity twist, which ultimately leads to an increased resolve for gaining strength. Then there's also the "uncertainty" twist where the hero is inflicted by a dangerous condition that could consume him (e.g. Bleach's Kurosaki Ichigo's "Hollow" powers, for example).

This episode manages to offer a nice mix of action, comedy and even some touching moments. The scene at the clinic with Black Star and Death Scythe is quite a hoot. Death Scythe's complete lack of confidence when talking to her daughter is kind of sweet, too, if not understandable. One moment you're the hero of your child and can do no wrong. Then the child reaches the teen years and things do a 180. This seems to be especially the case in Japan with fathers and daughters. It makes even a lot more sense when you think how girls view cool young guys as opposed to "ossan" -- which dads basically are. Yep, that's a no win situation right there.

Soul Eater 07: Black Blood of Terror! A Weapon Resides Within Chrona?

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A FORMIDABLE FOE APPEARS: Soul Eater takes a more serious turn as a fearful adversary makes an appearance.

Soul Eater 06: The Rumored Freshman! Kid's Memorable First Day at School

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YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST TIME: The much talked about son of Shinigama-sama, Death the Kid, makes his first official appearance as a student at Shibusen. Naturally, Soul and Black Star decide to give him a welcome fitting of a popular kid who gets all the attention.

Favorite part: For hot-blooded boys, the "gattai" or combined transformation is one of the "coolest" phenomenon in anime. With that said, I just loved, loved the gattai sequence in this episode. I mean, Soul and Black Star literally combined -- to hilarious effect.

Now while Soul and Black Star are quite compatible as friends, that unfortunately doesn't extend to their relationship as master and weapon. Kid, on the other hand, doesn't have the same problem and easily wipes the floor with them. I especially liked the part where Kid goes crazy after Black Star commits a crime against symmetry. Will the incompatible master and weapon find a way to turn the tables?

Soul Eater 05: The Strongest Weapon Master, Stein, Appears

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ANYBODY SEEN A SEWING MACHINE 'ROUND HERE? With Sid defeated, Soul, Maka, Black Star and Tsubaki finally come face to face -- or, more accurately, face-to-top-of-the-head -- with the man responsible for transforming the poor ex-teacher to a zombie. Besides being certifiably messed up in the old noggin', Stein also happens to be the original partner of Maka's papa, Death Scythe. Oh yeah, he's also the strongest weapon master to come out of Shibusen. Did I already mention that he's crazy? What could Master Shinigami possibly be thinking by sending four kids to apprehend him? Sensing a massacre in the making, Death the Kid decides to help. Unfortunately, he gets side tracked by, um, something you wipe a certain body part with. Things certainly aren't looking good for our young heroes.

Speaking of which, I'm not a big fan of horror movies because, well, let's just say I don't like peeing with my pants on. It's the same with sad movies. I mean, why the heck should I pay for the privilege of depressing the heck out of myself? It's the same reason why viewing the last few episodes of Code Geass' first season ruined an entire weekend for me. That show taught me how women must feel right before that time of month.

Anyway, back to horror movies. Despite my wussiness when it comes to scary movies, I'm pretty good at dealing with a wide range of monsters. I can handle werewolves, vampires and mummies -- provided the stay wrapped -- with no problem. But there are three things that seriously creep me out. One is "Sadako" lady-in-white-with-long-black-hair types because they genuinely put the fear of God in me. Second is monsters riddled with stitches or impaled with sharp objects because they plain gross me out. Third are decomposing people because they're both scary and gross (though not as scary as Sadako. Sadako's hits you psychologically, too). Soul Eater's Stein happens to be the classic example of the second type: he's got stitches all over his body and a huge, friggin' giant screw going through his head. Fortunately, he's a goofy cartoon character, which totally cancels everything out. In short, I just went through a long, incessant rant for nothing.

Soul Eater 04: Witch Hunt Invoked!? Heart-Pounding Remedial Lesson at the Graveyard?

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NOT-SO-WHITE ZOMBIE: Following the debacle that was their initial witch hunt, former Shibusen school rising stars Maka and Soul find themselves "soulless" and back to square one. As a result, they are forced to take a remedial course with another victim, er, student -- the chronic underachiever, Black Star. Their mission is to track down their former homeroom teacher Sid, who reportedly kicked the bucket after taking a very sharp object to the forehead. Now the ex-instructor is apparently terrorizing the area after being turned into a zombie. I guess that's just the kind of man that Sid is and/or was. So how did the once-kind Sid turn into an evil zombie? And just how do you beat a zombified ex-teacher who also happened to be a top-class weapon master? And does Sid dig through the ditches and burn through the witches and slam at the back of his Dragula? Well, I guess you'll just have to watch Soul Eater's fourth episode.

On an unrelated note, is it just me or are certain Japanese zombie creations uncharacteristically energetic? Off the top of my head, two zombies come to mind -- Soul Eater's Sid and Darkstalkers' Zabel. Whatever happened to good, old slow zombies? You know, the ones that used to appear in old movies and managed to kill characters who were apparently too stupid to outrun something that moved just about as fast a tree? I blame Michael Jackson. His Thriller zombies suckered you in by first moving slow. Next thing you know, they're dancing as quick as a bad guy in a cowboy movie who's being shot at the foot. Then again, I actually like Sid and Zabel. Being chased by zombies as limber as them, though, is another story altogether. That's just askin' for a bladder problem.

Macross Frontier 02: Hard Chase

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Alto finds himself in the cockpit of one of the latest Valkyries (or Gerwalk to be technical, I guess) after an unexpected turn of events. Although a bit rough on the edges, Alto displays some potential as a pilot, but will it be enough against the invading alien monster? And that's all I'm going to say about the plot at this point as shows are best experienced by watching them, not by reading a summary.

As a fan of the original series, I'm really liking this attack-on-the-city setting as it seems to pay homage to its classic forefather. It's also obvious they've spent a lot of moolah on this series as the mech animations are sinfully good. Singing certainly appears to be more well integrated in Frontier vs., say, a certain unnamed Macross series that basically force-fed the musical aspect of the show until you puked. Yes, I just can't let that go.

Anywho, so far so good Macross Frontier. You've definitely got my attention.

Soul Eater 03: The Perfect Boy? Death the Kid's Magnificent Mission?

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PAGING DR. PHIL: The son of Shinigami-sama himself, Death the Kid is one perfectly powerful boy. He's also perfectly in need of some serious therapy. This is my favorite Soul Eater episode so far simply because Kid and his partners, Patty and Liz, are just drop dead hilarious. I LOL'ed. A lot. you probably will too, so I'll just keep quiet as to not ruin the surprise.

Soul Eater 02: I'm a Star! The Big Shot Appears

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A STAR APPEARS: As a top-class assassin, Black Star's fighting style is most conducive to stealth and striking from the shadows. Unfortunately, "Mr. Big Shot" has one personality quirk that tends to get in the way, much to the dismay of his living weapon, Tsubaki. I couldn't help but think of another certain ninja -- one that likes ramen. In fact, Black Star seems to be the amalgamation of certain anime character stereotypes. Normally, that gets tiring for me pretty quickly. But I just can't bring myself to hate the guy. I think Black Star is at his best when playing off of Soul as they end up looking like a manzai group without a straight man. Otherwise, it's easy for him to lapse into "stereotypical character A." I also like how he tends to succumb to fads he conjures in his head. It kind of reminds me of some people I know -- the only difference being Black Star is designed to be intentionally silly. Real-life people, on the other hand, don't even realize how silly they are being sometimes. Or is that most of the time?

Soul Eater 01: Soul Eater Becomes a Death Scythe?

