Okay, so I'm back and just when the fall season is starting. Fortunately, there aren't that many interesting titles for this year and my list is even shorter than summer's. But I will perhaps be posting my final thoughts of some of the shows I watched in the summer: Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, Natsu no Arashi!, Eve no Jikan and Eden of the East. Hopefully, I'll also be able to post a review or two as well. In the meantime, I'll be catching up with some of the episodes I missed. Expect a preview post on the Fall Season 2009 soon.
Showing posts with label 2009 spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 spring. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Natsu no Arashi 09: Time Paradox and Stained-glass Witches
Ok, so it's been a while since I blogged about this series. I won't be posting the missed episodes anymore. They weren't special anyway. This one however is pretty interesting as it addresses for the first time the repercussions of tim
EPISODE 09: Now is the Time to be a Hero!
The stained-glass girls, Kanako and Yayoi, continue their usual discussion about Yayoi's latest reading escapade when an unexpected thing happens: Yayoi falls down unconscious. After the opening credits, Master tries to get Arashi and company to travel back in time with a pack of spoiled mackerel. Kaja is set against the idea while Arashi and Hajime try to rationalize the situation. Their argument lead them to discuss the time paradox as they wonder what happens to the present world whenever they travel back in time to change some aspects of the past. Hajime then comes up with the theory that the main consequence of their time travel is the creation of parallel worlds. He thinks this is brilliant and tantamount to bringing back people who are supposed to be dead, but Kaja points out that it would also mean that people who were supposed to be born won't come into being. This forces Arashi to realize that her actions of changing the past might not be entirely for the good. In order to make her feel better, Hajime gets her to travel back with him to 1985 wherein they meet a boy named Murata Hideo, the son of the same boy whom Arashi once saved from the air raids. A grateful Arashi then gives Hajime a hug. In the meantime, the private detective find himself the object of Kanako's wrath when he still could not bring Arashi to them. After the detective leaves, Kanako decides to go to Arashi herself. At the Ark Cafe, Kanako meets Arashi for the first time with the latter not realizing who the other is. While Arashi serves her, Kanako touches her hand, under the pretense of admiring it, and sends Arashi into a fainting spell. Later, it is revealed that for ethereal spirits like Arashi and Kaja, using their powers too much can cause their essence to become unstable and cease to exist. Much later, while Hajime and Arashi are on their way home, they encounter Kanako yet again, who proceeds to absorb more of Arashi's powers right in front of a helpless Hajime.
The stained-glass girls, Kanako and Yayoi, continue their usual discussion about Yayoi's latest reading escapade when an unexpected thing happens: Yayoi falls down unconscious. After the opening credits, Master tries to get Arashi and company to travel back in time with a pack of spoiled mackerel. Kaja is set against the idea while Arashi and Hajime try to rationalize the situation. Their argument lead them to discuss the time paradox as they wonder what happens to the present world whenever they travel back in time to change some aspects of the past. Hajime then comes up with the theory that the main consequence of their time travel is the creation of parallel worlds. He thinks this is brilliant and tantamount to bringing back people who are supposed to be dead, but Kaja points out that it would also mean that people who were supposed to be born won't come into being. This forces Arashi to realize that her actions of changing the past might not be entirely for the good. In order to make her feel better, Hajime gets her to travel back with him to 1985 wherein they meet a boy named Murata Hideo, the son of the same boy whom Arashi once saved from the air raids. A grateful Arashi then gives Hajime a hug. In the meantime, the private detective find himself the object of Kanako's wrath when he still could not bring Arashi to them. After the detective leaves, Kanako decides to go to Arashi herself. At the Ark Cafe, Kanako meets Arashi for the first time with the latter not realizing who the other is. While Arashi serves her, Kanako touches her hand, under the pretense of admiring it, and sends Arashi into a fainting spell. Later, it is revealed that for ethereal spirits like Arashi and Kaja, using their powers too much can cause their essence to become unstable and cease to exist. Much later, while Hajime and Arashi are on their way home, they encounter Kanako yet again, who proceeds to absorb more of Arashi's powers right in front of a helpless Hajime.
COMMENTS:
Interesting twist. I didn't realize Yayoi and Kanako were the bad guys. Are they? I assumed they weren't since they all seemed to be friendly with each other in Episode 1. Hmm.
I think my problem with Natsu no Arashi mainly is that in between good episodes like this one, I have to sit through others that are just meh.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Eden of the East 04-05: Like Puppets on a String
IMHO, Eden of the East is still the best summer offering this side of whatever. What I especially like about it is how tightly the whole show is starting to look. There's the very interesting plot that just keeps on going and then there's the character development that's acutely insightful. If you know your anime, character and plot don't often go well together, but in Eden of the East, these two elements flow together as seamlessly as they ought to.
EPISODE 04: True Reality, False Reality
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 04
After leaving Akira's place without nothing but a note, Saki returns to her home where her family awaits her. Meanwhile, Akira tries to find out from Juiz whether or not he really killed 20,000 NEETs. Juiz, however, is unable to do no more than confirm that Akira did gather the NEETs in one place but as to what happened to them afterwards, she doesn't know. Likewise, Juiz can't tell him why he was chosen as a Selecao member or who the Supporter is. At this, Akira decides to follow Kondo's advice and just ask the other members. His search eventually leads him to Number V, Dr. Hiura, a famous brain surgeon who has used his money to establish a self-managing private hospital. Hiura, however, believes that Akira is the Supporter, there to finish him off. To protect himself until his project is finished, he drugs Akira. Meanwhile, Saki is still moping about Akira's sudden disappearance when she gets a call from Ohsugi inviting her to go together with him to their respective job interviews. After their talk, Saki sends Akira a text message, asking if he has regained his memories. Later, Akira wakes up from his drug-induced sleep to find himself in an abandoned room. There, Hiura finally revealed to him that the Selecao System is run by a mysterious entity known only as Mr. Outside. The System is made so that if any one of the twelve members abandons their mission, uses the money for their personal desires or runs out of money without saving the country he or she will die at the hands of the Supporter. As to the identity of the Supporter, only Mr. Outside knows it. Moreover, if one of the members fulfills his mission first, all the rest will be exterminated. Akira believes that with all that Hiura has done, his mission is finished. But according to Hiura, his accomplishments are not enough to please Mr. Outside. True enough, after Akira leaves the hospital, the Supporter arrives to kill Hiura.
