Tag: Anime

The new summer 2021 season has yet to start so let’s talk about my top ten anime crushes.

TEN

Victor Nikiforov, Yuri on Ice

I don’t care that Victor is gay for Yuri. I love how free spirited he is. He literally, on a whim, gets on a plane to Japan to coach his crush. We get to watch how this exceptional athlete transitions from a lonely soul to finding the love and life that were so distant in his professional career. He’s funny and absent-minded. On one hand, he can be dependable and wise. But, mostly, he’s pretty derpy, unorganized, and flies by the seat of his pants. I love his duality in this anime.

NINE

Tatsuya, The Irregular in Magic High School

I’m not 100% sure why I like Tatsuya. I think I am drawn to his tactical mind. He is also quite emotionless that draws me in as well. As the story goes, in order to get the insane powers that he has, they took away his emotions toward everyone but his sister. That makes him a bit awkward, and yet, he draws people in. Most of all, he is probably one of the most overpowered characters in anime and I’m drawn to raw power.

EIGHT

Naofumi, The Rising of the Shield Hero

Using spite and hate as fuel, Naofumi has to claw his way every step of the way. Fighting his unjustly deserved tarnished reputation as the Shield Hero, he manages to do things on his own. He shows true grit and I respect that.

SEVEN

Meliodas, The Seven Deadly Sins

Meliodas has many redeeming qualities. So what if he’s a bit of a pervert. It’s all in good fun. The thing I love the most is his dedication to love. Despite the many obstacles that he faces, he stays true to those that he loves and that’s a pretty good quality to have. I can even accept that he’s the Demon King’s son. A little darkness of the soul never turned me away.

SIX

Satan/Sadao Mao, The Devil is a Part-Timer!

I have to say this is one of the first anime I ever watched and I absolutely adore him. Shackled in this endless battle in his own world, he is transported to Earth where he gets to be a part-timer. Armed with his trusty bike, Dullahan, he works at a fast-food restaurant to earn wages. He falls in love with the simplicity of his life on Earth and really has no resolve to go back. He’s adorable and funny, and yes, happens to be Satan.

FIVE

Sebastian, Black Butler

How can you not love Sebastian? He is willing to do what it takes for the things he wants the most. So what if that “thing” happens to be Ciel’s soul? The amount of dedication to harvesting Ciel’s soul is an attractive quality to me. Yes, I have issues.

FOUR

Hisoka, Hunter x Hunter

Hisoka, Hisoka, Hisoka. I am so drawn to him when I watch Hunter x Hunter. The quality I love most about Hisoka is his ability to do his own thing. He acts how he wants to and when he wants to free of other’s influence or opinion. I love that about him. And, I love how evil he is. That’s hot.

SECOND RUNNER UP

Senkuu, Dr. Stone

How could you forget Senkuu from Dr. Stone?? I love his arrogance. That is typically not a quality one should like in a person…except when he/she can back that arrogance up. I adore his quirks, especially when he puts his finger in his ear and starts scratching. It’s adorable. I also love his big brain. It’s delicious!

RUNNER UP

Kirito, Sword Art Online

Can we take a minute and appreciate how badass Kirito is? I love his mental strength and his devotion to justice. Time after time, he gets put in these impossible situations. Using his mental fortitude, he manages to beat those obstacles spectacularly. For an anime character, he’s cute, too.

FIRST PLACE

Tanjiro, Demon Slayer

How can you not fall in love with Tanjiro’s kindness? His determination, conviction, and familial bonds are what draw me to Tanjiro. His strength lies in the bonds he forms. You can’t help but fall in love with him. He has a pure soul that follows the path of justice. He quickly shot up to the top of my list and is, by far, my favorite anime character of all time.

For most of us anime lovers, there exists a scene, or episode, that resonated with our soul. Whether it is that long-anticipated kiss, or the completely botched love confession, we all have our favorites.

For me, we’d have to rewind the anime clock back to 2008. Yeah, that’s right. Mine comes from a much older anime.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS REGARDING SKIP BEAT! PROCEED WITH CAUTION

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My most memorable scene comes from Skip Beat!

This anime was released back in 2008. Our protagonist is Kyoko, a 16-year old girl in love with her childhood friend, Shotaro. Sho is destined to run his family’s inn, so to escape, he asks Kyoko to run away with him to Tokyo so he could pursue his dreams as a musician/idol. Because she is in love with Sho, she follows him to Tokyo. She works multiple jobs to support Sho while he works on becoming the seventh ranked idol in Japan. The more fame he gathered, the more he treated Kyoko like a doormat. While bringing him a snack to his agency, she overhears Sho complain to his female manager that Kyoko is pretty much no one to him, is his doormat, and that she is plain and boring. He continues to flirt with his manager and Kyoko snaps. Instead of being a crying victim, she declares revenge on Sho. Sho tells her that the only way she could get revenge is becoming a bigger star. Kyoko transforms herself and begins her journey of climbing up the showbiz ladder to prove Sho he misjudged her.

