School Days

Were your school days like theirs?

Genre - Drama, Romance, Harem, Seinen

Length – 12 Episodes

Run - Jul 4, 2007 to Sep 26, 2007

Animation Production – Marvelous Entertainment, Lantis, Avex Entertainment, TNK

After reading Endo's review on this series I decided to go and watch this anime, mainly because I was curious about the ending. I have to say this is arguably one of the worst anime I have seen, but for whatever reason I still liked it =/

So here goes my second opinion on School Days...

Being an adaptation from an adult VN, I expected the anime to have typical things like sexual encounters, overly shy main characters, and an overall bad and typical plot with little character development. All of these were present in School Days, so I wasn't wrong on my assumption. The anime starts out with Itou Makoto ogling Katsura Kotonoha in the train they both ride to school every day. Makoto has a crush on Katsura and does not have the guts to tell her he wants to go out with her.

It all starts here...

This is where Saionji Sekai comes in to hook them up. Sekai sits right next to Makoto in class and are good friends. This friendship leads to problems which in essence results in a twisted love triangle spawning many little side relationships. At first I despised Makoto for being such a wuss. During the first half of the anime he's pretty shy, perverted, and awkward. But then he turned out to be a player hooking girls left and right. So in a way he redeems himself, but he's still very despicable for reasons you will have to find out when and if you watch this anime. Katsura at first glance seemed to me like the girl next door, but she turned out to be exactly like Makoto. Unfortunately her progression gets worse due to her being an easily influenced pushover. After a certain incident in the roof with Makoto and Sekai you start to see Katsura in a different light which in essence makes you the viewer feel bad for her while also asking yourself "She's crazy man....like srlsy O_O". Many unfortunate things start to happen to Katsura, so I'm not surprised about her behavior throughout the rest of the series. Sekai pretty much stays the same throughout the anime. Her character makes no drastic change, though she starts becoming a bit like Katsura later on. One of the reasons I continued to watch School Days was because of Sekai. She brought humor to the show and made you think about what would be her next step and is overall a lovable character.

Sekai showing Makoto how pro she is :3

I saw many talking heads while watching School Days. What I mean by that is there was a lack of motion/animation which isn't easily noticeable but It's one of the reasons this anime disappoints. From my standpoint some of the sexual encounters portrayed were impossible, and demeaning in a way. The supporting female characters flock to Makoto in the peak of his promiscuity, both out of a social obligation to satisfy male sexuality, and in an attempt to express themselves the only way they can think of. Just about all of the characters were somewhat shallow and detestable which also includes my dear Sekai. The characters are unable to say anything serious directly and are obviously sexually repressed and in need to rebel against their cultural norms; but of course they do it in a way a child would learn how to interact with kids in his/her first day in kindergarten. Moving on to the soundtrack, the music used throughout the series which included the opening and ending were average at best, nothing memorable.

It is the ending of this anime that makes watching the whole series worth the trouble. The ending defies the cliché of similar anime and leaves both a bad taste (for obvious reasons) and a sense of satisfaction. "Le sigh, stfu and gimme my score."

Art - (6/10) Sound - (6/10) Plot - (7/10) Enjoyment - (7/10)

Overall
6.5/10

Note: Makoto deserves what happens to him....like srsly =/

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Do not be fooled by their innocent looks

Genre - Drama, Fantasy, Shoujo, Psychological

Length – 39 Episodes

Run - Apr 2, 1997 to Dec 24, 1997

Animation Production – J.C. Staff, TV Tokyo, The Right Stuf International, Central Park Media

Simply put, an anime like this is one of a kind. You thought "Neon Genesis Evangelion" was off the wall and weird? Then consider "Revolutionary Girl Utena" it's Yuri/Yaoi looking counterpart. Let's start by giving a fair warning when watching this anime, it is a complete mind juggler. There is an abundance of homosexual insinuation and a minor case of incest, yes I said incest (true Anime fans will not find this weird). Typical Otaku thought makes you think you have the plot down by watching the first 2-3 episodes, but trust me when I say there is way more to the story so stick with me.

Let's begin with the characters. Each character has their own time to shine and I say that literally. Minor characters, main characters, supporting characters, all have some of their own screen time. One factor that annoyed me throughout the series was that some characters have their story retold throughout the show with some minor details added in every once in a while. Repetition is good but the way this show handled it was a bit much. There is also a strong sense of hardship with each characters story. Watching how and why some of these characters suffer is important for this Anime to make some sense, especially around the middle of the series. With that said let's move on to the two main characters. Utena Tenjou is very easy to read. She is obsessed with finding the prince that saved her during her childhood. Utena was so moved by him that she vowed to become a prince herself, going as far as dressing in boys uniform. Utena is kind, funny, and willing to help out anyone in need. Her role increases greatly as she starts to fend off those who are after the Rose Bride. Anthy Himemiya is the other main character in the series. Seemingly docile and frail, she is the Rose Bride. Utena as well as members of the student council of Ohtori Academy bearing the rose crest fight in duels above the school in an isolated arena for Anthy. The goal is for Anthy to be their bride and "revolutionize the world". Expect many "Wtf" moments watching Anthy's character progress throughout the series.

One of many "Wtf" moments

Moving on to the Anime itself; there is much symbolism in this anime. Some symbolism used in this series is just random while others kind of make sense, and others are obvious for the trained eye. The art is unique; I have not seen another Anime with such art style. Random staircases that touch the sky and buildings intertwining with each other are all typical of "Revolutionary Girl Utena". Ohtori Academy, where the story takes place, is best described as a boarding school built by world-class French/Japanese (Frapanese?) architects with a Rose obsession. Every building seems to have a ground-level arcade overlooking grass. There are even stained-glass windows opposite the lockers! This architectural inventiveness intoxicated me: no freeways, no fluorescent lights, no high schools like prisons. Utena offered a welcome relief to the air-conditioned nightmare of suburban life. Thinking back on it, I think I would like to go a school like that.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this Anime. It is very original and epic in its own way. Most Anime series these days will never achieve the groundbreaking "weirdness" that is "Revolutionary Girl Utena". As I say that I realize it has some flaws, no Anime is perfect after all. You will most probably tend to skip the beginning of the fights, and the annoying female drama actors behind the rose wall. Many scenes are repetitive and are replayed throughout the entire series. The soundtrack (aside from the OP & ED) is nothing special.

Other than that, I really think more people should watch this Anime and share their thoughts. It really is a good watch once you get the rhythm of it. "So what will you rate this?" You might ask?

Art - (9/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (9/10) Enjoyment - (8/10)

Overall
8.5/10

Note: Females please be aware that there are a lot of Bishies

Midori Days

Originality at its best?