EPISODE 05: Now's Not the Time to be Thinking About That
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 05
The episode begins with a female member of the Selecao waking up at a hotel to find a dead body of a man in the same room. Seemingly not surprised, she picks up her phone and asks Juiz to take care of it. Meanwhile, Akira meets a guy who reveals himself to be one of the NEETs that Akira gathered. It turns out that Akira did not kill them but merely dumped all 20,000 of them in Dubai where they were forced to work and reintegrate themselves to society. Later, he asks Juiz how far he could go using his cellphone. Due to some misunderstanding, Juiz ends up taking as an order what Akira meant only as an example, but at any rate, Akira realizes just what the Selecao is capable of. Just then, he notices Saki's message from yesterday and hurriedly sends her a reply. However, Saki at that moment is on her way to her job interview, which doesn't turn out well. Worse still, the interviewer plays a prank on her, inviting her to lunch then standing her up and even arranging for a guy to dump a bowl of beef soup on her. After that disastrous experience, Saki finally decides to leave and gets picked up by Akira, who has tracked her down with Juiz' help. Despite her earlier promise with Ohsugi to have drinks with him, Saki lets Akira take her away. They end up at the pier where Saki rants to him about her horrible day and how she can't go home and face her brother-in-law. After hearing her complain, Akira kisses her on the lips and then tells that she could come with him to his place. Meanwhile, a depressed and drunk Ohsugi catches the attention of the female Selecao member.
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 04
After leaving Akira's place without nothing but a note, Saki returns to her home where her family awaits her. Meanwhile, Akira tries to find out from Juiz whether or not he really killed 20,000 NEETs. Juiz, however, is unable to do no more than confirm that Akira did gather the NEETs in one place but as to what happened to them afterwards, she doesn't know. Likewise, Juiz can't tell him why he was chosen as a Selecao member or who the Supporter is. At this, Akira decides to follow Kondo's advice and just ask the other members. His search eventually leads him to Number V, Dr. Hiura, a famous brain surgeon who has used his money to establish a self-managing private hospital. Hiura, however, believes that Akira is the Supporter, there to finish him off. To protect himself until his project is finished, he drugs Akira. Meanwhile, Saki is still moping about Akira's sudden disappearance when she gets a call from Ohsugi inviting her to go together with him to their respective job interviews. After their talk, Saki sends Akira a text message, asking if he has regained his memories. Later, Akira wakes up from his drug-induced sleep to find himself in an abandoned room. There, Hiura finally revealed to him that the Selecao System is run by a mysterious entity known only as Mr. Outside. The System is made so that if any one of the twelve members abandons their mission, uses the money for their personal desires or runs out of money without saving the country he or she will die at the hands of the Supporter. As to the identity of the Supporter, only Mr. Outside knows it. Moreover, if one of the members fulfills his mission first, all the rest will be exterminated. Akira believes that with all that Hiura has done, his mission is finished. But according to Hiura, his accomplishments are not enough to please Mr. Outside. True enough, after Akira leaves the hospital, the Supporter arrives to kill Hiura.
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 05
The episode begins with a female member of the Selecao waking up at a hotel to find a dead body of a man in the same room. Seemingly not surprised, she picks up her phone and asks Juiz to take care of it. Meanwhile, Akira meets a guy who reveals himself to be one of the NEETs that Akira gathered. It turns out that Akira did not kill them but merely dumped all 20,000 of them in Dubai where they were forced to work and reintegrate themselves to society. Later, he asks Juiz how far he could go using his cellphone. Due to some misunderstanding, Juiz ends up taking as an order what Akira meant only as an example, but at any rate, Akira realizes just what the Selecao is capable of. Just then, he notices Saki's message from yesterday and hurriedly sends her a reply. However, Saki at that moment is on her way to her job interview, which doesn't turn out well. Worse still, the interviewer plays a prank on her, inviting her to lunch then standing her up and even arranging for a guy to dump a bowl of beef soup on her. After that disastrous experience, Saki finally decides to leave and gets picked up by Akira, who has tracked her down with Juiz' help. Despite her earlier promise with Ohsugi to have drinks with him, Saki lets Akira take her away. They end up at the pier where Saki rants to him about her horrible day and how she can't go home and face her brother-in-law. After hearing her complain, Akira kisses her on the lips and then tells that she could come with him to his place. Meanwhile, a depressed and drunk Ohsugi catches the attention of the female Selecao member.
COMMENTS:
So we get more clues about Akira's mysterious past and I must say that I'm glad to learn he's not a bad guy -- i.e. he did not kill those NEETs. Then again, I don't think this series is about good vs. bad at all because the way everything is set up, Eden of the East looks all set to blur the lines.
Other Selecao members are finally showing their faces but other than Kondo and Hiura, we don't know who they are or what they're going to do about Akira. Well, the blue-haired lady doesn't seem too concerned about him but that guy with the redstone ring looks shady. Anyway, Ohsugi is in big trouble, if indeed that blue-haired lady is a serial killer.
As for Saki, I'm also somewhat relieved to find out that she isn't just the token female lead. It looks like the very real problems that she, along with other young people situated similarly, is facing is going to help Akira come up with the best way to fulfill his mission and meet Mr. Outside. That means she isn't just there to tag along but is there to provide him with the perfect foil for his character.
One aspect about Eden of the East that bears stressing is the fact that it manages to be quite extreme (even fantastical to some extent) but at the same time heavily grounded in realism. Who here hasn't experienced a little of what Saki went through during her job interview? After all, not all job interviews go as smoothly as we'd like. And who here hasn't had a crush on one of their friends only to be the last to find out that they're just not that into you? Clearly, even as Akira's mission is the prime mover in this series, it's the little problems that Saki and Ohsugi are facing that really hit the point home.
Here's to hoping for another spectacular episode next.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Natsu no Arashi 04-05: Kaja and Jun!
I've made the decision: I am blogging this series. This probably means that Ristorante Paradiso will be dropped from my summer line-up. It all really depends on how well an episode the 4th installment of the series is going to be. On the other hand, Natsu no Arashi! is now on its fifth episode and so far, the entertainment factor is still pretty high.
