Category Archives: Anime

Domestic Girlfriend (Anime Review)

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Natsuo is in love with his young, beautiful teacher, Hina. When he is invited to a mixer by a couple of friends his heart isn’t really in it, but he goes along and meets a girl his own age, Rui. … Continue reading →

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The Fanservice Debate: Nisemonogatari Episode 4

Posted on October 10, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Can fanservice ever be justified in anime or is it a disturbing and unnecessary aspect of the genre? In this occasional series we look at the rights and wrongs of fanservice and other questionable content in anime. A warning: this … Continue reading →

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Little Busters! (Season One Review)

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Roger Pocock

I bought this anime series expecting a bit of fun about a group of friends putting together a baseball team. I wasn’t disappointed, but I also got an emotional roller-coaster into the bargain. After a few episodes I checked online … Continue reading →

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Cells at Work!! (Season 2 Review)

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Roger Pocock

The second season of Cells at Work is just eight episodes long, so you would think the writers would have wanted to pack as much as they could into such a short run. Oddly, we get three individual episodes, and … Continue reading →

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Is This a Zombie? of the Dead (Season 2 Review)

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Roger Pocock

It’s odd what gets a second series. So much excellent anime fails to reach a conclusion, ending with just one series and a story with huge potential left hanging forever. On the other hand, something like this, which has very … Continue reading →

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Kill Me Baby (Anime Review)

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Roger Pocock

What will you do next, Yasuna Oribe? That’s the question asked at the end of each episode of Kill Me Baby, and the answer is generally get beaten up by her best friend. It’s cartoonish violence, the kind that has … Continue reading →

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Is This a Zombie? (Review)

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Is This a Zombie? Well, sort of. Ayuma Aikawa was murdered by a serial killer, and brought back from the dead by a very cute necromancer called Eucliwood Hellscythe. Most of the time, you wouldn’t really know he was a … Continue reading →

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Bakemonogatari (Anime Review)

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Roger Pocock

I’ll start with the visuals. Bakemonogatari is anime as a modern art form, and that presents some problems. When I say art, I don’t mean beautiful backgrounds etc. No, this is symbolic art, expressing ideas and situations non-literally and/or non-realistically. … Continue reading →

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We Without Wings (Anime Review)

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Roger Pocock

This was another impulse purchase on DVD at a very reasonable sale price, and I didn’t have much idea what I was buying. Halfway through the series, I still didn’t have much idea what I had bought. This one is … Continue reading →

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Shakugan no Shana: Season Two (Review)

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Roger Pocock

The second season of Shakugan no Shana shares a lot of the same problems as the first. About half the cast of characters are highly irritating, although I did find myself warming to the main trio of Yuji, Shana and … Continue reading →

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Maid Sama! (Anime Review)

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Roger Pocock

When we were a few episodes into Maid Sama! my wife asked me a question. The conversation went something like this: “What do you think of Usui?” “I think he’s a controlling, possessive jerk.” “Not just me then.” This is … Continue reading →

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Love Live! Sunshine!! (Review)

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Roger Pocock

I made a bit of a silly mistake with this series, because it’s a sequel to Love Live! and I had somehow failed to realise that. I ended up watching the first season of Sunshine!!, going back to watch both … Continue reading →

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Girls’ Last Tour Manga Series (Review)

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Roger Pocock

As is so often the case, the Girls’ Last Tour anime ended while the manga series was still ongoing. I don’t often bother to find out what happens next, but in this case the anime had really sparked my interest … Continue reading →

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The Spider and the Tulip (Review)

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Roger Pocock

The recent Blu-ray and DVD release of 1945 Japanese wartime propaganda film Momotaro: Sacred Sailors comes with a bonus on the same disk, a 1943 short animation from Kenzo Masaoka. The Spider and the Tulip is absolutely enchanting, but to … Continue reading →

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Girls’ Last Tour Episode 12 (Review)

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Connection / Friends The view from Igirisu: “Why do you want to know about that stuff anyway?” “I don’t know.” This kind of thing has happened in every single episode of Girls’ Last Tour, providing a clever thematic structure to … Continue reading →

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Momotaro: Sacred Sailors (Review)

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Roger Pocock

In 1945 the first ever Japanese feature-length animated film was released, funded by the Japanese Naval Ministry as a tool for propaganda. As an anime fan with a keen interest in history, I couldn’t resist purchasing this as a special … Continue reading →

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Girls’ Last Tour Episode 11 (Review)

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Culture / Destruction / The Past The view from Igirisu: “Apparently some wars were caused by differing cultures.” “Really? I wonder why.” “Maybe because things we don’t understand are scary, or something.” Probably the most interesting aspect of this series … Continue reading →

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Mysterious Girlfriend X (Anime Review)

Posted on July 12, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Akira Tsubaki is fascinated by the new girl in his class. Who wouldn’t be? She’s really odd. She falls asleep at her desk every lunchtime instead of eating anything, she laughs out loud for no apparent reason, and she wears … Continue reading →

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Girls’ Last Tour Episode 10 (Review)

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Roger Pocock

Train / Wavelength / Capture The view from Igirisu: Where are we going, and how fast are we moving? “The Earth turns, and time passes.” We are always moving, even when we are standing perfectly still. