Television
Boss: Season 2
The second season of the Starz hit drama about Chicago mayor Tom Kane (Kelsey Grammer; Frasier) comes to Blu-ray and DVD. Although, “hit” is a complicated adjective in this case since Starz has announced that the series will not be returning for a third season. This really surprised me because the first season received rave [...]
Dirk Gently
The pilot for BBC Four’s Dirk Gently premiered in 2010, and it wasn’t until 2012 that three more episodes aired on the channel. Unfortunately for the series’ dedicated viewers, however, BBC Four thereafter declined to commission any further episodes. While this decision was met with significant fan outcry, their pleas ultimately fell on deaf ears. [...]
Digimon Adventure: Season Two
After the Pokemon franchise proved itself to be an overwhelming, immediate success in 1996, it’s no surprise that a host of similar, if not outright derivative, franchises would emerge in its wake. Digimon, one such post-Pokemon franchise, premiered in 1997 as a line of pocket pets in the Tamagotchi vein, but would soon spawn an [...]
Sweet Blue Flowers
Admittedly, Sweet Blue Flowers (Aoi Hana) is not the sort of show I‘d normally go out of my way to see. Adapted from the even still ongoing manga by Takako Shimura, this 2009 “Girls’ Love” anime is a slice-of-life story about a group of Japanese high school girls, some of whom, including our protagonist, Fumi, [...]
Shakugan no Shana: Season III
Things are quite different for Shana and Yuji in this, the final series of Shakugan no Shana (but not in a bad way). No longer is the action set exclusively in Misaki City. And gone is the slice-of-life, high school material that supplemented the series’ broader, battle-based narrative in which Shana, Yuji, and their allies [...]
Maria Watches Over Us: Season Four
Here we are, season four of Maria Watches Over Us. The question remains; will Yumi find her petite soeur? Graduation is looming and Yumi will soon have to take over the rains from Sachiko as one of the leaders of the Yamayuri Council. But first, she will need to decide who she feels is to [...]
One Piece: Season Four, Voyage Four
Containing some fulfilling backstory, a great amount of intense action and some great plot development, One Piece: Season Four, Voyage Four is another winner and a continuation of the greatness that makes up this shonen masterpiece. Trying their best to clear their names and finding out the true reasons for Robin’s betrayal, the Straw Hats [...]
Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars
Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars is an anime hidden gem that most anime fans have never bothered with. Directed by Tatsuo Sato, of Martian Successor Nadesico fame and animated by Studio Madhouse, Shingu is a lighthearted sci-fi adventure story that manages to place its emphasis on strong characters and world building. Set in the [...]
Natsume’s Book of Friends: Season 3
Natsume is without a doubt the single most genuinely wholesome and altogether feel-good series I’ve ever encountered, truly as inviting and comforting a program as you could realistically hope for. And this despite focusing largely on one Japanese high schooler’s daily interactions with yokai (spirits, or monsters, of Japanese folklore). As related in my previous [...]
Toriko: Part Three
By this point, if you’re still reading following our coverage of FUNimation’s Toriko releases, you’ve no doubt given Toriko the five or six episodes of viewing required to really get into the series, as I recommended in my review of Part Two. And if that’s the case, you are no doubt curious whether or not [...]
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