SOUL SEARCHING: Scythe specialist Maka Albarn and her living weapon Soul Eater collect their 99th soul and are only a witch's soul away from powering Soul up into his ultimate form: a Death Scythe. Collecting that witch's soul, however, is apparently easier said than done...

Now as much as I like Soul and Maka, their relationship reminds me of many an anime character that have gone before so I wouldn't consider the two exactly ground breaking from a personality standpoint. Still, the combination works so that's still fine by me.

I do enjoy the little added touches to spice things up a bit and keep it interesting. Maka's dad, for example, is your stereotypical super-doting, overprotective dad but the added 21st century element of his divorce woes is actually a pretty funny twist -- and how often do you hear someone say that about divorces? Plus I can never hate super-doting, overprotective dads because that's exactly how I'm gonna be if I ever have a daughter. Die, hormonically active young male scum! I also like the fact that they named a "witch" Blair. I see what you did there, Soul Eater. In short, I'm intrigued enough to continue giving this series a chance. I pray that it doesn't disappoint.

Chi's Sweet Home 04: Chi Forgets

CATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER: Chi steels herself and attempts to go home to her family once again. But little things here and there distract the curious kitten.

Soul Eater - Main Page

SOULFULLY DELIGHTFUL: At first glance, Soul Eater looks like one of those forgettable, mass-produced Saturday morning cartoons that now populate American TV. But don't let the simple drawing style fool you. Soul Eater is one of the more enjoyable shows to debut in the Spring '08 season.

Part Tim Burton movie and part action-packed shonen anime, the manga-based Soul Eater chronicles the adventures (or is it misadventures?) of students at the Shinigami Weapons Technician Vocational School -- or something that roughly translates along those lines. As part of their curriculum, weapon technicians try to collect the souls of 99 corrupted humans and 1 witch to increase the power of their living weapons. In the process, they also try to protect the world by preventing the rebirth of evil "Kishin." It's a twist on the old good-vs.-evil, collect-something plot device. But the series provides enough fresh touches to keep yours truly interested.

From what I've seen so far, Soul Eater features a nice mix of action, introspection and goofy hijinks from a hilarious cast of characters. From a not-so-secretive ninja and spunky rebel who tries to be cool yet miserably fails most of the time to a doting dad going through a divorce and an obsessive compulsive genius, Soul Eater serves up a delightful cast of misfits. I also found the art style growing on me after a while and the action sequences are nicely directed from a camera and body movement standpoint. I think it's definitely one of the highlights of this anime season, especially since it doesn't take itself too seriously and is ridiculously funny. But don't take my word for it. Go watch and see for yourself.

Episode 1: Resonance: Soul Eater Becomes a Death Scythe?
Episode 2: I'm a Star! The Big Shot Appears
Episode 3: The Perfect Boy? Death The Kid's Magnificent Mission
Episode 4: Witch Hunt Invoked?! Heart-Pounding Remedial Lesson at the Graveyard?
Episode 5: The Strongest Weapon Master, Stein, Appears
Episode 6: The Rumored Freshman! Kid's Memorable First Day at School
Episode 7: Black Blood of Terror! A Weapon Resides Within Chrona?
Episode 8: Medusa the Witch! The One Who Possesses Souls
Episode 9: The Legendary Holy Sword! Kid and Black Star's Grand Adventure

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Main Page

A REAL BREAKTHROUGH: As a resident of the underground village of Giha, 14-year-old Simon spends his days drilling underground. With expansion towards the surface forbidden, Giha can only deal with any growth in its population by expanding its boundaries downwards. But the very expansion that allows the village to grow and survive also puts it at greater risk for severe cave ins and its eventual destruction.