Genre - Comedy, Drama, Ecchi, Romance, Shounen

Length – 13 Episodes

Run - Apr 4, 2004 to Jun 27, 2004

Animation Production – Bandai Visual, Studio Pierrot, Lantis, Media Blasters

Surprisingly this series was mostly well received. It is for this reason I began watching it. I knew what I was getting myself into but I still can't ignore the many "wtf is this" moments I went through the first 3-4 episodes. In essence "Midori Days" is basically just another one of those series with no real story that for whatever reason just seems to...click!

Like I usually do, I will begin by introducing the main characters. The male lead is named "Seiji Sawamura". Known as "Mad Dog Sawamura", Seiji is the high school delinquent. Using his "Demon right hand" he takes care of the trash that confronts him from neighboring high schools. Despite his nickname and fame, the reality is that Seiji is actually a kind and lonely soul. He seeks a girlfriend but no girl is willing to accept his feelings thanks to his fame; that is until one day he wakes up next to "Midori Kasugano". Waking up as Seiji's right hand (yes I said she was suddenly his right hand ) is the best thing that ever happened to Midori. Ever since middle school she has had a crush on Seiji but has been unable to confess to him due to her shyness. This all changed as soon as she became Seiji's right hand. Midori now has more confidence and is outspoken about her love for "Seiji-Kun" :3

Let's get one thing straight, Midori is cute as a button. However the fact that she suddenly became Seiji's right hand is a problem for him. No more fighting, no more porn, no more normality in his life. He now has to hide his famous "Demon right hand" from everyone in order to conceal Midori. This produces a gradual and positive change to Seiji's personality. He begins to attend school more often and gets into less trouble. Overall he just becomes a better person. This change peaks the interest of "Takako Ayase". Noticeably indifferent towards Seiji in the beginning, she begins to harbor romantic feelings for him. And so a behind the scenes love triangle begins between the lot.

Moving on to the art, this series could have produced better character design. I'm not saying the art is bad but the women are drawn way too similar to the men. If it wasn't for the long hair and skirts you could probably confuse women and men in this anime. The color use is actually very good, some of the backgrounds could have been paid more attention to but it's not something to complain about. I very much liked the soundtrack for "Midori Days" but I really wish they would have changed the OP & ED at least once. The series mixed its genres of "Comedy, Drama, Ecchi, Romance, Shounen" well; I had hoped for a bit more Shounen around the middle but oh well. The relationship between Midori and Seiji is very endearing and you will want to root Midori on all the way. I did not shed a tear watching this series but there were a couple of times I did well up so expect some of that while watching. The one thing that really ticked me off is that there is no real explanation as to why Midori suddenly became Seiji's right hand for the time they were together.

Well what else can said? It's up to you guys to give it a shot and see for yourselves.

Art - (8/10) Sound - (7/10) Plot - (9/10) Enjoyment - (8/10)

Overall
8/10

Note: Chibi Midori = Cute

Kuroshitsuji

A demon butler, what will they think of next?

Genre - Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Shounen, Supernatural

Length – 24 Episodes

Run - Oct 2, 2008 to Mar 26, 2009

Animation Production – A-1 Pictures Inc., Square Enix, FUNimation Entertainment
Where to begin? Arguably one of the most complete Anime series around, there is simply so much to say about "Kuroshitsuji" (Black Butler). Death, action, comedy, supernatural deities and a well balanced cast of characters; such a masterpiece simply cannot be comprehended with mere words. In essence, it is the show where evil triumphs, and evil never looked so cool...

A dark scene appears before you, it is the scene of a young boy making a deal with a devil. The boys request is simple, kill those who hurt him. Immediately after you are taken to the present day where that very same boy is seen waking up in his luxurious mansion. His butler stands waiting to attend to his every need. The young boy is "Ciel Phantomhive", the new head of the Phantomhive family whom are known far and wide for their toys and sweets. The Phantomhive's have a secret; they are the Queen of England's watchdogs. Given nobility, they keep watch of the black market and its various dealings. With his parents now dead after the fire that took their lives, Ciel takes up the tasks at hand. Ciel is not your typical male lead. In other stories you get the lead who talks nice and even though he went through so much he is still naive and trustful to everyone. This is not the case with Ciel; he goes by his own rules never trusting anyone in his quest for revenge. In essence he is an antihero. Moving on to the sleek, dark, and handsome butler; "Sebastian Michaelis". Indeed he truly is "One hell of a butler". Capable of cleaning house and laying down the smack down on those who oppose his master, Sebastian is also a crafty demon. He thinks of his abilities as a norm, stating it is only natural as the butler to the Phantomhive family (though everyone else is always left in awe). Bound by the contract he made with Ciel, he does everything he is told to do.

 Always the sly one...
 

The art in this Anime is top notch. Every city and setting was made with detail and it certainly shows. The characters are well drawn and give of an ominous feel. That ominous feel compliments its dark story. Though the Anime drifts away from the manga around the middle, the character development is not affected. You can see the difference from the beginning and toward the end of the show that their emotional dilemmas are not portrayed as an obstruction, but as a way to help the characters grow. An anime like this proves even minor characters can blend well with the show. Minor characters such as Grell, the chainsaw wielding death god with a crush on Sebastian, Tanaka, the silent tea drinking butler, along with the other Phantomhive employees all add sophisticated and absurd comedy to the show. I haven't laughed so hard watching an anime since watching "Kare Kano". If you like "Yaoi", then expect it to be an ongoing gag if you will. Yaoi in this series is mostly used as an insinuation. The line is never fully crossed, so straight men watching "Kuroshitsuji" shouldn't stray away. Moving on, the soundtrack is simply amazing. Classical music along with Latin like hymns comprises most of the series. The OP & ED compliment the show perfectly, enhancing its dark theme.

All in all, "Kuroshitsuji" is a gem. I highly recommend watching it as it is a must watch. Whatever cons it may have is overshadowed by its pros. "So get on with it man I have cookies waiting to be eaten!"

Art - (9/10) Sound - (9/10) Plot - (8/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8.75/10

Note: Expect yourself scratching your head at the ending.

                                                  

Kodocha Season 1 Review

                               

 

A great bundle of joy.

Genre - Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo

Length – 51 (102 in total)

Run - Apr 5, 1996 to Mar 27, 1998

Animation Production – TV Tokyo, Studio Gallop, FUNimation EntertainmentL, NAS, Pony Canyon

Sana Kurata, age 11, is a humorous and oh so hyper 6th grader with an acting career. As you can guess, her life is far from normal. Sana Juggles an acting career alongside a slightly abnormal personal life.

The story begins with the classroom hooligans led by Akito Hayama. Akito is the quiet type that lets out a smart remark now and then and follows his own rules. This lasts for about five or so episodes. Though Akito's role broadens later on, the rest of the anime deals with more than just Akito and his loyal followers. Secrets from the past begin to surface, and Sana's acting career and personal life begin to mix. Sana's friends and family all have their roles to play in the story. Not a single character's role is wasted. Kodocha is a perfect example of never judging a book by its cover. Despite it being an adaptation, you have a very well written story with nicely timed twists and turns that leave the viewer in both awe and at times in suspense. Kodocha at its core is a comedy. You will laugh like never before watching Sana and her shenanigans. At the same time, Kodocha deals with some very serious issues. There are bits of romance here and there, but from what I heard the second season is where the romance picks up a notch. This is what makes Kodocha such a great anime. It has a nice blend of everything and just makes for an enjoyable watch no matter what your mood. The characters are all unique and lovable in every way. Normally there's always a character you can't help but dislike, but such is not the case with Kodocha. Every character has their own time to shine and their personalities were developed nicely.

The art was decent, after all it was made in the late 90's. Though compared to other notable series made in that era, its not exactly what I would call amazing. Soundtrack-wise it was great.

 

The opening and ending songs are cute addictive, and the "Sana raps" are just as amusing. During emotional scenes the music played fits the mood just right. Having watched the dual audio version of the anime, I can safely say this is one of the very rare cases that the English dub trumps the Japanese dub. I simply refuse to watch this show in Japanese, it doesn't have the same feeling the English dub actors put in. That being said, the second half of this series has not been English dubbed, and that presents a dilemma that requires a fix later on. Reading the manga is a possibility.

In any case, Kodocha is an emotional roller coaster. Every emotion you can conceive will be brought out. It really is too bad most anime today lack the heart series like Kodocha have...

Art - (7/10) Sound - (9/10) Plot - (10/10) Enjoyment - (10/10)

Overall
9/10

Karin (A.K.A Chibi Vampire)

 

Love can be so embarrassing!

Genre - Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo, Vampire

Length – 24 Episodes

Run - Nov 3, 2005 to May 11, 2006

Animation Production – J.C. Staff, FUNimation EntertainmentL

Ah Karin....what a delightful series this was. I'd say Karin is awkward love at its best. Predictable? Yes, but oh so lovable...

There is a "freak" among the vampire clan of Maaka, her name is Karin Maaka. In the beginning of the anime you see Karin portrayed as a shy, timid, awkward, and well-endowed teenage girl; which never actually changes throughout the show. Normally vampires go hunting for prey to drink blood from, but Karin is a bit different. She gets urges but it's not for blood sucking, it's for blood giving. You see Karin suffers from a strange condition where she produces too much blood according to her blood affinity. If she cannot find a victim to inject blood, she spews it out in the form of a massive nose bleed. 

Karin when she overflows with blood.

Everything seems rather normal at Karin's school, kind of a typical setting. This is probably what annoyed me while watching Karin in the beginning. Typical setting with typical characters with typical uniforms and a typical best friend. Maki Tokitou is the best friend of Karin and at times producer of lulz. Maki is a rather cheerful person; rarely will she be shown in a bad or sad mood. She makes it a habit to tease Karin, especially when she starts to get familiar with Usui Kenta, the new transfer student. Yet again another predictability. Often mistaken as a delinquent, Usui is actually a nice hardworking guy (and let's not forget shy and awkward). His mother has horrible luck maintaining jobs so he has to work to make sure there is food on the table. Coincidentally, he and Karin work in the same place; oh yes...another predictable setting.

So what have you learned so far? Predictability? "You keep repeating that word bro, I thought you liked this show?" Yes well that's because this anime is predictable and I figured I would get that out of the way before someone else does. However, the mechanics of this series make the predictability something to forget. For all its inconsequential nature, generic characters and predictable story, Karin is one of the most thoroughly entertaining experiences I can remember for a long time that spawned from the girl-meets-boy formula. Karin’s comprehensive lack of aspirations for a deep or meaningful story is the thing that saves it from the beginning. Simple character designs with even simpler character personalities are introduced at the beginning and set the mood for this light-hearted high-school romance with a vampire twist. First of all, the characters are likable. Karin is simply adorable with her shy nature that makes you want to pinch her cheeks. 

 Karin being teased by Maki.

Winner Sinclair is mass producer of lulz that makes you wish he had his own show, and Karin's parents along with her younger sister Anju and older brother Ren make you wish you were part of the family. In essence, you will love all the characters right from the start.

Moving on to the Animation, Karin is decent for its pre-HD time. The colors used are vibrant but the backgrounds could have used more work. The transitions normally put for commercial break purposes are rather humorous at times. Normally in anime these transitions stay the same throughout the entire series but In Karin they change in every episode along with the teaser for next week's episode that sometimes features a provocative Karin or Anju picture. Speaking of provocative, the OP is rather provocative (yes I know I'm using that word too much).
 

How can you not like this OP?

The soundtrack is stagnant. Nothing really changes but I wouldn't have it any other way. Aside from the OP, the sounds and music used create the perfect atmosphere for the setting or scene being shown. Everything compliments each other.

Around the final episodes of the series, there is a life-threatening vampire hunter element implemented. This brings the series down a bit. The majority of the progression in the story had been largely character-focused and the sudden change to a plot-intensive story with a serious mood was too difficult to swallow. What made it worse was that this section was driven by some seriously silly plot devices. It was the ending itself that redeemed the series, trumping the somber section with a plot twist so asinine that it’s unforgettable. More importantly, it delivered Karin back to the light-hearted mood that made it so lovable. For this reason, as silly as it was, I have nothing but compliments for the absurd resolution and the note on which Karin concluded.

To sum things up, a cast of lovable characters mixed with a perfect blend of comedy, action, and romance makes Karin a must watch. "Oh lord Jebus make this man shut up and hurry!"

Art - (8/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (7/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8/10

Note: Karin is just so...

His and Her Circumstances (Kare Kano)

 

The perfect power couple.

Genre - Comedy, Drama, Romance, School, Shoujo, Slice of Life

Length – 26 Episodes

Run - Oct 2, 1998 to Mar 26, 1999

Animation Production – Gainax, J.C. Staff, The Right Stuf International

Note: If you have read the manga, please keep any negative comments about the anime to yourself. I am well aware of the "issues" and will address them at the end of the review.

The story starts out with "Yukino Miyazawa". Yukino is at the top of her class and is Kind, intelligent, pretty and modest to boot. Everyone praises her and is usually the center of her class and school. She gladly takes in all the praise and admiration because of her true nature. You see, she has put up a facade for most of her teenage life. In reality she is not as kind and modest, she's actually pretty arrogant and self-centered. This little facade goes on until "Soichiro Arima" catches Yukino showing her true colors, and I mean catch literally. Soichiro is a new student at the school and is also kind, handsome, modest, and intelligent. However just like Yukino he also has a "dark" side and decides to blackmail Yukino after discovering her secret. As these two develop an odd friendship many things start to occur around them, and then romance steps in to make things even more complicated...

The art in this series is "experimental". Visually, as the anime progresses, it delves deeper into an avant-garde style of presentation. It becomes less of an animated series and more an experiment in visual storytelling. I personally appreciated this aspect of the series as it made me look forward to seeing how the story would be told in each episode. From the popsicle stick figures, cityscapes, flashing images, sketch book drawings, etc. In essence it was very different and very interesting to watch. Think of the art as a mix between "TTGL" and "FLCL". Kare Kano mixes romance and comedy well. The romance isn't cheesy most of the time which is good, and the comedy is top notch. Both Yukino and Soichiro's friends make sure to add more of both into the mix. I guarantee anyone who watches this anime will be laughing nonstop throughout the series as well as letting out a couple of awe's here and there.

Moving on to the music, the soundtrack was not very impressive.

The music throughout the anime was average. I feel they could have made a better soundtrack but it's nothing to complain about. 

  The OP & ED however are great, personal favorites of mine.

Going back to what I said about the manga, I feel I should make some things clear. Most who have read the manga and then watched the anime complain about its weird approach and outcome. Though the anime is based on the manga, it does drift away from it. The anime implemented more comedy than its manga source and some things are changed so that it fit into 26 episodes. Directors were also changed and you will notice the anime change gears around the middle.

To finish off, there is rarely a dull moment in this series and it is constantly making sure you are up to date with what has happened so far, which does get a bit annoying if you marathon through the show. Story wise, it's nothing special. It's how it was portrayed that makes it very entertaining. I really did enjoy this anime and hope everyone else will give it a try.

Art - (7/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (8/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8/10

Note: The ending will leave you speechless, for many reasons

Last Exile

 

 Exile lies beyond the clouds.

Genre - Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Length – 26 Episodes

Run - Apr 7, 2003 to Sep 29, 2003

Animation Production – Gonzo, Geneon Universal EntertainmentL, GDH, FUNimation EntertainmentL, TV Tokyo Music

Every now and then you encounter an anime that takes your breathe away in one way or another. This is one of those anime. Starting out, we are thrown into an aerial battlefield with enormous fleets bombarding each other without restraint. It appears you are looking at pseudo-futuristic versions of technologies from the early 1900's, and that's basically what they are. You wonder about the spectacle being shown and why this is all happening. For a moment, you even forget what you were asking yourself because of the epic scenery displayed. The reasoning for this battle is not told until later on.

Battles like this litter the skies.

As a matter of fact, many things are never explained in the first half of the series. More and more layers are added to the plot, which can sometimes become frustrating to unravel. However, patience is a virtue, and can lead to some very nice rewards.

Last Exile focuses on a myth regarding "Exile". What "Exile" actually is will not be revealed until around the last six or so episodes. Keep in mind that where there is a myth, there are people ready to seek the truth behind it. Our main characters are Claus Valca and Lavie Head. Both are lifelong friends who lost their parents. Both of their fathers were pilots. Claus and Lavie decided to avenge their father's deaths by becoming pilots themselves, and hope to cross the "Grand Stream". The "Grand Stream" is mentioned various times throughout the anime, and it refers to an area in the clouds where there are hurricane force winds and overall a very dangerous place to be. Our main characters are couriers, and in a low rank mission they learn of what is happening in the skies. After entering and almost winning a race, they stumble upon a badly hurt fellow courier protecting a small girl from a mysterious ship. This meeting is what sets the gears in motion...

Art wise, it was great. Sure, the CGI can be a bit unappealing because we are used to much more realistic looking CGI. But you gotta keep in mind this anime came out in 2003. In regards to the OST it had some nice tracks. The opening and ending song were great to listen to. The OP especially because it doesn't sound like your typical anime OP.

    

This anime doesn't like to follow the norm. Death's are unpredictable, the plot twists are creative, and the characters are all unique and represent various humanistic personalities. This anime keeps you thinking and in suspense. Anime that become incredibly predictable are boring and uneventful. There is none of that in Last Exile, which makes for a very enjoyable watch. At times the anime takes a very dark tone, while other times its light and full of heart. I can't say I found anything wrong with this anime, except for its slow pacing in the beginning. That's a very minute complaint however. Last Exile is a must watch!

Art - (8/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (10/10) Enjoyment - (10/10)

Overall
9/10 

Super Smash Bros. 3DS Sells 705,000 In First Two Days In The US

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS has its much anticipated released two weeks ago tomorrow, about three weeks

after the release in Japan. While the release came on October 3, most would assume that means the first

sales would fall under the October NPD numbers, but due to the way the calendar sits, it actually fell at the

very end of September’s numbers. Even with only two days of sales for the September NPD, Super Smash

Bros. for 3DS still managed to fight it’s way to the #4 spot for the month.

In an official press release from Nintendo of America, it was revealed that Super Smash Bros. for 3DS sold

more than 705,000 copies in only its first two days. Showing that more and more are going digital, over

135,000 of those were bought digitally through the Nintendo 3DS eShop.

Perhaps the biggest impact the game had was on the sales of the Nintendo 3DS itself, which increased 55%

over its August numbers with more than 140,000 units being sold.

The press release also mentions that Hyrule Warriors has had pretty strong sales thus far, with 190,000 in

just a week. Granted, they aren’t Super Smash Bros. numbers, but that is no surprise at all. Mario Kart 8

also added another 60,000 in sales in its fifth month of release, which is pretty good for the Wii U.

Hopefully Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will help to sell the console even more this holiday season, especially

after seeing the Super Smash Bros. for 3DS sales numbers, when it releases next month on November 21.

Possible Xenosaga HD Collection?