I connected with this anime because of Kyoko. Her personality is very much like mine. I very rarely…actually. I NEVER allow myself to be a victim. I’ve always been that way. So, it was refreshing to have a protagonist with as much drive, ambition, and fire to prove someone wrong. Finally. A female protagonist that doesn’t sit in a corner crying waiting for someone else to solve her problems. She is a strong, independent woman and she don’t need no man! I also loved that fact that the betrayal of Sho set her into action. Now, one might argue her reaction isn’t healthy, and that is what made me love Kyoko more. I loved that her passion ignited something within her to ACT. I loved that she was going to prove Sho wrong no matter what it took. That moved me. And, again. One might argue those aren’t exactly endearing qualities in a person, but it is to me.

The anime follows her journey to becoming an actress and it is filled with some hilarity. Determined to make Sho notice her, she joins the agency (I should say bullied her way into the agency) that is opposite of Sho’s. There, she begins to work with his rival, Ren. And, yes. You’ve guessed it. They slowly start to develop a more-than-friends relationship. So, intertwined in this anime is a plot for revenge, the evolution of Kyoko from doormat to strong, independent woman, and a love triangle. It really doesn’t get any better than that.

But, I digress. This just sets the scene for my most memorable scene in an anime. You’d have to watch Episodes 17, 18, and 19 of Skip Beat!

Kyoko actually gets hired to be Sho’s music video. She has altered her appearance so much that she is sure Sho won’t recognize who she is. However, her plan backfires when her actions betray her. She still can’t help herself from mothering Sho and he catches on. He plays a trick on her which exposes who she is. Despite finding out who she is, Sho doesn’t fire her. In fact, he challenges her to convince him that she’s changed. Fired up from this challenge, Kyoko gives it all she’s got. While she is still new to acting, those around her know that she is a forced to be reckoned with. Sho’s manager even warns him. She is going to swallow you whole if you don’t be careful.

In the video, the concept is Sho is a devil. Kyoko is cast as one of two angels. Sho’s current girl toy is cast as the second angel who plays Kyoko’s “friend”. The second angel, Kyoko’s “friend”, falls in love with the devil. Fearing that her friend is being deceived and corrupted by this devil’s love, Kyoko’s character is willing to commit the ultimate sin to free her friend.

When Kyoko is finally in makeup, she shocks Sho. He can’t believe the sight in front of him. Even the director is amazed by Kyoko’s transformation. Kyoko approaches Sho with evil intent in her eyes, kicks Sho in the shin, grabs him by the collar, and proclaims that the innocent girl he took advantage of doesn’t exist. She glares at him looking into the depths of his soul and declares, “I’ll make you wish that you were dead.”

I felt the voice actress’s performance. I really did. I was also cheering for Kyoko for being able to talk down to him after everything he’s done to her. Even the director of the video was taken aback stating something along the lines of never seeing an angel turn into a devil before her eyes.

But, wait! There’s more!

As the episode continues, Kyoko is still new to acting, and thus struggles to find her motivation. She specifically struggles to not truly strangle Sho in her scene. After a break and a call to her friend, she’s given the right scenario to invoke the feelings she needs to convey. Mustering up what she can, in the final scene she is supposed to push Sho off a tower. Sho is supposed to fall, closing his eyes, and resigning to his fate. Using the motivation her friend gave her, Kyoko begins to sincerely cry as she approaches Sho. Sho, knowing that Kyoko never cries unless she is in terrible pain, forgets what he is supposed to do in the moment. As children, Kyoko had decided to never cry in front of Sho because he didn’t know how to console her. Instead of falling with his eyes closed, Sho maintains eye contact with Kyoko as he falls. It ruins the scene. As the director tells one of the staff, it looks like Sho is in love with the wrong angel.

With the drama of Kyoko “finding her acting voice” and the drama of Kyoko finally being able to put a dent in Sho’s armor, those three episodes have to be one of my favorite, if not my favorite, scene amongst all anime.

We all have one.

Locked away in the deepest recesses of our hearts, we all have that one show that we’re embarrassed to admit we love. For me, that anime is Vampire Knight.

There is something about this show and I can’t put my finger on it…wait, I remember. Vampires. It has vampires.

As long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with vampires. Whether it was watching Fright Night on repeat back in the 80s, or Interview with a Vampire in the 90s, I have always loved vampires. Maybe it is their innate ability to seduce that draws me in. It is, after all, a quality that I have always admired. Maybe not seduction, per se, but definitely charisma. I admire people with charisma. When I played D&D back in high school, I always played an enchantress with the ability to seduce others to bend to my will. It’s thrilling and fun. But, I digress…

There is nothing flashy about Vampire Knight. The animation style is older, and I know many wouldn’t watch it based on this fact alone. To each their own. It isn’t exactly pleasing to the eye.

The storyline isn’t exactly compelling either. In fact, you could say it is downright insane. Arguably, you could say the insane storyline is what DOES make it compelling.

SPOILERS BELOW

The world of Vampire Knight obviously has the existence of vampires. Our female protagonist is Yuki Cross, a student at Cross Academy. At this academy, there is a “day class” and “night class”. The “day class” is under the impression that the “night class” are idols, actors, and wealthy children that have to go to school at night. However, the real secret is the “night class” is composed of vampires that have vowed to lead a peaceful life with humans. They even take a pill that simulates blood for food.

Our male protagonist is Kaname Kuran. If you have ever delved into vampire-theme lore, there is usually a hierarchy of some sort, and this vampire-themed show is no different. Kaname is one of the progenitors of the vampire race and the head of one of seven pureblood families. His estimated age is over 10,000 years old.

Yuki’s first memories are of Kaname saving her from a ravaging vampire. Yuki is then “adopted” by Kaien Cross, former vampire hunter. Kaname would visit her growing up and, expectedly, Yuki falls in love with Kaname.

But, wait! There’s more!

Enter our other male protagonist, Zero. He is Yuki’s “adopted brother”. Zero’s family were vampire hunters and his entire family was killed in a vampire attack. Kaien saves Zero and “adopts” him, too. What we discover later is Zero was bitten during the attack and therefore turning into a vampire himself despite being a vampire hunter. Unfortunately for Zero, humans that are bitten slowly, and painfully, become a vampire. Once a vampire, they slowly devolve into a monster who can no longer control their urges to feed. They are often hunted and killed. The only way to escape this fate is to feed off of the vampire that created them.

Kaien opens Cross Academy, where he becomes headmaster, so that vampires and humans can live peacefully. As Zero, Yuki, and Kaname live out their high school lives, a love triangle forms. Yuki begins allowing Zero to feed from her. This creates a bond between the two and Yuki becomes confused about what she feels for Zero.

As the story progresses, we discover that Yuki is a vampire turned human by her mother to spare her life. Kaname is her “brother” that was promised her hand in marriage. We also learn that it is common among pureblood vampires to marry their siblings.

If that doesn’t throw you for a loop, I don’t know what will.

But, wait! There’s more!

We also learn that Zero’s brother lived, and in fact, had teamed up with the vampire that attacked their home and killed their family. You see, Ichiru was a weak child. He was sickly and unable to become a vampire hunter like the rest of his family. He had developed a hatred for his brother, Zero, because he always had to be protected by Zero.

Kaname awakens Yuki and she turns into a vampire choosing Kaname over Zero.

For whatever reason, when that opening theme song drops its beat, I can’t look away. I’ve watched Vampire Knight more times than I can count. Why am I embarrassed? You know? I really don’t know. I don’t think it is a show to be embarrassed about, really. But, it doesn’t change the fact that I am. Maybe it’s the cheesy love triangle. Maybe its because it has vampires. Either way, it is always in my rotation.

You can find Vampire Knight on Netflix.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Let me know in the comments!

We are at the mid-point of this season and only one anime this season has had me impatiently waiting for the following week. The anime that has kept my attention this season is Fruits Basket.

That may be shocking to some as it is not a “new” anime. Many people already know the story from iterations past, or from the manga. However, I have not watched, nor read, the Fruits Basket series. So, it is “new” to me.

There are three seasons of Fruits Basket. So, if you have not watched or followed the show, I suggest you read no further as I will discuss some themes below as we encroach upon the final episodes of the series.

So far, every episode has been leading up to the final conclusion. Slowly, the ball is unraveling and Akito’s desperation is getting dangerous.

Upon reading other opinions, a common theme I have encountered is whether or not the show will minimize Tohru’s role in the falling apart of the curse. I believe the only thing that can devalue my opinion of the show is if they do, somehow, minimize Tohru’s role. After all, she is the main protagonist. It would be disingenuous to suddenly make her actions unimportant, or as another puts, a coincidence. I am holding out hope that she holds a key part in the unraveling of the curse that binds her friends, but I think I get the hint that the breaking ties are all due to various reasons that are completely unrelated to Tohru, and that makes me a bit sad. I guess it can’t always turn out the way you want.

One character that my heart breaks for is Momiji. How sad is his story? His mother was so distressed by the curse that they wiped her memory. He grew up alone while watching his family from afar move on without him. Then, he falls in love with Tohru. I feel like this kid can’t catch a break, but despite everything, he moves forward with hope. I sure hope he gets a happy ending.

I am still struggling to find sympathy for Akito. I do try. Looking at her situation, I think anyone would be mentally frail. First, your mother is whack and makes the decision to raise you as a boy. Then, you’re cursed with this notion that you are “God” and that others are bound to love you simply for who you are. Obviously, everyone telling you that the world revolves around you backed up with this inexplicable feeling that you are, indeed, a God, would probably drive anyone mad. That being said, it doesn’t change the fact that I simply do not like Akito and I hope she suffers some consequence for her actions. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that won’t happen. I hope I’m proven wrong.

Also, can someone PLEASE slap the ever living snot out of that old woman?! You know which one I am talking about. Please. Slap. Her. With. A. Dead. Fish.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to the final episodes.