EPISODE 04: K & J
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi 04
The episode begins with a flashback of two high school girls -- who are obviously Kaja and Arashi -- standing on top of the stairs near the window. Back to the present, Arashi's popularity with the customers continues to grow. This time, they want her to star in a period film that they are making. Coincidentally, the setting for the movie is Arashi's old high school and once there, Arashi drops by the library where she found an old photograph of her and Kaja between the pages of a book. At first, Jun wouldn't believe Hajime's story about Arashi being a ghost, not even when she spoke with the photographer (now an old man) who took the very picture that Arashi found. However, once Jun sees Arashi act out the part of a cultivated lady from that era, Jun starts to believe. After the shoot, Arashi with Hajime and Jun return to the cafe. Not long after that, a familiar white-haired girl arrives. Kaja, like Arashi, has not aged a day since that photograph was taken. After introductions are made, Kaja proceeds to admonish Arashi for losing Kaja's diary. Arashi denies this, saying that someone took the diary. To prove this, she travels back in time with Hajime. After finding the diary on Arashi's desk, they both return to the present with the diary, thus, explaining why the diary was lost in the first place (it's because the Arashi from the present took it). On one of the pages of said diary was a message for Arashi, saying that in case something happens to both of them, they hoped to meet each other at the Ark. After all, Arashi does keep her promise.
EPISODE 05: Secret Garden
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi 05
Jun has a secret and no one at the Ark knows about it. But today, that secret is going to be severely tested. The episode begins with Jun oversleeping and thus late for work. She quickly goes to the dressing room to change into her uniform only to find Hajime and Arashi appear out of nowhere. Horrified at being seen by him, Jun knocks Hajime out. After some mishaps involving a cockroach, Jun ends up soaked in milk so has to shower again and change into a fresh set of uniform. Unfortunately, the only uniform left is one that is for girls. Hajime makes a crack about her looking like a girl despite having a flat chest. Of course, this earns him another knockout punch from a very angry Jun. Another accident later -- this time, involving a rat -- Jun once more finds herself in the shower. But even worse than before, now she has to go around in a maid outfit. Master quickly catches on to the outfit's appeal and has everyone, including herself and Hajime, dressing up the same way. Although he looks hideous in his costume, Hajime has a lot of fun and challenges Jun to a contest as to who between them can act more feminine. Meanwhile, Master teaches a reluctant Kaja the art of seducing costumers with little success. Kaja wouldn't even step out from behind the counter or touch a male customer's hand while handing him his change. During their break, Hajime, still believing that Jun is a boy, suggests that he (Jun) try to connect with Arashi, to no avail. After giving him yet another knockout punch, Jun storms off. Kaja follows her and the two of them bond a little. But just when they think that nothing worse is going to happen, the Ark's coffee machine breaks down and who else is there to get soaked in all that coffee but Jun.
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi 04
The episode begins with a flashback of two high school girls -- who are obviously Kaja and Arashi -- standing on top of the stairs near the window. Back to the present, Arashi's popularity with the customers continues to grow. This time, they want her to star in a period film that they are making. Coincidentally, the setting for the movie is Arashi's old high school and once there, Arashi drops by the library where she found an old photograph of her and Kaja between the pages of a book. At first, Jun wouldn't believe Hajime's story about Arashi being a ghost, not even when she spoke with the photographer (now an old man) who took the very picture that Arashi found. However, once Jun sees Arashi act out the part of a cultivated lady from that era, Jun starts to believe. After the shoot, Arashi with Hajime and Jun return to the cafe. Not long after that, a familiar white-haired girl arrives. Kaja, like Arashi, has not aged a day since that photograph was taken. After introductions are made, Kaja proceeds to admonish Arashi for losing Kaja's diary. Arashi denies this, saying that someone took the diary. To prove this, she travels back in time with Hajime. After finding the diary on Arashi's desk, they both return to the present with the diary, thus, explaining why the diary was lost in the first place (it's because the Arashi from the present took it). On one of the pages of said diary was a message for Arashi, saying that in case something happens to both of them, they hoped to meet each other at the Ark. After all, Arashi does keep her promise.
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi 05
Jun has a secret and no one at the Ark knows about it. But today, that secret is going to be severely tested. The episode begins with Jun oversleeping and thus late for work. She quickly goes to the dressing room to change into her uniform only to find Hajime and Arashi appear out of nowhere. Horrified at being seen by him, Jun knocks Hajime out. After some mishaps involving a cockroach, Jun ends up soaked in milk so has to shower again and change into a fresh set of uniform. Unfortunately, the only uniform left is one that is for girls. Hajime makes a crack about her looking like a girl despite having a flat chest. Of course, this earns him another knockout punch from a very angry Jun. Another accident later -- this time, involving a rat -- Jun once more finds herself in the shower. But even worse than before, now she has to go around in a maid outfit. Master quickly catches on to the outfit's appeal and has everyone, including herself and Hajime, dressing up the same way. Although he looks hideous in his costume, Hajime has a lot of fun and challenges Jun to a contest as to who between them can act more feminine. Meanwhile, Master teaches a reluctant Kaja the art of seducing costumers with little success. Kaja wouldn't even step out from behind the counter or touch a male customer's hand while handing him his change. During their break, Hajime, still believing that Jun is a boy, suggests that he (Jun) try to connect with Arashi, to no avail. After giving him yet another knockout punch, Jun storms off. Kaja follows her and the two of them bond a little. But just when they think that nothing worse is going to happen, the Ark's coffee machine breaks down and who else is there to get soaked in all that coffee but Jun.
COMMENTS:
Right. Character introductions. I suppose this is how the series will play out: one episode per character. I'm not complaining though. For a character-driven series like Natsu no Arashi!, I think this is the best way to do it. Each one of the characters, and not just the main one, must have their own little share of the limelight.
To be honest, Arashi is not that interesting a character. I mean, she is appealing (in that airheaded sort of way) but Jun and Master have more going on -- Jun with her insistence at keeping her true gender secret, and Master with her dirty con artist tricks (plus, she remains nameless still). On the other hand, Hajime is a fun character. He has lots of personality though as the narrator of the story, the focus is less about him and more about the people he meets, so naturally our interest would be on the latter.