I remember playing Xenosaga as a young teenager some years ago. In all honesty it was a very interesting game, though I never got around to playing the sequels. However, Katsuhiro Harada, known for his directing on the Tekken series has shown interest in the Xenosaga franchise on Twitter. He left the following messsage via Twitlonger for fans:

To Xenosaga fan community.
I do understand that you all are desiring “Xenosaga HD collection”.
Also, I do appreciate all your passionate comments.
I do understand your feeling to “tweet every day until the day Xenosaga HD collection comes real”.
However, what I need in order to achieve your dream, is not to have tweets from the “same person” sent to me every day.
It has been a long time since Xenosaga has been released.
It really brings back memories of those days they were developing the first Xenosaga staying up all night, when the TEKKEN Project was also staying up all night on the same floor at office.
A while back, triggered by the overseas version of Project X zone, I have conducted a research and calculated if there is a business chance for Xenosaga HD remaster.
It was a very simple research at that time. Yet, research does cost money.
And at that time, I was not able to seek business chance.
In other words, I was not able to find the necessary market size that will pay for the development fee needed to create the HD remaster.
Back then, the reactions on SNS and unique users were rather few in number.
It may be that I didn’t work hard enough.
Measures such as kickstarters are as of last resort, and at any rate we will not have a chance of winning as it stands now. It will not gather people by crowdfunding without creating some kind of big movement to support it.
To be honest, I was about to give up and I’m troubled.
What I need, are the voices from many fans.
This is a little different from having “messages sent every day from the same person”.
Although I do understand the deep love for the game, more than that, the cheers from as many “unique users” as possible is what is needed.
Digging further, I will not be able to believe comments like “I’ll buy 100 copies!”. Most companies will not believe in it.
It is not realistic for one person to tweet 100 times every day, or buy 100 copies alone.
It’s more realistic if you bring 10 fans to the game (not to mention, it wouldn’t mean anything by having the same person suddenly creating alternate accounts. I will be able to tell those).
What’s important in these kinds of cases is the number of unique users.
It means more to have 100 people mentioning they want the game one time, rather than having one person repeating it 100 times.
A miracle would happen if several tens of thousands are gathered at the end.
Of course, involvement from the company is needed for this but…

I hope enough people show support for this. Since I never played the entire trilogy I would love to play it in HD.

Kamisama Kiss Review

     When a girl becomes a god.

Genre - Comedy, Demons, Fantasy, Shoujo, Supernatural

Length – 13 Episodes

Run - Oct 2, 2012 to Dec 25, 2012

Animation Production – TV Tokyo, Dentsu, TMS Entertainment, FUNimation EntertainmentL, Pony Canyon

At first glance, this seems like another girl falls for demon boy anime, and it is. Nanami Momozono is your typical High School girl that just so happened to have been evicted due to her parents neglect of their debt. With her parents no where to be found, Nanami has no choice but to wander the streets for an answer on what to do next with her life as a young homeless person. The little twist with this anime is that Nanami gets turned into a land god by the previous land god (during the first episode) for reasons not really explained. And I suppose there doesn't need to be an explanation, this anime doesn't really take itself seriously. Its comical, but not so much that I would classify it as a comedy. Its got a nice blend of everything which is always nice, and usually works and makes for a good anime.
Anime such as this tends to take the same turns seen a million times, but this one was a bit special. The cliches are there, but not blatantly in your face. Yes, romantic feelings spur up between our two main characters, but its a bit more complicated than that. Explaining would require me to spoil the story, which I won't do. Nanami is a fabulous main character. Her personality and attitude towards things is just what I love seeing in a main character. 

    

Sad and beaten characters tend to be too emotional and that leads to a whole lot of eye-rolling on my part. Tomoe was also a nicely cut character. He is somewhat of the opposite of Nanami but it works because they compliment each other well in the series. The use of flashbacks, which are usually annoying unless done right, in this case, were done right! You learned quite a bit from certain characters thanks to some of the flashbacks. The side characters were pretty nice to have, they provided comical relief when needed, and weren't completely useless like most side characters are in anime and manga. The art was nice, nothing spectacular but it fit the tone and overall feel of the series. Music-wise it was on point, the opening and ending song especially. I love it when the intro music matches the feel of the anime, that's when you tell the staff put effort into making the anime click with the audience. The character development was on point as well, though had this series been longer there would have been greater progress in that department. 

I suppose my only complaint was the length, I wish it had been longer and felt the ending was a bit rushed. That doesn't stop Kamisama Kiss from being a great watch!

Art - (8/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (8/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8.25/10

Casshern Sins

 

Would you stare into the eyes of the man who killed the sun which is named the moon?

Genre - Science Fiction, Action, Drama

Length – 24 Episodes

Run - Oct 1, 2008 to Mar 16, 2009

Animation Production – Madhouse Studios

Director - Shigeyasu Yamauichi
Casshern Sins is the re-imagined version of the 1973 show "Neo-Human Casshern" by Tatsunoko. I must warn this anime has a lot of violence so please be weary of that.

The world of Casshern Sins is a dark one. Begin to imagine a world where all life, natural and man-made was subject to die little by little. Everyone you love, young or old was dying a slow and abnormal death. This type of death has a name, it's called the Ruin. The cause for this is a single man, a man named Casshern. Casshern is a robot with no memory of his past. He is always being hunted by other robots seeking to gain his power. For reasons unknown to him, he alone is immortal in the world, unaffected by the Ruin plaguing both humans and robots. The one thing he is able to learn from these encounters is that he is responsible for starting the Ruin in the first place. Despised by everyone he meets, he wanders the death filled wasteland in search of the truth behind his actions. Casshern meets a girl named Lyuze in his travels. Seeking revenge on Casshern for her sister's death, she ends up joining Casshern in his travels. Lyuze can be a confusing character at times. She can be nice but malevolent at the same time. Her grudge against Casshern lasts for a little over half of the series so she is always wary of him, never completely opening up. During his travels he also meets Ringo and Friender. Both are recurring characters and shape Casshern's character throughout the anime. Ringo is a small girl who is always cheerful and seemingly unaware of the state the world is in. She is always glad to see Casshern and cares for him and just about anyone she meets. Friender is a robot dog who stayed with a robot community that peacefully accepted the idea of death, Friender himself does not display any signs of deterioration. After Casshern destroys the entire community after going berserk, he cautiously follows him, eventually trusting him. He primarily intervenes to stop Casshern whenever he goes berserk.

I'll make this simple. Casshern Sins is not for everyone. There is a lot of wandering, and I'm being very serious when I say that. Casshern follows no set path, simply drifting from place to place, meeting various groups of humans, robots, or mixes of both. Each individual or group Casshern finds has their own ideas of how to live their lives with the shadow of death looming over their heads. There is some minor plot advancement in the background of most episodes, but it is present mainly to serve as framework for the series to drape examinations of life under the Ruin. I was very impressed by the character development. As the characters interact, the already painting-like animation will take on many different colors, more concerned with emotional aesthetics than continuity. For example, In one shot, a field of flowers; in the next, a barren wasteland. Even as characters return to a previously visited landmark, it is common for the landscape to have shifted and changed colors to reflect the characters moods. A touch of a soft, glowing filter adds an ethereal touch that makes the series feel almost like a fairy tale. The result of these techniques is that the viewer is transported into a world filled with despair, regret, and even a bit of hope, sympathizing with the characters' plight. The way the show works really makes you identify with them.

