Thursday, July 19, 2012

The meaning of crows flying overhead... Aho, Aho!

As stated in my introduction, I am not Japanese and do not understand some simple references that are used commonly in Anime.  I once read as an author's note while I was watching an anime (don't remember which), when the animators have crows flying overhead saying 'Aho, aho,' it had a certain meaning.  I wasn't able to remember the meaning, so I had to look it up.  See the following explanation below taken from the following site... (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IdiotCrows):

Idiot Crows

When a boke (silly or idiotic character) says something stupid or foolish, one or more crows may be seen flying past, crying "aho! aho!" or "ba-ka, ba-ka". Aho is Japanese for "idiot". It's also the kansai-ben equivalent to the all-purpose insult baka (one functional translation of aho is "dumbass"); kansai-ben is used by both the Boke and Tsukkomi Routine and The Idiot from Osaka.

Much more common in comedy series than serious dramatic anime, but sometimes found at lighter moments in serious series, too.

Ravens and Crows also have a more serious purpose in anime — as in Western mythology, crows are seen as heralds of death in Japanese folklore. The Idiot Crows are not usually meant to symbolize this darker meaning.

Not to be confused with, the idiocy of Crow T. Robot or a particular nuclear powered raven who is an idiot.

Also note that "aho" is a pun; it's also Japanese onomatopoeia for a crow's call, hence why it's used so often in comedic situations.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Hunter x Hunter

Title: Hunter x Hunter
Rating 5 of 5

This is a fun little series which centers around a young boy named Gon, who in the steps of his father, wants to become a hunter.  On his way to and during the test to become a hunter, he befriends several other aspiring hunters and their adventures begin.

Sword Art Online

Title:  Sword Art Online
Rating: 4 of 5

This series centers around the players in an online MMO (similar to WOW).  The players interface this world using a virtual reality helmet which intercepts the brain signals to the players actual body and sends them to through the helmet to the game.  On the opening day, the players began to realize there was no 'exit' option on the user interface.  Soon after, all the players were summoned to the city center and an announcement by the creator of the game was made.  He announced that they were all trapped in the game until someone beats the boss on the highest level of the tower.  A death in the game would mean death to the player in the real world, as would any attempt to disrupt the connection between the player and the VR helmet.  The main character of was one of the beta testers and has a slight advantage over the beginners.  At the end of the first episode, he leaves to go go greener pastures as his solitary nature emerges.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai.

Title: Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai.
Rating : 4 of 5 (some nudity and sexual content, not for kiddies)

This series centers around a high school student who has entered into a temporary contract with a young, breasty red-headed grim reaper.  The grim reaper has foretold of his pending demise and has promised to save him if he can help her find a superior soul from which she can gather strength.  The contract they have formed uses his perversion/horniness as the source of his energy and as a young, high-school male, this is almost limitless.

Campione!

Title: Campione!
Rating : 3.5 of 5

This is a new series centering around a young boy who was delivering a stone tablet for his grandfather but ended up using its hidden powers to kill an ancient god.  The heroine is a young, busty blonde who is a knight in the order of the Copper Black Cross.  She uses a sword and magic to battle for justice.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Divergence Eve

Title:  Divergence Eve
Rating 2 of 5 (some nudity)

The series is about a space station that serves as the gateway between Earth and space travel.  It creates wormholes to distant places in the universe.  But, there is an alien race (called Ghouls) which are attracted to the wormholes, which causes the friction for the series.

The series started okay building the story line throughout the 1st 10 or so episodes.  Using flashbacks at the beginning of each episode, during the establishment of the space station, there were attacks by the Ghouls which apparently altered the DNA of its human victims.  As scientists (of Alchemy) try to discover the purpose of these changes, they are shut down by the Alchemy management because it may be too dangerous.  So the scientists devise a secret plan to continue their research by infecting infants with the changed DNA.  The main character of the series is one of these experiments.

The last couple of episodes weren't very well done and the ending was anti-climatic.  Things jumped around and they added clones.  It seems like they had to suddenly wrap things up and end them before they were ready.  Only thing worth seeing are the scantily clad characters.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica Episodes Online

Title: Hagure Yuusha no Estetica Episodes Online
Rating : 4 of 5 (some nudity, no kiddies)

The main character is a human teen who was summoned to another world where he was known as the Maverick Hero.  In that world, he gained fighting powers and defeated the local demon king.  As the demon king's dying request, be entrusted his daughter to the hero to protect.  So he takes the daughter back to his world where they are enrolled in Babel, the school where kids are taught to use their powers.  As part of the plot, there is some secret prophesy about the main character as the Supreme King.  As part of their first day at Babel, their fighting powers are tested.  The daughter (magician) smashes the teacher into the wall of the arena and is taken off to the infirmary.  The student body president who was hoping for an opportunity steps in a tests the hero.  As the hero and his 'sister' are walking off, the president announces that he wants the hero's power....

NarutoSD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden

Title:   NarutoSD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden
Rating: 4 of 5

This is a spin-off from the Naruto Shippuuden series, with Rock Lee and his team members as the main characters.  This is a purely comical series in nature and nothing like the original Naruto series.  It's a fun little series to watch but I know that there are some jokes that I just don't get not fully understanding Japanese culture and language.

Introduction

Let me start off by saying I am not Japanese and do not speak or read Japanese.  I only like to watch Anime.  I will be reviewing the ones that I watch and commenting on them.  If you have different opinions or if my comments/reviews help, please let me know.  Thanks!