Such contradictions play a big role in the overall story of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (which literally translates to "Break Through the Heavens: Gurren Lagann"). As one of Giha's most skilled diggers, for example, Simon plays an important role for the village. But his knack for digging also makes him an outcast among the people in his community. As the story progresses, Simon's world eventually takes a life-changing turn after he digs up a strange drill-shaped object. This is then followed by his unearthing of a large mechanical head shortly thereafter. The discoveries, along with his association with a hot-headed dreamer named Kamina, will ultimately trigger a chain of events that will propel young Simon from the depths of the Earth's underground confines all the way to the surface world, the wide skies and the vast expanse of outer space.

Just like Simon's world, Gurren Lagann's story continues to expand as the series progresses. Don't let the simple art style, goofy robot designs and slow initial pace of Gurren Lagann fool you. Beneath the show's whimsical exterior is one of the deeper, most fulfilling stories ever animated, and folks who stick with it all the way to the end will be handsomely rewarded. Studio Gainax really knows robot shows. With the exception of some truly weird stuff toward the end of Evangelion, Gainax has consistently succeeded in re-inventing mecha shows and in crafting some spectacular stories.

As always, Gainax's robot designs are spot on. While the initial '70s style robot designs may not be everyone's cup of tea, it should hit a soft spot with purists who appreciate their robot history. Some of the designs also evolve into more "modern" forms as the series progresses, starting with Gurren Lagann's initial combined form all the way to his ultimate iteration. (Let's just say that Gunbuster needs to make a lot of room in the Gainax robot stable.)

But while Gainax robots typically get the spotlight, it's the human experiences that really make a Gainax series shine. In Gurren Lagann, people laugh, cry, fall in love and get their hearts broken by tragic twists of fate. People rise, people fall and and people rise again. People grow up and people grow old. By the time the series ends, what starts out as a kiddie cartoon matures into an amazing, expansive tale that would stir even the most disillusioned anime watcher. Evangelion may get all the acclaim for Gainax. But in Gurren Lagann, I think Gainax truly breaks through the heavens and produces its best work yet -- minus the "trying too hard" psycho babble. Truly one of the finest works of animation I have ever seen.

Recommended if you like: Mazinger Z, Gaogaigar

Episode 1: Pierce the Heavens With Your Drill

Gurren Lagann 01: Pierce the Heavens With Your Drill

A BOY AND HIS DRILL: While digging deep within the depths of the underground town of Giha, young driller Simon comes across a mysterious drill-shaped object. Simon immediately takes a liking to the tiny drill and turns it into a necklace. But his good mood is quickly doused by unflattering words from several girls. Fortunately, for Simon, his gloomy mood is immediately lightened up by fellow townsman Kamina. After giving Simon some goofy advice advice about ugly girls, Kamina then proceeds to kick off his latest plot to escape the underground confines of Giha...








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Nagasarete Airantou - Main Page

DRIFTIN' TO PARADISE: Tom Hanks' experience as a castaway was just plain miserable. Dude ended talking to a freakin' volleyball after all. But instead of conversing with your ball, balls -- whatever -- what if you were a male castaway stuck in an island full of girls instead? And what if many of the girls happened to be cute? And what if they all happen to be fighting over you because, aside from certain animals, you're the only guy in said island? Can you even imagine a more terrible situation than that for a man? Oh the horrors!

As a full-fledged, virile man, all I can say is, thank goodness I've never been in such a horrible situation. But unfortunately for Nagasarete Airantou's main protagonist, Ikuto Tohoin, that's exactly the predicament he finds himself in after getting thrown overboard from a ship during a storm. To make matters worse, the island Ikuto drifts to usually prevents anyone from leaving or getting in due to some weird natural (or is it unnatural?) phenomenon. In short, the "poor guy" is pretty much stuck in this island filled with cute if not mildly psychotic chicks (literally and figuratively).

Since Nagasarete's charm is best discovered on your own, I will refrain from spoiling the plot any further. I was actually going through one of my extended droughts where I didn't watch anime for several years until I accidentally came across this show in 2007. Needless to say, I was hooked after the first episode. I even started checking out other shows again because Nagasarete Airantou reminded me why I used to like watching anime so much. All because of a show about some dude who gets stuck in an island filled with girls and talking animals. Yes, I know it sounds strange -- almost as if I was smoking something I shouldn't be. But you'll likely understand once you give Nagasarete Airantou a look.