Casshern Sins has amazing fight sequences. I remember being on the edge of my seat many times watching Casshern kick some serious ass. The only words I can think of to describe the fighting is that its intense and full of awesome impact, and I say that literally. I'd hate to compare the fight sequences to another anime, but think of "DBZ". Thinking back on the soundtrack makes me sad. Don't get me wrong, it's not because it's bad, on the contrary it's because that's the feeling you will feel the most when watching this anime. The melodic feel of sorrow and despair play with your emotions. The music is simply another reason that makes this series shine. 

                                                   
Casshern Sins is all about life and death. Good guys, bad guys, all of them get their due. Don't be scared if you momentarily turn emo after watching this anime, it simply can't be helped. I'd like to add that if you grew up watching 90's anime, then this show will make you feel nostalgic. The art is top notch but it has that old school feel to it.

"Listen you, I am way too lazy to read this crap, tl:dr much? Casshern Sins is F'ing epic we get it.
/post"

 

Note: If it wasn't for the excessive and annoying wandering I probably would have given Casshern Sins a 10/10.

Asatte no Houkou

 

A chance encounter or fate?

Genre - Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Supernatural

Length – 12 Episodes

Run - Oct 6, 2006 to Dec 22, 2006

Animation Production – J.C. Staff, Bandai Visual, Lantis, Sentai FilmworksL

Very few anime series manage to keep me glued to the screen, mostly because I've seen so many I already know what to expect. But there was something different about Asatte no Houkou, yes; something about this series captured my complete attention into its first 10 minutes. Seeing J.C. Staff taking part in the making of this series already assured me it would be a hit...

The world of Asatte no Houkou is very serene, calm, and...well...very normal. It's what you would expect from a "Slice of Life" type of anime, but it does however have a slight dose of magic which is what sets the events onwards from the first episode. Prior to the events of the series, Shouko Nogami decides to leave America and move back to Japan now that she has no reason to live there anymore. As she heads to her new home she sees a small girl crouched over by a shrine and approaches her. Karada Iokawa is a very cheerful and hard working young girl who will be entering junior high soon. She has an older brother named Hiro Iokawa for whom she cares for dearly. Her parents died when she was a toddler and Hiro has been taking care of her by himself ever since. Hiro at first glance looks like, for lack of a better word...a bum. From my perspective he looks like a very lazy man with no aspirations at all. Though he works as a pharmacist which indicates he must have had education beyond high school. As already stated, Karada cares for him deeply. It is because she cares for him so much she wishes to be less of a burden to him. It is here that one day while she prays at a small shrine a young woman approaches her on her way home. This meeting sets the framework for the events to come as the three characters above interact and set themselves to the hell they have to live. 

 Their moment in hell begins...
 

You will notice as you watch that the story deals with guilt and selfishness, as all of the characters seem to be motivated by their own ends and desiring their lives to return to an ideal that cannot be regained. This is set along the backdrop of sleepy rural Japan one beautiful summer and focuses on how everyone deals with the fact that we all do selfish things, hurt one another, and we can't just all hug and make up and everything will be better again.

The story at this point is centered on both Karada and Shouko switching places as in, Karada becomes a childlike adult woman and Shouko becomes an adultlike child. I know, you have seen this plot device before somewhere I'm sure. I really liked seeing Karada (the girl) and Shouko (the woman) react to and quickly (especially in Shouko’s case) accept their changes. They both showed maturity in that situation, yet Shouko seemed more realistic in my opinion. 

Kids can't wear adult sized glasses right?

Throughout the series, character developments are well done, albeit a bit lacking in certain places in my opinion. The two main characters are excellent and really drive the series forward. They inject life into this series and are the major source of what makes this series appealing. I started every episode in anticipation to see what each one of them will do next.

The art was okay at first. It gradually got better. You certainly feel the mood portrayed which is what counts. You have to remember this is pre-HD so don't set your expectations high. Voice actors fit their roles perfectly; I have no complaints in that department. One thing I really liked in this anime was the use of sounds. The anime is set in a village by a sea. Thus you would expect sounds found in nature, which you do. Unlike other series this anime uses more of these nature sounds as opposed to musical scores. It makes each scenery realistic and really sets the mood.

Despite its lack of musical scores, its opening song is one to adore and gives you a good idea of how the anime will be.

For me it really helps that there are no single episodes here that are wasted, with each dedicated in advancing the story or doing character developments or even both. My major and probably only complaint about Asatte no Houkou, was in the pacing near the end. While it was good that all problems were solved and relationships forged and or strengthened, everything felt too rushed. This results in nice coincidences and some of the conclusions that some characters found didn’t work too well. For example Hiro’s resolution at the end was all well and good, but I didn’t see enough character development out of him to really have him justify that.

All in all I enjoyed this series very much. Aside from my complaint with the ending, it's an endearing series that deals with emotions we all go through, thus making this series easy to identify with. "Bro, score plox?"

Art - (7/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (9/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8.25/10

Note: I feel it could have been a 24 episode series, it had enough plot to do so.

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

What happens in the past does not always stay in the past.

Genre - Drama, Slice of Life

Length – 11 Episodes

Run - Apr 15, 2011 to Jun 24, 2011

Animation Production – Aniplex, A-1 Pictures, Fuji TV

Not that long ago I told myself I would only review anime that really impacted me (also Shimus keeps reviewing anime I wanted to review ;_; ) and so as soon as I finished watching Ano Hana I knew I had to get into reviewing mode once again. First of all, for those of us not of Japanese decent or fluent in the Japanese language at all will have a hard time even thinking about how to say "Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai", it's like a cruel tongue twister. So most simply call it Ano Hana. Anyways let's begin...

Ano Hana starts out pretty typical if you have watched tons of Slice Of Life series. We are introduced to Yadomi Jinta "Jintan" playing video games in a seemingly hot summer day. His expression and grumpy attitude, at first glance tells you he resembles a hikikomori. After a little while a small girl named Menma appears and begins to pester Jintan into making her food. Menma is a happy energetic girl who likes to help others. She's a bit of a klutz at times and worries for Jintan. Shortly after Anjou appears at Jintan's doorstep to deliver his homework. The meeting is rather awkward since Jintan has made himself into a social outcast, growing distant from his friends and avoiding school. Jintan, Menma, and Anjou are childhood friends. Together with Poppo, Tsurumi, and Yukiatsu, they form a childhood group called the "Super Peace Busters".

The Super Peace Busters years later

Some years ago, while in a group meeting, a terrible event happened that led to Menma's death. Ever since then, everyone has distanced themselves from another, except for Yukiatsu and Tsurumi who go to the same school.

