Anime Review: Digimon Ghost Game

From left: Kiyoshiro, Hiro, Gammamon, Angoramon and Ruri. Jellymon is missing due to being evil this episode.

Anime Review: Digimon Ghost Game In the not-too-distant future, advances in hologram technology have made holograms ubiquitous in advertising, robotics, public services and other aspects of life in Japan. Some, it would seem, are even artificially intelligent. But there’s also been a spike in weird, seemingly paranormal activity, often involving creatures that appear to be… Continue reading Anime Review: Digimon Ghost Game

Anime Review: Ghost Stories (Dub)

From left: Hajime, Satsuki, Keiichiro, Momoko and Reo.

Anime Review: Ghost Stories (Dub) originally Gakko no Kaidan (School Ghost Stories) After the death of her mother Kayako, Satsuki Miyanoshita moves to her parents’ home town with her father Reiichirou and little brother Keiichirou. The children are to be enrolled in the new elementary school which was built right next to the creepy and… Continue reading Anime Review: Ghost Stories (Dub)

Manga Review: Ratman, Vol. 3

Rio Kizaki is the cover feature character for this volume.

Manga Review: Ratman, Vol. 3 by Sekihiko Inui On an alternate Earth, methods have been found to give ordinary humans superpowers, and “superhero” is a profession. However, the processes involved are very expensive and out of range for the average working person. So most superheroes are sponsored by businesses and act as mascots for them.… Continue reading Manga Review: Ratman, Vol. 3

Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish 03

Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish 03 by Akiko Higashimura Quick recap: The all-women apartment building Amamizu-kan, home to jellyfish-obsessed artist Tsukimi and her nerdy friends, is threatened by gentrification. They have a champion in the person of Kuranosuke, a prominent politician’s black sheep son who likes to dress in women’s clothing (and looks really good doing… Continue reading Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish 03

Manga Review: Yowamushi Pedal 1

Manga Review: Yowamushi Pedal 1 by Wataru Watanabe The Sohoku High School Bicycle Racing Club has several interesting freshman members this year.  There’s Imaizumi, a serious competitor whose family is wealthy, so he can afford the finest bicycle racing equipment and training.  There’s the fiery Naruko from Osaka, who’s a fine sprinter despite his flashy… Continue reading Manga Review: Yowamushi Pedal 1

Manga Review: Comic Party Vol. 5

Manga Review: Comic Party Vol. 5 by Sekihiko Inui Note:  This review contains SPOILERS for earlier volumes and the video game. Kazuki Sendō is a mediocre college student who is somewhat adrift in life as his talent was deemed insufficient to qualify for art school.  His buddy Taishi Kuhonbutsu invites Kazuki to come along to… Continue reading Manga Review: Comic Party Vol. 5

Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish Volume 1

Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish Volume 1 by Akiko Higashimura Amamizukan is not your average apartment building.  For one thing, it’s a small, old-fashioned building of the type rarely seen these days.  More importantly, all the residents are fujoshi (“rotten women”) who for one reason or another have fallen outside the society-approved get job/get husband/have kids way… Continue reading Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish Volume 1

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! Volume 4

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! Volume 4 by Go Ikeyamada Quick recap:  Meguru and Mitsuru Kobayashi are fraternal twins who look a lot alike.  Due to a zany scheme, they switched uniforms and went to each other’s school for a week.  While there, each fell in love with a student at their sibling’s school,… Continue reading Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! Volume 4

Magazine Review: Water~Stone Review Volume 18: All We Cannot Alter

Magazine Review: Water~Stone Review Volume 18: All We Cannot Alter edited by Mary François Rockcastle. This is the latest volume of Hamline University’s annual literary magazine, which I picked up at the Rain Taxi Book Festival.  The subtitle comes from one of the poems in this issue, “Is This What Poets Do?” by Elizabeth Oness.… Continue reading Magazine Review: Water~Stone Review Volume 18: All We Cannot Alter

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! #1

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! #1 by Go Ikeyamada When the Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were born, their parents named  them after people important in the life of feudal warlord Date Masamune.  It seems that their family was descended from retainers of that Warring States era general.  When they grew to adolesence, Mitsuru became… Continue reading Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! #1