Recommended if you like: Seto no Hanayome

Episode 1: Drifted to Paradise

Nagasarete Airantou 01: Drifted to Paradise

TROUBLE IN PARADISE? Young runaway Ikuto Tohoin decides to board a ship after deciding that he's had it with his overbearing father. Unfortunately for Ikuto, his plans are literally thrown overboard after a storm rocks the ship and the crew decides to abandon him. Confucius say: Them's the breaks. Ikuto's sorry, drenched carcass drifts to a nearby island where he is eventually saved by a girl with a strange-looking piglet. This whole thing's starting to sound good already. Upon seeing the seemingly half-dead Ikuto, the flabbergasted mystery girl immediately attempts to kill, er, save the young lad. Ikuto's troubles in paradise have now officially begun.

Arriving in Paradise


The Bridegroom Chase


The Great Escape ... Or Maybe Not


shingenmochi's post-viewing thoughts: The formula of one popular guy attracting several female interests is potentially one of the most overplayed and tiring plot points in anime. But it's a formula that Nagasarete Airantou pulls off surprisingly well. It certainly helps that the manga-based show features an interesting and likable cast of diverse if not cooky characters with varying ranges of neuroses. To minimize potential spoilers, let's just say that I started laughing the moment Suzu attempted to revive the hapless Ikuto and pretty much kept laughing all the way to the end. A great introductory episode to a wonderful series that does a refreshing take on what could've easily been a tired, old concept.

Chi's Sweet Home 03: Chi Suffers a Terrible Experience

NOW THAT'S SOME QUALITY H2O: Chi may be cute. But his traumatic experience as a stray cat also means she's one filthy little kitty. That means a trip to the shower is in order. And as any cat expert knows, cats love nothing more than being given a nice, watery bath. Go ahead, try it. And don't forget the Band-Aids while you're at it. It's like being locked in a fierce battle with a pint-sized Wolverine. Pity you don't have the X-Man's healing powers...

Macross Frontier - Main Page

BACK TO BASICS: As a kid who grew up on reruns of '70s robot shows, the original Macross was a turning point in my anime viewing life. It was my first introduction to the new breed of anime in the '80s -- one that paid homage to the shows from the previous decade while adding just that extra level of detail to signal the jump to the next generation. (Much to my delight, that joyfully included swarms of homing missiles zigzagging across the screen.)

I loved, loved Macross. I also liked Macross Plus. Then I saw Macross 7, and my reaction could only be best explained by the sophisticated phrase, "WTF?" I mean, I understand that music plays a big role in Macross, OK? But big enough to have the main pilots fighting by singing and strumming musical instruments? I think, I'll pass.

Well, actually, I didn't exactly pass because I forced myself to watch the entire thing just because a friend was kind enough to record the whole series for me on videotape after renting the entire thing while in Japan. The only saving grace this series had for me was seeing Max and Miriya take part in dogfights toward the end the right way -- using traditional mech controls sans singing and guitars (there is a God!). Otherwise, the whole series to me was like watching a mime perform. I know there's art in there somewhere, but boy is it uncomfortable to watch. (And if you happen to be one of the folks who actually liked Macross Xanadu, er, 7, then more power to you.)

With that in mind, I approached Macross Frontier with some trepidation. I knew music is certainly going to be a major part of the series. But if I as much see the main pilot jump into a cockpit with a ukulele and start belting some glam rock against the invaders-du-jour, then I'm outta here. Much to my relief, the first episode had no such thing. The effeminate if not exactly original brooding main character aside, the souped up dogfights, along with the subtle and not-so-subtle homages to the original series really had me hooked (Alto's Valkyrie, for example, has a paint scheme and look that evokes memories of Hikaru's Valkyrie with white and black/red-trimming. Whee.). Now this looks like the Macross I know and love. Yes, the main character is a bit too pretty-boyish and has a first name that would make school bullies want to beat him up. But he also doesn't play a guitar and break into song while in the cockpit and that's good enough for me.