The time travel aspect is becoming less of a factor now. I thought perhaps, after Episode 3, the series is going to indulge heavily on the juxtaposition between the past and the present, which is what makes this series slightly different from all other boy-meets-girls anime out there. But that doesn't seem to be even the case. In Episode 4, there was that very short scene of Arashi returning to her old classroom, but in Episode 5, there was not even a hint of it. Then again, Episode 5 was really just about Jun so maybe that's why. And besides, as we all know from Episode 1 that Jun is going to end up connecting with Kaja so maybe Episode 5 is just there to explain how they first bonded.
In my last post, I mentioned about the unconventional camera angles. This too is not a major factor in these last two episodes. The art is still pretty good though, and as always the colors are wild.
Kanako and Yayoi make their cameos again. Their scenes are recycled, even their dialogue, with only a minor alteration at the end of each exchange. They're supposed to be discussing some popular manga or other but aside from that one about Rurouni Kenshin and Prince of Tennis, I didn't really get most of it.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Phantom 04-05: Another Life, On The Job
This show just keeps getting better and better. I think it also helps that I'm watching it in 1280 x 720 screen resolution.
EPISODE 04: Assassination
More Screencaps from Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom 04
Inferno wants to take out a mafia big boss, but because of the high level of security around him, there is only a very small window of opportunity, so they send out their two best assets to perform the job. Their intel reveals that the boss will be in a shopping mall on a particular day to buy a birthday gift for his granddaughter. Ein and Zwei spend an entire day studying the area and pretending to be young lovers on vacation. While Ein has no trouble acting out her role, Zwei seems to be confused between what's only acting and what is real. Ein picks up on this and gives him a warning. On the day of the assassination, Ein finds herself tailed by the boss' men so she calls Zwei for help. He comes running to her, only to get slapped, Ein acting as the angry girlfriend who has been made to wait too long. Zwei shifts into his role immediately and acts apologetic. Seeing this scenario, the boss' men withdraw. Later, after the boss has bought the present and is making his way out of the building, Ein and Zwei also make a quick exit through a back door. There, they change into their "Phantom" costumes and head out. Just as the mafia let their guards down, Inferno's phantoms descend on them. Ein goes straight for the boss while Zwei provides her with cover. But after Ein takes out the boss, she almost gets shot herself if not for Zwei who grabs her in the nick of time. At that moment, Ein realizes that Scythe Master was right about Zwei treading the same path,which took her two years, in only three months. Scythe Master arrives just then as their get-away driver. Back in their hideout, Ein acknowledges that Zwei reminds her of her old self and that she is afraid.
EPISODE 05: Moment
More Screencaps from Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom 05
Inferno wants to take over Melanie Square, a lucrative casino in California. Problem is, the Stone Family, and especially its boss "Hard-headed" Tony, does not want to give it up and instead they try to find out as much about Inferno as they can. Information, however, is hard to come by and Tony just assumes that Inferno must be run by families from the West Coast. He arranges a meet with Inferno's leader, knowing very well that the group would only send a representative, and comes up with a plan to force the group to back off from the Stone Family's turf. Inferno accepts the invite and sends one of their senior members, Claudia McCunnen to California. Claudia contacts Ein and Zwei, sending each of them on separate missions. Once again, Ein and Zwei pretend to be a couple as they observe Tony, his wife and his son at an amusement park. Later, Tony and his henchmen meet up with Claudia to negotiate the matter over Melanie Square. The negotiation, however, ends at a stand-still as Tony puts his plan into motion, taking out the big guns and starting to shoot. Claudia and Lizzie, as her bodyguard, manage to take cover while Ein, from her position on the rooftop of a building across the street, snipes Tony's men one by one. Meanwhile, Zwei is in position outside Tony's house and despite all the guards patrolling the area, he makes it inside easy and enters the room belonging to Tony's son. Zwei takes out the son and mother and makes it out of there before the guards are even alerted to his presence. Their mission accomplished, Zwei returns to Claudia, who takes him into her arms, while Ein waits for him in the hideout.
More Screencaps from Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom 04
Inferno wants to take out a mafia big boss, but because of the high level of security around him, there is only a very small window of opportunity, so they send out their two best assets to perform the job. Their intel reveals that the boss will be in a shopping mall on a particular day to buy a birthday gift for his granddaughter. Ein and Zwei spend an entire day studying the area and pretending to be young lovers on vacation. While Ein has no trouble acting out her role, Zwei seems to be confused between what's only acting and what is real. Ein picks up on this and gives him a warning. On the day of the assassination, Ein finds herself tailed by the boss' men so she calls Zwei for help. He comes running to her, only to get slapped, Ein acting as the angry girlfriend who has been made to wait too long. Zwei shifts into his role immediately and acts apologetic. Seeing this scenario, the boss' men withdraw. Later, after the boss has bought the present and is making his way out of the building, Ein and Zwei also make a quick exit through a back door. There, they change into their "Phantom" costumes and head out. Just as the mafia let their guards down, Inferno's phantoms descend on them. Ein goes straight for the boss while Zwei provides her with cover. But after Ein takes out the boss, she almost gets shot herself if not for Zwei who grabs her in the nick of time. At that moment, Ein realizes that Scythe Master was right about Zwei treading the same path,which took her two years, in only three months. Scythe Master arrives just then as their get-away driver. Back in their hideout, Ein acknowledges that Zwei reminds her of her old self and that she is afraid.
More Screencaps from Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom 05
Inferno wants to take over Melanie Square, a lucrative casino in California. Problem is, the Stone Family, and especially its boss "Hard-headed" Tony, does not want to give it up and instead they try to find out as much about Inferno as they can. Information, however, is hard to come by and Tony just assumes that Inferno must be run by families from the West Coast. He arranges a meet with Inferno's leader, knowing very well that the group would only send a representative, and comes up with a plan to force the group to back off from the Stone Family's turf. Inferno accepts the invite and sends one of their senior members, Claudia McCunnen to California. Claudia contacts Ein and Zwei, sending each of them on separate missions. Once again, Ein and Zwei pretend to be a couple as they observe Tony, his wife and his son at an amusement park. Later, Tony and his henchmen meet up with Claudia to negotiate the matter over Melanie Square. The negotiation, however, ends at a stand-still as Tony puts his plan into motion, taking out the big guns and starting to shoot. Claudia and Lizzie, as her bodyguard, manage to take cover while Ein, from her position on the rooftop of a building across the street, snipes Tony's men one by one. Meanwhile, Zwei is in position outside Tony's house and despite all the guards patrolling the area, he makes it inside easy and enters the room belonging to Tony's son. Zwei takes out the son and mother and makes it out of there before the guards are even alerted to his presence. Their mission accomplished, Zwei returns to Claudia, who takes him into her arms, while Ein waits for him in the hideout.
