Mokke: (Ended) Surprise...

Throughout the series, it's been either straight up drama or drama mixed in with little comedy. But the ending snuck up with and tragedy out of blue. I love tragedies, and have been looking everywhere for one. Low quality tragedy nowadays doesn't even affect my emotion any more. In the case of Mokke, I wouldn't exactly call it a "quality" tragedy. However, it snuck up so fast with every little forcast, when I realized there's a tragedy coming, it's already over. It's like a big surprise right in your face. Very well made. But of course, like all tragedies lately, they just have to tag on an extra episode to wash away the effect of tragedy. Suckers...

Final scoreboard (of 5):

Drama: 4.5 (Independent episodes, but lots of drama within each)

Comedy: 3.5 (It's not its focus)

Action: 3.5 (Not its focus either)

Art/Animation: 3.5 (I still don't like its art style)

Sound/Music: 3.75 (The opening theme song is pretty good)

Character: 4.5 (In depth development)

Plot: N/A (There's really no plot what so ever)

Ending: 4.5 (Nice job on sneaking that tragedy up)

Re-watch value: 3.5 (Maybe just for the reference on Japanese mythologies)

Overall (not average): 4 ~ Knowledgable, Light, Dramatic

Recommendation: Really depends. To be able to enjoy this anime, you have to not mind slightly slower than normal pace throughout the series; not mind the fact there is no evolving plot line; and is interested in learning some traditional Japanese mythology and ghost stories. If your answer to those three are "positive", the you'd enjoy this series. Otherwise, I'd say don't waste your time on it.

OVA: School Days: Magical Heart Kokoro-chan

When the last episode School Days was cancelled on most tv network, an internet meme called "Nice Boat" was born. Being as creative as they are, 0verflow (the company created School Days) built on top of it. First they named their booth "Nice Boat." at some anime convention. Now they even incorporated it into their OVA.

Clearly, this OVA is just for laughs. The intent of 0verflow is questionable: it seems to be an method of making some quick profit of this existing franchise. Even so, I'd still recommend this to anybody that liked School Days, there are just too many inside jokes to be passed off.

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1059.html

Knowledge base: Kokoro (心) means "Heart", thus Magical Heart; Kotonoha (言葉) means "Word", thus Magical Word. Have no clue what I'm talking about? Watch the OVA, you'll see.

April 2008 New Anime: Toshokan Senso (Library War)

Info/Download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1228.html

Genres: Modern Fantasy / Political / Thriller / Drama / War

I've watched: 2 episodes

Art style: Common

Summary: Toshokan Senso translates directly to "Library War". In a future where media police goes around censors free speech, library is the last place with freedom of speech because it's protected by more supreme law. However, media police is not going to give up taking over the library. A situation almost like civil war is occurring between the media police and the library.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 4 ~ So much exaggeration, it's actually fun to watch

Personal comments: Animes are never lack of exaggerations. But this is different. I can't find a word exactly describe the difference, it's just fundamentally different. The background is that in Japan, new media control law has been passed, media police has the supreme power to do almost anything they want. To balance that out, they also passed something called "Library Freedom Act" (I think that's what's it called), where libraries become self-governing entities. So, twenty some years later, all libraries became like almost a military entity. All libraries have their own self defense force and special op force to counter the attack from media police. The weirdest part is everybody, include those special force member are trained as librarian as well. So basically, library is like a special military unit, where all soldiers are also Librarians. The exaggeration got to an extreme level, a level that you really couldn't place it comfortably. Because of that, it's also so damn interesting.

April 2008 New Anime: Nijuu Mensou no Musume

Info: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9163

Download: http://www.baka-updates.com/

Genres: Thief / Drama / Mystery

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Semi-realistic

Summary: There is a legendary thief called Nijuu Mensou (20 faces). This time he had stolen a girl who was treated badly at her uncle's house after her parents passed away. That's all there is from episode 1.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 3 ~ I can see it has potentials

Personal comments: Both the art and the theme resembles largely of Lupin the 3rd. One major difference is that this doesn't seem to be an comedy at all.

April 2008 New Anime: RD Sennou Chosashitsu

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1223.html

Genres: SciFi / ???

I've watched: 1 Episode

Art style: Realistic of some type

Summary: ...Not sure yet...

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 2.8 - Something strange...

Personal comment: This seems to be one of those weird scifi animes. It's weird, but not bizarre. Mononoke is weird and bizarre, this one is just weird. Make sure you understand the concept... I have a feeling this one is not going to last for me...

April 2008 New Anime: Itazura na Kiss

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1196.html

Genres: School Drama / School Comedy

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Old Shoujo

Summary: A girl was rejected by some guy when she confessed to him. Later that day earthquake destroys her house. She end up moving to her dad's friends house, whose son is the same guy just rejected her.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 3.25 ~ The art work bothers me a bit...