Episode 1: Close Encounter
Episode 2: Hard Chase

Macross Frontier 01: Close Encounter

Lest I be accused of only liking quirky anime, I've decided it might be good to include a show with robots to appeal to the fanboys. I figure what better than a series that pays homage to the both the old and the new: Macross Frontier. After all, this is the show that renewed my faith in the Macross series -- at least for its first episode -- following the debacle that was Macross 7. Seriously, what the heck was that (i.e. Macross 7)? I'll make sure I remember to ask this question if I ever meet Sigmund Freud in the after life, although it sure would be funny if he replied by saying, "I've been trying to figure that out, too." Boy, do I need some psychotherapy right about now. Speaking of psychotherapy, it appears as if Macross Frontier's new main character could use some, too, given how everyone calls him "Princess" and all. Maybe he should just save himself some grief and cut his hair, but that would be way too easy, no?

Moyashimon: Tales of Agriculture - Main Page

A BUG'S LIFE: New college student Sawaki Tadayasu has a special gift. Ever since childhood, he has always been able to see and talk with microbes. Sawaki's skill becomes a source of intrigue and hijinks once he and best friend Yuki Kei enter an agricultural university in Tokyo populated by an interesting cast of characters. From a quirky genius professor and a postgrad bombshell dressed in S&M-ish garb to two slacker students and two pretty ladies who tend to serve as foils for many of the misadventures hatched in each episode, Moyashimon provides fertile ground for a lot viewing fun.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: The first time I heard about Moyashimon, I thought to myself, "What could possible be interesting about a story based on agriculture?" Boy, am I glad I gave this series a chance. Moyashimon's unique plot is a refreshing change of pace to many of the stereotypical animes out there that seem to rehash the same old plot lines. Moyashimon has some seriously drop-dead funny moments that will have you laughing out loud. But it also has heart, which is the hallmark of every good story. My only regret about this series was that they stopped at 13 episodes. Guess I'll have to track the manga down the next time I'm in Japan.

Episode 1: Agricultural University Microbe Tales

Moyashimon 01: Agricultural University Microbe Tales

COLLEGE LIFE BEGINS: Sawaki Tadayasu, a young man gifted with the ability to see microbes, starts his first day with friend Yuki Kei at an agricultural university in Tokyo. The opening ceremony quickly proves to be eventful as students are warned about a missing student by a faculty member who lacks some delicacy to say the least. Soon after, Sawaki's special ability reveals a dense trail of microbes that leads them to a suspicious mound on the ground. Could this have something to do with the missing student?



A crowd soon gathers around the mound, including a mysterious old man who decides to dig up the ground. A strong stench quickly fills the air and Sawaki and Yuki get a quick lesson about fermentation. The old man turns to be Prof. Itsuki Keizo, an acquaintance of Sawaki's grandfather. Apparently, the nutty professor has heard of Sawaki's special ability, which soon gets quickly put to the test.



After winning over a certain skeptic, Sawaki's demonstration gets interrupted after he notices a major infestation of creepy microbes known as fructivorans coming from somewhere in the university. What could possibly be going on?

Chi's Sweet Home 02: Chi Gets Taken In

UCHI KAERU: Chi wakes up and quickly notices her new surroundings. The lost kitten is also introduced to her new "family." As any cat owner knows, however, the walking furballs typically don't react well to surprises. Fortunately, Chi is easily bribed by a certain secret weapon. As usual, Chi remembers her real family, which typically causes her to channel her inner Ozzy Osbourne and mutter "Momma, I'm comin' home." But doing so is easier said than done.