The death of Menma caused a great distancing between the main characters. One blamed another and so on. Some years passed and everyone except Jintan has moved on. Though that's not entirely accurate as the series progresses. We are shown how much each character has suffered due to their own personal turmoil's towards each other and to the deceased Menma. Menma herself has come back as we see in the first epsiode but only Jintan can see her. Why she has come back is something Jintan tries to find out himself. In the process he begins to encounter his old friends. At first everyone except Poppo seems to resent him and harbor ill feelings towards him. He keeps telling them Menma has come back and that only he can see her. Anyone in their right mind would find such a story both maddening and preposterous. This causes an even bigger friction between Jintan and Yukiatsu. Yukiatsu shows the most ill will towards Jintan. He has always been jealous of Jintan for reasons later revealed in the series. Eventually, in his quest to find out what Menmas reason for roaming the earth again is he manages to reunite everyone. Together they search for the meaning behind Menmas re-appearance.

The whole story is character driven. We see how something so tragic like the loss of a childhood friend stays with the main characters years later. The way the characters are portrayed in the very first episode make it easy to tell them apart. Despite all of them showing they have moved on since Menmas death, their facial expressions say otherwise.  The constant hint of realism in both the visuals and characters work well with each other. The anime obviously works hard to provoke an emotional response, and god knows how many times I got teary eyed. The art is nothing short of great. I have nothing negative to say. Its best to watch this show in HD, anything less and you will be missing out one of the few new series that actually pays attention to detail. The soundtrack is satisfying. Ano Hana has a number of slow pieces of background music that reflect the sad and bittersweet air to the story. The OP & ED also portray the same feelings.

If there's anything negative about the series, is its predictability in its first half. Jintan is the outcast, no one likes him, but slowly he starts to change people's minds. That's what you expect as you watch the first half of the series, and although it stays true throughout the entire series, we are thrown a couple of unexpected curve balls here and there, adding a nice change of thought and making the show more realistic and enjoyable. The last 2 episodes though enjoyable and heart wrenching, spew too much drama, which at times seems like a tad much.

"Go sip your tea, but before you do leave your scores plox"

Art - (9/10) Sound - (8/10) Plot - (8/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8.5/10

Note: I balled like a baby QQ

Monogatari Series: Second Season Review

 

Calling this the "second season" is a bit incorrect considering we have Nisemonogatari to consider. But we'll ignore the title for now and focus on the show itself. I’d like to mention beforehand that I love the "monogatari" series and may come off as a bit biased but I will try and be as fair as possible.
The story this time is set some months after Nisemonogatari and the main characters all have something to worry about once again. One by one their stories are told and each one is crazier than the previous. From time traveling to fighting unknown entities, this anime leaves one wanting for more. At first it seems as though each arc has no collection witch each other, but as the anime presses on the stories all seem to connect to each other. The last arc closes everything but also opens many doors which will no doubt be explored in the next installment of this series. Just as the previous series the art is great and abstract at times but that's what makes it fun and interesting to watch. The character models seem to have remained untouched with the exception of some characters getting new haircuts. Music-wise it’s good to listen to. The BGM is solid and certain characters even have their own theme music such as Kaiki who appeared in Bakemonogatari as the con man who ruined Senjogahara's teen life. He makes a surprising appearance later on in the anime and a very important role to play. It goes without saying Koyomi is dealing with a lot on his plate this time around as well.

One of the main complaints anime fans seem to have when watching this series is that there is a lot of dialogue, which is true. However, the way it’s presented is what makes it entertaining. The "monogatari" series distinguishes itself from other series by mixing art, abstract art, philosophy, and intelligent dialogue all in one. In a sense you don't really know what it is you are watching or what is going on but its entertaining no matter how you look at it. It's almost as if the entire anime is built around educating its viewers in philosophy and other aspects of life that may seem inconsequential unless asked. Most of the time, the meaning of the dialogues are metaphoric and conveys too many ideas. If I have any complaints is that the show tried too hard to be very philosophical at times. I get that it’s supposed to be asking and answering its own questions with deep and complicated answers but at times it felt a bit forced, as with previous "monogatari" installments.

All in all I enjoyed this anime and truth be told it is not for everyone. Despite that I hope everyone who reads this gives it a try as it is a very interesting series with much more to offer. 

Score - 9.5/10

Nisemonogatari

If there’s one anime to watch before you die, its Nisemonogatari, the sequel to the oh so popular and mind fucking Bakemonogatari. This time the story centers around Araragi and his sisters. You see the other girls from the previous show but not as much. The art is as you would expect. We still have the random screen flickers with text. The characters also have long explanations for everything, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Its really rather short, only 11 episodes. Still, its a bloody damn good ride. My only comfort is that a prequel movie is in the works. I hope all the other “gatari” LN’s get animated. It really is a very enjoyable series.
 
Score - 9/10

Another

I’ve heard nothing but good things about this series, so I decided to finally get to watching it. Another centers around an old school curse that has the students of a certain classroom on the fence and wary of anyone new who enters their classroom. It starts out rather vague, which is typical of a mystery/horror series like this. The vagueness kept me watching. It was interesting, perhaps even intoxicating. But things got a little bit cliche around the final episodes of the series. Its not a bad thing, but if it had kept the vagueness from the the earlier episodes right till the end, it would have been a helluva lot better. Perhaps what I am asking for is impossible, but one can always find ways to make something better than it already is. 

I do highly recommend this series, but if you have watched any of the “Final Destination” movies, your gonna be making a lot of comparisons.

Score - 9/10

Guilty Crown

Guilty Crown is basically about how screwed up Japan has become because of a virus outbreak that happened on Christmas. A multinational organization named GHQ controls Japan at this point. They have devised ways to lessen and even sometimes heal the virus, which at this point remains a problem in certain areas of Japan. Boy meets girl and all shit starts to go bonkers. Think of GC as a badly ripped off version of Code Geass, a godly anime that should never be compared to GC under normal circumstances. 

This series started out good, it had promise. Sadly, it all went downhill really quickly. There are many factors for this. But this isn’t a review, merely my short thoughts of what I just watched. So I won’t list everything wrong with this series. If you have a lot of time to kill, and just feel like watching anything just because, watch this. To its credit, the art was really good, and probably the main reason I kept watching.

Score - 5/10

Chihayafuru

Chihaya is your typical tomboy who meets a boy named Arata. This boy shows her his love for Karuta, a Japanese card game centered around old Japanese poems. Chihaya gets hooked to the game, and along with her other childhood friend Taichi, they aim to be the best of the best in Japan.

I just gotta say I absolutely loved this series, and I wasn’t even interested in it at first. It has everything all meshed up in one. This series was really well thought out, and has a carefully paced story. Mind you, the story revolves around a card game; yes, a card game. But this isn’t Yugioh or anything of the sort, its based on a real Japanese card game.  Getting into the specifics would take too much time, and I myself don’t really know how to play, so Ill summarize. Every card is a piece of a poem. A reader reads out loud the poem, and you have to guess what the next part is gonna be, and take that card before your opponent does. There’s so much more to it than that, but like I said earlier, I can’t get into specifics when I myself don’t know how to play lol. 