Personal comment: The art style looks like 80's or 90's shoujo manga style. Something in this style bothers me. Can't quite tell. I just don't like it.

April 2008 New Anime: Crystal Blaze

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1217.html

Genres: Drama / Supernatural

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: common

Summary: There're some incidents teenage girls turning into glass. A private detective agency got involved in on of this mess. The rest are still too unclear...

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 3.75 ~ Not sure how it's going to turn out yet, we'll see

Personal comments: Looks like a typical start of a drama anime. Nothing was explain in the first episode except some character introduction.

April 2008 New Anime: Special A

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1197.html

Genres: Comedy / School drama

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Overly stretched

Summary: The top 7 students of the school are given special privileges. Hikari and Kei are among them. However, Kei has always beaten Hikari, and Hikari wnats to change that.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 3.8 - Also an acceptable comedy from Gonzo

Recognized Voice Talent: Yuko Goto (後藤邑子): She's probably most famous for the of Asahina from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Kaede Fuyou from Shuffle!. You may also know her as Nanami from Lamune. I was a bit surprised when her name came up in the credit, because I didn't recognize her voice at all. In the past, she's been the voice of so many shy girls, this time, she sounds totally different when she's not playing a shy girl.

Personal comments: It seems this season Gonzo has gone comedy heavy. So far I'm liking what I've see from Gonzo. Just hope they keep doing what they've been doing right.

April 2008 New Anime: Kamen no Maid Guy

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1201.html

Genres: Comedy / Comedy / Comedy

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Comedy

Summary: When life of the granddaughter of a billionare is in danger, a "maid guy" is there to protect her. He's a big, strong, male house maid. I think that's enough being said about this anime...

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 4 - One of Gonzo's better comedy

Personal comments: I have not found one good comedy by Gonzo yet, up till now. I think this could be a comedy that produced by Gonzo that I'd actually like. Their comedy animes had always made me somewhat uncomfortable, but Kamen no Maid Guy did not. Hopefully, they can keep it up.

April 2008 New Anime: Macross Frontier

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1147.html

Genres: SciFi / Robot / Space / Robotech

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Common + 3DCG

Summary: Sequel to the original Macross, it talks about how people are travelling across the universe to find new planet to colonize. The colony ship, is called Macross Frontier.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 3.75 - Slightly above average

Personal comments: This is a very typical Macross anime. It contains all the Macross essential elements: wantobe fighter pilot, female singer, and some girl works in a Chinese restruant. They just don't seem to be able to get away from this formula...

April 2008 (not so) New Anime: Da Capo II Second Season

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1218.html

Genres: School Drama / School Fantasy / Light Comedy

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Da Capo (There's enough of this series to have its own style)

Summary: Continuation of previous D.C.II. Looks like this time the real story of D.C.II going go occur, without any distractions.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 4 - Looks better than first part

Recognized voice talent: Yui Horie (堀江由衣): For a while, I thought there's a familiar voice in D.C.II, but never bothered to find out. I ran cross the reference today while looking up the info on D.C.II.S.S. She is best known to me as Yoko from Inukami. Also, I just found out today, she's also the voice talent of Naru of Love Hina. Her most recent apparences also include Yuki from Vampire Knight.

Personal comments: I know there are people that hated the original Da Capo becaues it originally presented itself as comedy, and later turn into a very dark somewhat tragic drama. Well, this time, instead replay what they did with original Da Capo, they decided to produce two series instead. Most light comedies are in the first season of Da Capo II, and the second season starts off actually quite heavy hearted. So you don't need to wory about them doing a bait and switch again.

April 2008 New Anime: Zettai Karen Children

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1198.html

Genres: Comedy / Semi-children's / Magical Girl (not literally, just that type)

I've watched: 1 episode

Art style: Children / Common

Summary: BABEL, BAse of Backing ESP Laboratory (Sometime you wonder how they can just keep coming up with broken English acronyms like this...) is a special ESP organization for stopping crimes. The core of the organization is the team called "Children" - three girls who has highest possible ESP levels. But they're only 10 years old, having this much power at this age also means trouble.

Rating (of 5) - first impression: 4 - Interesting

Recognized Voice talent: Aya Hirano (平野綾): Very easily recognized becaues of her distinct voice. She's probably most famous as Haruhi from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Reira from Nana, Misa from Death Note, Lumiere from Kiddy Grade, and Konata Izumi from Lucky Star.

Personal comments: Most children's anime doesn't interest me. But there are some, for no obvious reason I can find, I just couldn't put them down. Take this one for example, I could find no obvious reason why I like this anime, but I just do.