COMMENTS:
For a minute there, while I was watching the opening scene of Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom episode 4, I thought was watching the wrong show. It's that weird seeing Ein act like that. So I can understand why Zwei seemed so confused the whole time. It must have been disconcerting suddenly being subjected to a cute and affectionate version of Ein when all this time he's been used to the stoic, emotionless version of the same girl. But then he adapts very quickly and in the end even Ein admits to herself that Zwei is catching up to her. While she acknowledges that he is what she used to be, I wonder if she does not feel a little threatened and maybe that's what she means by being afraid.
This eventual showdown between Ein and Zwei is strongly hinted at in episode 5 when Claudia makes it very obvious that she's taking Zwei under her wing while Ein continues to be Scythe Master's puppet. From episode 1, we know that there's a standing rivalry between Claudia and Scythe Master and with both of them grooming each assassin to be loyal only to them, how will this affect Ein and Zwei's relationship?
Speaking of relationships, by now, I'm pretty sure that I'm not just imagining the sexual tension between Ein and Zwei. It certainly makes for a great scene between these two even when they exchange barely two lines with each other at any one time.
I'm really starting to get into this whole thing. I like that the story is taking an unusual angle in telling a more or less derivative concept. The series does not mince around the fact that its protagonists are the bad guys -- assassins who kill in cold blood and for no conceivable reason other than that they're just following orders. And while their victims are not all together good (they are mafia bosses who kill without hesitation and run illegal businesses), the series portray them as ordinary people with their own families and loyalties and Inferno, the faceless entity that seeks to destroy all that with its two hands: Ein and Zwei.
Phantom doesn't seem to have a clear plot at the moment and nothing in the aired episodes so far reveal even a hint of a build-up towards an actual plot arc. I think the story is at a point where the protagonists have to take out one big boss per episode in order to allow them to develop and reveal their characters more fully. It's definitely taking its sweet time but I'm enjoying the show so far.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Eden of the East 02-03: Figuring Out the Past
And the plot picks up very quickly.... excellent!
EPISODE 02: Melancholy Monday
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 02
Akira and Saki arrive in Japan but find that the place is in chaos due to the missile attack. They find out that a plane has been shot down, leading Saki to wonder about it. It turns out that all the prior missile attacks on the country had yielded no victim; hence, the name "Careless Monday." Just then, Saki gets a call from her family telling her that they might be late in picking her up because of the traffic jam. Akira also gets a call from Juiz, informing him that he has just entered the Selecao System and that he is to start performing his duties as one of the "Privileged." Without any idea what she's on about, Akira tests her by asking her to get him out of the airport quickly. Barely a minute passes before security personnel arrive to escort Akira and Saki through the crowd. Once outside, Saki offers to go with Akira as he tries to find his home. At the terminal, Akira strikes up a conversation with Kondo, a Selecao member who has been secretly tracking him. Kondo asks him about Selecao but Akira does not remember anything. Later, while waiting for his boat to arrive, Saki tells Akira a little about herself. When the boat arrives, Akira gets on it while Saki stays behind. However, at the last minute, Akira holds out his hand and Saki takes it. Meanwhile, Kondo is still tracking down Akira and this time he has a plan.
EPISODE 03: In the Light of the Late Show
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 03
Akira and Saki find Akira's home, which turns out to be a shopping mall. A puppy greets them and Akira discovers the place that was in the photograph. With nothing else to do, Akira offers to watch with Saki any movie she likes in the mall cinema. Meanwhile, Kondo follows them to the mall and gets inside the building through a back entrance. There, he sees a graffiti on the wall which reads "Kill Takizawa Akira," reminding him of the rumor about Akira being responsible for the disappearance of several NEETs (Not Engaged for Employment or Training). While Saki watches the movie by herself, Kondo comes up to Akira, who still has no idea bout his plan. After beating him up and taking his cellphone, Kondo reveals that each Selecao member starts out with 10 billion yen but once that money runs out, they would be killed. Unfortunately, Juiz tells him that the cellphones are activated by a biometric system unique to each Selecao member. Akira then calls him up, telling him that he has Kondo's wallet. They agree to meet at the Kabuki District. While waiting, Kondo gets stabbed by his wife. When Akira arrives later, a dying Kondo tells him to track down the other Selecao members via feeds from their cellphones. Before he dies, Kondo believes that Selecao arranged his death by leaking information about his affair to his wife.
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 02
Akira and Saki arrive in Japan but find that the place is in chaos due to the missile attack. They find out that a plane has been shot down, leading Saki to wonder about it. It turns out that all the prior missile attacks on the country had yielded no victim; hence, the name "Careless Monday." Just then, Saki gets a call from her family telling her that they might be late in picking her up because of the traffic jam. Akira also gets a call from Juiz, informing him that he has just entered the Selecao System and that he is to start performing his duties as one of the "Privileged." Without any idea what she's on about, Akira tests her by asking her to get him out of the airport quickly. Barely a minute passes before security personnel arrive to escort Akira and Saki through the crowd. Once outside, Saki offers to go with Akira as he tries to find his home. At the terminal, Akira strikes up a conversation with Kondo, a Selecao member who has been secretly tracking him. Kondo asks him about Selecao but Akira does not remember anything. Later, while waiting for his boat to arrive, Saki tells Akira a little about herself. When the boat arrives, Akira gets on it while Saki stays behind. However, at the last minute, Akira holds out his hand and Saki takes it. Meanwhile, Kondo is still tracking down Akira and this time he has a plan.