It is basically a slice of life series that centers around Karuta. I highly recommend this series. After watching episode 1, i went onto 2, 3, etc. Before I knew it I was halfway through the series.

Score - 9/10

Ano Natsu de Matteru

Ano Natsu de Matteru started out pretty good. The art was great, the character design was pretty solid, but in comes the cliches! Yes, how many times has the “alien gets stranded on earth” story been done? Throw in the typical teen love triangle, and you have Ano Natsu de Matteru. I had high hopes for this series, but I was sadly disappointed. Like video games, people these days tend to focus more on, and drool over, the pretty art they see displayed. Good visuals doesn’t always mean good story line. 
Having said all that, it was entertaining. It wasn’t as bad as “Guilty Crown” for example, and I was never really prompted to drop the series. I did find myself sticking out my middle finger out at my TV a couple times, and cursing out Kaito. Lemon was the shining star of the show. Without her, god knows if I would have kept watching. The last 2 episodes were actually pretty good, so I guess that’s something. Still, I most probably will never re-watch this show….ever.

Score - 7/10

The Jessica Leaving SNSD Scandal: My Thoughts.

2014 has clearly been the year of scandals for K-Pop. From various nugu groups disbanding to shocking sex scandals, and now to one of the most famous K-Pop celebrities of all time getting ousted by her own group by her agency. Yes, 2014 will go down in K-Pop history for many things...

But what is this scandal regarding Jessica and SNSD? How did it start? 

Jessica's post on her Weibo account stating the following triggered this scandal.

"I was excited about our upcoming fan events only to shockingly be informed by my company and 8 others that as of today, I'm no longer a member. I'm devastated - my priority and love is to serve as a member of GG, but for no justifiable reason, I am being forced out,"

For those that didn't know, rumors have been flying around for quite a few months regarding Jessica wanting to quit SNSD. Of course, most people dismissed it as simple rumors as rumor mills are the norm in the K-Pop world; but all rumors stem from sort of truth. In this case the truth came out, and indeed Jessica has left SNSD. However, she didn't leave voluntarily. SM and SNSD agreed that Jessica's business, BLANC, was too much of a priority for her. Despite talking about this with SM and SNSD before, and even getting their permission and blessings for it, she was ultimately kicked out of SNSD. There are also rumors she was planning on getting married next year; so far there is no real proof, but a lot of strong speculation. SM took a good day to make a statement regarding Jessica's departure with a really sketchy response.

"We cannot disclose what is going on yet, but we are reaching out to the proper people to find out the truth of the matter."

Their following statement really outlines the kind of people SM hires to handle these things...

"Hello. This is SM Entertainment.

We are offering our position on the words posted on Jessica's Weibo today.

This coming spring, due to her personal situation, she notified us she will halt her team promotions with the release of one [more] album.

Despite Jessica's sudden notice, the agency and the Girls' Generation members tried our best and tried to figure out a way that Girls' Generation's activities can continue in the best possible direction.

However, in the midst of insufficient negotiations regarding conflicts of differences in priorities and interest, Jessica started her fashion business. Due to this, despite ongoing talks, it has come to a point where the team could not be maintained.

Thus, the agency had no choice but to pull up Girls' Generation's activities as 8 members earlier than planned, and in the midst of while working out when to announce this, Jessica had posted her words early this morning.

From here on, our agency will continue to support and manage the 8-member Girls' Generation and Jessica's individual activities."

Really SM? Really? They knew all along but their previous statement made it seem like there was a hack or something going on. 

In any case, this whole thing is really messy. If all is as Jessica says, then SNSD and SM stabbed her in the back. Her friends of 15 kicked her out because they thought she wasn't fit to be in their group anymore. I mean for god's sake she hasn't missed any of her schedules, I don't see why she can't make money on the side, and you aren't an idol forever. Besides, SNSD only has one comeback a year now and don't promote very much. Jessica could handle being in SNSD for a while longer until BLANC really took off, which is why I think she wanted to quit in 2015. This would give her sufficient time to see if BLANC is worth it, and if not then just let someone else handle it. What we aren't considering here is that she wanted to stay in SNSD, at least for another year. Her recent statement clearly outlines this...

"Hello. This is Jessica.

I was given a notice of departure from Girls' Generation by the agency on September 29, and I cannot hide my shocked and upset heart about this, so I'm here to reveal my position.

I have always put Girls' Generation's activities before my business or personal life as a member of Girls' Generation. However, despite my efforts for the team, I have been asked to leave the team by the agency.

While I was planning my business that I've had a lot of interest in since before, I had sufficiently consulted SM as well as the members about my preparation many times and asked for their understanding.

Up until the beginning of August when I was launching 'BLANC', I had received agreement and permission from SM, and congratulations from the members as well.

However, in early September, after only a month since the launching, the members suddenly changed their position and held a meeting, and told me to either quit my business or leave Girls' Generation without any justifiable reason. 

I explained that I had already received permission from the agency, that I had never neglected Girls' Generation's activities, and that I could not suddenly halt my business due to my contract with my business partner after a month. 

Ultimately, I pleaded that it was unjust for me to have to make a choice. Becoming a Girls' Generation member was the best thing in my life, and I had never thought about quitting.

Shocked about this, I had met with the agency CEO on September 16 to convey my position, and once again confirmed their permission for carrying out my business.

However, on September 29, I was given a one-sided notice asking me to leave Girls' Generation. Due to this, I was also unable to attend the fan meeting in China on September 30, and I have also been excluded from following Girls' Generation activities.

I have received great pain and cannot hide my sadness that I was asked by the agency and fellow members, whom I've spent 15 years with putting in all my passion and effort, to leave Girls' Generation just because of the reason that I'm starting a business.

I also want to apologize for causing concern to all the fans. Please understand that this situation is not at all what I had wanted, and that I've always treasured Girls' Generation, and that I will continue to do so. Thank you for always supporting and loving me.

Sincerely,
Jessica"

  
This clearly contradicts SM's statements, and also raises more questions. Who is right? Who do we blame? Will SNSD do well as an 8 member group with one of their main vocalists gone from the group? How will Korean's react to this? These are all to be determined. What is also to be determined is f(x)'s future. Sulli has been on hiatus for a while, most probably due to her boyfriend Choiza. Rumor is she wants to quit and marry Choiza. How much of that is true is up for debate, but she is clearly dating Choiza. Krystal and Jessica are inseparable. She will not stay in SM if her sister is not there. I don't think she care about being an idol that much honestly.

This is only day two of this scandal, much more news is coming. I look forward to hearing what the other members think about this whole thing.