Chi's Sweet Home - Main Page

Home is where the heart is, even for lost little kittens.

HOME, SWEET HOME: As the brother of a guy who picked up a scraggly little stray kitten several years ago, I can relate to the travails of having your home invaded by some spunky little critter. Oh, the nights I would wake up as the purring, little devil licked my face. And the days I'd get scratches on my hand following an ambush by the playful domestic insurgent when I wasn't paying attention. Which brings us to "Chi's Sweet Home," a show that follows the adventures (or is that misadventures) of a lost kitten who suddenly finds herself in a new home. Given my experience with my brother's latest pet project from the street, I must confess that my bad, macho self just can't help but melt into a puddle of baby-talking idiocy every time I witness Chi's little kitten actions in this series. It's just so fweakin' adowable!!! Ahem. Now that I've made myself the target of some sort of male-driven intervention, I now point you to the episodes featured in this blog's cheap anime viewer. One can only hope that you don't end up singing the theme song to yourself all day long and cause your non-Japanese-speaking -- or even Japanese-speaking -- co-workers to think you've lost your marbles. Not that, um, that kind of thing ever, um, happened to me.

Episode 1: Chi Get's Lost
Episode 2: Chi Gets Taken In
Episode 3: Chi Suffers a Terrible Experience
Episode 4: Chi Forgets

Chi's Sweet Home 01: Chi Get's Lost

HOME, SWEET HOME: To commemorate this blog's first entry, what could be more fitting than a show with a main character who suddenly has to adjust to new surroundings? In the first episode of Chi's Sweet Home, the poor, little kitten is separated from her loving family. Lucky for our little protagonist, Chi is saved by a loving family.

Short and sweet, Chi's mini-episodes are like those quick snacks best enjoyed as you huddle in the winter under a Japanese kotatsu. Plus, Chi's just so darned cute! And yes, I think I just lost some points on the old guy card with that one.

Welcome to tabiasobi's Anime Viewer!

CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN: A Japanese girl once chastised me for being, in her own words, "changeable." The first thing that popped into my head after hearing that was underwear so I couldn't help but chuckle. Needless to say, she didn't exactly appreciate my reaction. Then one day, I was looking through a Japanese-English dictionary she gave me as a present and noticed that the word kimagure had a check mark on it. One of the English translations was the word "changeable." All this time, she meant to tell me that I was capricious. (I guess this means I'm at an orange crossroad, get it? Kimagure? Orange road? As in ... um, just forget it.)

Like the ebb and flow of the tides, the phases in which I view anime in my life seem to come and go. Growing up in a country where '70s robot shows enjoy popularity to this day, my first jaunt into the world of anime spanned such classics as Mazinger Z, Voltes V, Daimos and Tetsuwan Atom, ending with the final episode of Macross.

Then came several anime-free years until I rediscovered the genre again in the '90s after coming across localized videos for such shows as Ranma 1/2, Patlabor, Dominion Tank Police and The Guyver. That was followed yet again by another sabbatical that would go for some time until I ended up with a Japanese roommate with a stash that included Slayers, Dunbine, L-Gaim and Dancougar.

After what I can only describe as anime burnout, however, I lost interest in anime for several years yet again. It wasn't until I started self-studying Japanese once more that I started watching anime again last year. That's because anime tends to boost my confidence with my Japanese comprehension a lot more than, say, Japanese news on TV Those shows tend to use highfalutin' words that make me feel like an idiot. An accidental run-in with Nagasarete Airantou kick-started my anime return, followed by shows like Hayate the Combat Butler, Claymore, Shakugan no Shana and Moyashimon.

Anywho, I don't know how long this latest anime phase is going to last. Until then, I though it might be neat to do a blog with video links to some of the shows I've seen and post some random thoughts about them. Of course, just like my interests, the features shows shall be "changeable." Because once things gets stale, then they just aren't fun anymore. Variety, after all, is the spice of life, and anime is no exception.