More Screencaps from Eden of the East 03
Akira and Saki find Akira's home, which turns out to be a shopping mall. A puppy greets them and Akira discovers the place that was in the photograph. With nothing else to do, Akira offers to watch with Saki any movie she likes in the mall cinema. Meanwhile, Kondo follows them to the mall and gets inside the building through a back entrance. There, he sees a graffiti on the wall which reads "Kill Takizawa Akira," reminding him of the rumor about Akira being responsible for the disappearance of several NEETs (Not Engaged for Employment or Training). While Saki watches the movie by herself, Kondo comes up to Akira, who still has no idea bout his plan. After beating him up and taking his cellphone, Kondo reveals that each Selecao member starts out with 10 billion yen but once that money runs out, they would be killed. Unfortunately, Juiz tells him that the cellphones are activated by a biometric system unique to each Selecao member. Akira then calls him up, telling him that he has Kondo's wallet. They agree to meet at the Kabuki District. While waiting, Kondo gets stabbed by his wife. When Akira arrives later, a dying Kondo tells him to track down the other Selecao members via feeds from their cellphones. Before he dies, Kondo believes that Selecao arranged his death by leaking information about his affair to his wife.
COMMENTS:
So after a rather quirky start, Eden of the East gets right down to business. Now I see why the director thinks he can make a great story out of this series with just 11 episodes. The series has a way of drawing you into the whole mysterious plot through seemingly random events. In episode 2, we find out what "Careless Monday" is but as for the reasons behind it, that remains to be a mystery. The same with Akira as we find out as early as Episode 1 that he wiped his own memories for reasons yet to be revealed. And now with Kondo's dying revelation in Episode 03, we find out that there are ten other people who are like Akira and who might be able to tell him something about the mysterious Selecao. And now the question remains, what's Saki's role in all of this?
The pacing seems pretty tight as each episode reveals just a tiny bit of the plot but at the same time whet your appetite for more. For instance, we know that Akira before the memory-wipe is probably not a nice guy -- an understatement, considering how he seems to be responsible for killing 20,000 NEETs in the vain belief that it would make the world a better place. Now how to reconcile this Akira with the current, happy-go-lucky one is up to the coming episodes. All we know so far is that Akira, and I suppose all the other Selecao members, including Kondo, are seen as saviors by Selecao supporters.
Noblesse Oblige -- the obligation of the rich to the poor is to build a better society. Only problem is that somewhere along the way, somebody got the twisted notion of giving ten billion yen each to ten people and leave it up to them to "save" society. Kondo was spot on about this: How can a single person save the world with only ten billion yen?
But Kondo, I think, got disillusioned and ended up wasting all his money on his mistress. He thought perhaps that since it's virtually impossible to build a better society with Selecao's limited resources, he decided to blast it all off for his own personal enjoyment. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum is Akira. We don't know everything he's done but we know that despite his good intentions he -- indeed, the entire Selecao System -- was proceeding from a wrong premise which, of course, led to the making of wrong conclusions and coming up with the wrong solutions to an existential problem.
That aside, it seems that the series' focus at the moment is Akira's involvement with Selecao and hardly anything about Saki. Romance is hinted at but never really explored and with the angle that Eden of the East is taking I don't think there's going to be much going on in that aspect, except that it's probably going to continue to exist if only to give Saki a reason to stick by Akira.
I don't want to expect too much from Eden of the East because I want to avoid that disappointed feeling one gets from one too many hyped up shows in the past, but I think that even if Eden of the East didn't quite deliver at the final it's still going to turn out to be one enjoyable show. At least, I hope it will. With the first three solid episodes, that almost feels like a certainty.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Natsu no Arashi! 02-03: Hajime and the Girl
I think I'm blogging this series. It's pretty interesting and, believe it or not, the art actually improved in the later episodes.
EPISODE 02: Girl A
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi! 02
One stormy day in Tokyo, a high school girl knocks at the door of Ark Cafe, looking for a job. A few days later, Yasaka Hajime, a 13-year-old boy recently come to Tokyo to live with his grandfather, finds himself at the same cafe and meets the girl. Her name is Arashiyama Sayoko -- "Arashi" for short. Hajime instantly gets smitten with her and praises her beauty in front of another customer, a boy his age named Kamigamo Jun. Not soon after, a private detective enters the cafe, looking for a girl with Arashi's description. The cafe owner denies knowledge of this but Arashi unwittingly reveals herself, prompting Hajime to come to her rescue. But instead of saving her, Hajime ends up being saved by her. Not only that, when Arashi touches his hand, something strange happens and suddenly Hajime finds himself being dragged by her as they travel back in time. There, Arashi reveals that she is a ghost and that she has decided to move in with him. The next day, Hajime and Arashi return to the cafe only to discover that she has been fired from her job. In order to win her job back, Hajime plays dice with the cafe owner, "Master," but only ends up losing his clothes. Later, Master decides to take them back after learning that Arashi knows the location of a secret treasure. But before Arashi could agree to this the private detective appears. He and Master decide to race each other all the way to the cafe, with Arashi as the price. Master, who is revealed to be a con artist, wins because, as per her plan, the private detective gets caught by a traffic enforcer for speeding. However, to her dismay, Arashi's secret treasure turns out to be nothing more than a box of tops.
EPISODE 03: I Will Protect Her
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi! 03
Aliens have invaded Tokyo! As superhero Hajime tries to save the day, with a mahou shoujo wand, Arashi arrives to stop him. Then follows a heroic speech, which nevertheless gets interrupted as Hajime forgets the kanji for "come back." Arashi provides him with the right character, much to Hajime's shock as he has not realized she is in the room with him. It turns that the alien invasion is all in his head. On their way to the Ark Cafe later, Hajime asks her to go to the arcade with him that afternoon and Arashi says yes. At the cafe, there seem to be a lot of customers, most of them male university students who all got their eyes on Arashi. Hajime gets jealous but to his relief, Arashi turns down all their offers to ask her out. After work, he offers Jun a ride to the station but ends up racing to the bottom of a hill against Arashi, who is on a skateboard. They do arrive at the station but Jun swears never to ride with him again. Afterwards, Hajime and Arashi head off to the arcade where they both fall trap to the Claw Crane. Never one to give up, Arashi eventually wins and gives the toy to Hajime as a present. Later, while on their way home, Arashi brings up the subject of her being a ghost and then asks him to travel back in time with her. They both end up in 1945 during an air raid where Hajime almost loses her in the crowd. It turns out that Arashi returned to that time specifically to save a kid and his father from death. They eventually return to the present where Arashi explains that her secret is she can't travel through time alone. This means that the only way for her to do it is through Hajime's help. It takes him a long time but he agrees.
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi! 02
One stormy day in Tokyo, a high school girl knocks at the door of Ark Cafe, looking for a job. A few days later, Yasaka Hajime, a 13-year-old boy recently come to Tokyo to live with his grandfather, finds himself at the same cafe and meets the girl. Her name is Arashiyama Sayoko -- "Arashi" for short. Hajime instantly gets smitten with her and praises her beauty in front of another customer, a boy his age named Kamigamo Jun. Not soon after, a private detective enters the cafe, looking for a girl with Arashi's description. The cafe owner denies knowledge of this but Arashi unwittingly reveals herself, prompting Hajime to come to her rescue. But instead of saving her, Hajime ends up being saved by her. Not only that, when Arashi touches his hand, something strange happens and suddenly Hajime finds himself being dragged by her as they travel back in time. There, Arashi reveals that she is a ghost and that she has decided to move in with him. The next day, Hajime and Arashi return to the cafe only to discover that she has been fired from her job. In order to win her job back, Hajime plays dice with the cafe owner, "Master," but only ends up losing his clothes. Later, Master decides to take them back after learning that Arashi knows the location of a secret treasure. But before Arashi could agree to this the private detective appears. He and Master decide to race each other all the way to the cafe, with Arashi as the price. Master, who is revealed to be a con artist, wins because, as per her plan, the private detective gets caught by a traffic enforcer for speeding. However, to her dismay, Arashi's secret treasure turns out to be nothing more than a box of tops.
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi! 03
Aliens have invaded Tokyo! As superhero Hajime tries to save the day, with a mahou shoujo wand, Arashi arrives to stop him. Then follows a heroic speech, which nevertheless gets interrupted as Hajime forgets the kanji for "come back." Arashi provides him with the right character, much to Hajime's shock as he has not realized she is in the room with him. It turns that the alien invasion is all in his head. On their way to the Ark Cafe later, Hajime asks her to go to the arcade with him that afternoon and Arashi says yes. At the cafe, there seem to be a lot of customers, most of them male university students who all got their eyes on Arashi. Hajime gets jealous but to his relief, Arashi turns down all their offers to ask her out. After work, he offers Jun a ride to the station but ends up racing to the bottom of a hill against Arashi, who is on a skateboard. They do arrive at the station but Jun swears never to ride with him again. Afterwards, Hajime and Arashi head off to the arcade where they both fall trap to the Claw Crane. Never one to give up, Arashi eventually wins and gives the toy to Hajime as a present. Later, while on their way home, Arashi brings up the subject of her being a ghost and then asks him to travel back in time with her. They both end up in 1945 during an air raid where Hajime almost loses her in the crowd. It turns out that Arashi returned to that time specifically to save a kid and his father from death. They eventually return to the present where Arashi explains that her secret is she can't travel through time alone. This means that the only way for her to do it is through Hajime's help. It takes him a long time but he agrees.
COMMENTS:
I don't really know what it is about Natsu no Arashi! It's a comedy series, I know, but it's not really the LOL sort. The jokes and sly witticism come in so fast that you hardly have time to process one before another comes in. It's a pretty funny series but I think it's more clever than laugh-out-loud funny. Some of the jokes are extremely random ("Anou, pass the salt please.) or parodies of other shows that I'm not familiar with or haven't even seen, so I miss half the experience already. Still, even without the subtext, the situation presents itself well.
But I think what really strikes me about this series is not so much the story but the unconventional camera angles. Some of the shots you never even thought of, let alone seen, and here they are, beautiful. In that aspect, Natsu no Arashi! is a really, really interesting series. Add to that the vastly improved art (if you didn't like how the characters in the first episode, try to watch the subsequent ones), and it's turning out to be one enjoyable series.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Phantom 02-03: The Making of a Killer
The series passed the three-episode rule. Then again, it's pretty much a given that I'll be blogging the show because Bee Train, yeah, and assassins.
EPISODE 02: Training
Zwei and Ein have their first conversation (after she tried to kill him in the previous episode) in which Ein finally explains why she attacked him (to test his skill). Meanwhile, Scythe Master reports to Inferno about the status of Zwei, who undergoes training under Ein's tutelage. One day, Ein gets called out to an assassination misson and while she is away, Zwei meets Claudia, who, for reasons known only to her, reveals Inferno's goal (to unite the underworld). She adds that Phantom is the key to achieving that goal. As the undisputed top assassin, Phantom is Inferno's greatest hope and their enemies' greatest fear. Zwei argues that no matter how good Phantom is, she, along with Zwei, is still a slave. But Claudia is quick to disabuse him of that notion as she points out that even if they work for Inferno, they are free to do one thing, which is to progress. She leaves Zwei with that single thought. When Ein returns a while later, Zwei finds out that like him, Ein's memories were also erased but she is very matter of fact about it. She explains that once Zwei kills someone, he would understand. The next day, Zwei's training continues.
EPISODE 03: Practice
The episode begins with Claudia's memory of a presumably Inferno assassin called "Romero." Back in the desert, Ein teaches Zwei knife-fighting skills. During the fight, Zwei figures out that on that first night (Episode 01), Ein intentionally let him win. In Mexico, a corrupt Navy Seal captain seeks help from Inferno when he finds himself the target of an investigation by the FBI. Instead of helping him, they use him as target practice for Zwei. At first, Zwei is unwilling to make his first kill but eventually does the deed when he gets cornered. Ein, who is watching over him, then appears in order to give him an ultimatum: to live as an assassin or to die under her hands. Zwei makes the obvious choice. Ein then commands him to stand up and when he does, he strips himself of his old personality and truly becomes "Zwei."
Zwei and Ein have their first conversation (after she tried to kill him in the previous episode) in which Ein finally explains why she attacked him (to test his skill). Meanwhile, Scythe Master reports to Inferno about the status of Zwei, who undergoes training under Ein's tutelage. One day, Ein gets called out to an assassination misson and while she is away, Zwei meets Claudia, who, for reasons known only to her, reveals Inferno's goal (to unite the underworld). She adds that Phantom is the key to achieving that goal. As the undisputed top assassin, Phantom is Inferno's greatest hope and their enemies' greatest fear. Zwei argues that no matter how good Phantom is, she, along with Zwei, is still a slave. But Claudia is quick to disabuse him of that notion as she points out that even if they work for Inferno, they are free to do one thing, which is to progress. She leaves Zwei with that single thought. When Ein returns a while later, Zwei finds out that like him, Ein's memories were also erased but she is very matter of fact about it. She explains that once Zwei kills someone, he would understand. The next day, Zwei's training continues.
The episode begins with Claudia's memory of a presumably Inferno assassin called "Romero." Back in the desert, Ein teaches Zwei knife-fighting skills. During the fight, Zwei figures out that on that first night (Episode 01), Ein intentionally let him win. In Mexico, a corrupt Navy Seal captain seeks help from Inferno when he finds himself the target of an investigation by the FBI. Instead of helping him, they use him as target practice for Zwei. At first, Zwei is unwilling to make his first kill but eventually does the deed when he gets cornered. Ein, who is watching over him, then appears in order to give him an ultimatum: to live as an assassin or to die under her hands. Zwei makes the obvious choice. Ein then commands him to stand up and when he does, he strips himself of his old personality and truly becomes "Zwei."
COMMENTS:
I'm watching the series in 1280 x 720 screen resolution (AAC-x264), mkv format (subbed by Desire). The files are huge but each episode, so far, is beautiful. I'm noticing some downgrade in production values but it's not obvious and the key scenes are still very nicely drawn.
I also finally noticed the BGM. Lots of melancholic, classical style music that I'm not sure fit too well in some of the scenes. I'm specifically talking about that scene in Episode 3 where Scythe Master puts some sort of oil on Ein's body while discussing Zwei's progress. Such a creepy scene and yet the music was puerile.
I'm hoping that Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom will fulfill all the expectations I had of Noir that were never quite realized, and so far so good. It's becoming clear that the big difference between the two is that where Noir emphasized technique and style, Phantom is about the nitty-gritty details without necessarily going overboard with the violence. Indeed, despite Phantom's apparent obsession with guns, there has yet been a scene showing Ein or Zwei performing the actual killing. We hear shots and we see blood oozing from the body of victims but not a single frame of the actual act of shooting. I don't think it's to preserve the viewer rating because this show is at least PG-13, so maybe it's just a matter of personal taste on the production staff.
So about the story so far, there is as of yet no story. I mean, yes, we know that Ein and Zwei work for Inferno and that Inferno wants to take over the underworld, but other than that, there's nothing on the actual plot yet. Right now, we are watching Zwei go through the process of becoming an assassin. In Episode 03, he just made his first major step and I think it won't be long now before we start to see some action other than Zwei and Ein going at it.
Friday, April 17, 2009
First Impression: Ristorante Paradiso
The series has old people in it. If that doesn't catch your attention, then maybe the unusual art style will. I know that one got me into this series in the first place, and I must say the first episode did not disappoint.
EPISODE 01: Nicoletta
More Screencaps from Ristorante Paradiso 01
OP: Marigold (orange pekoe) [YouTube]
ED: Suteki no Kajitsu (Lisa Komine) [YouTube]
I don't find it bothersome though. It's not realistic to have an entire wait staff composed of older people. But I guess it's not impossible. Besides, the episode itself explains that this is a special kind of restaurant and one that particularly caters to those with certain tastes.
Ristorante Paradiso is not your average, run-of-the-mill anime. Because it's josei and slice of life, it caters to a particular niche in the audience and is therefore not for everyone. But even if you don't necessarily gravitate towards this kind of anime, give this anime a try as it offers a refreshing change.
More Screencaps from Ristorante Paradiso 01
OP: Marigold (orange pekoe) [YouTube]
ED: Suteki no Kajitsu (Lisa Komine) [YouTube]
I don't find it bothersome though. It's not realistic to have an entire wait staff composed of older people. But I guess it's not impossible. Besides, the episode itself explains that this is a special kind of restaurant and one that particularly caters to those with certain tastes.
Ristorante Paradiso is not your average, run-of-the-mill anime. Because it's josei and slice of life, it caters to a particular niche in the audience and is therefore not for everyone. But even if you don't necessarily gravitate towards this kind of anime, give this anime a try as it offers a refreshing change.
MORE INFO:
OFFICIAL (JPN)
Ristorante Paradiso @ ANN
Ristorante Paradiso Commercial [YouTube]
Ristorante Paradiso Trailer [YouTube]
First Impression: Natsu no Arashi!
Don't let the inconsistency of the character designs fool you. Natsu no Arashi! has great background art. The story itself is not that interesting but then I wasn't expecting epic anyway.
EPISODE 01: Playback
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi 01
OP: Atashi dake ni Kakete (Omokage Lucky Hole) [YouTube]
ED: Kirari Futari (Ryouko Shiraishi) [YouTube]
That said, what is this series about? The title gives us a clue: it's about the summer adventures of Hajime and the mysterious Arashi. According to ANN, Arashi is supposed to have mystical powers that enables her to travel through time. The episode does not explain how Arashi came to have these powers or how she even came to live with Hajime (as it does not seem as if they are even related). Come to think of it, the episode doesn't really explain anything about this series. But I'm guessing all of that will be revealed later.
Natsu no Arashi! is a light series that looks to entertain by capitalizing on character quirks and random situations. The art is going to be a problem for some but the first episode looks tightly directed, so here's to hoping this continues for the rest of this 13-episode series.
More Screencaps from Natsu no Arashi 01
OP: Atashi dake ni Kakete (Omokage Lucky Hole) [YouTube]
ED: Kirari Futari (Ryouko Shiraishi) [YouTube]
That said, what is this series about? The title gives us a clue: it's about the summer adventures of Hajime and the mysterious Arashi. According to ANN, Arashi is supposed to have mystical powers that enables her to travel through time. The episode does not explain how Arashi came to have these powers or how she even came to live with Hajime (as it does not seem as if they are even related). Come to think of it, the episode doesn't really explain anything about this series. But I'm guessing all of that will be revealed later.
Natsu no Arashi! is a light series that looks to entertain by capitalizing on character quirks and random situations. The art is going to be a problem for some but the first episode looks tightly directed, so here's to hoping this continues for the rest of this 13-episode series.
MORE INFO:
OFFICIAL TV-Tokyo (JPN)
OFFICIAL Starchild (JPN)
Natsu no Arashi! @ ANN
Natsu no Arashi! @ Wikipedia
Natsu no Arashi! Trailer [YouTube]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
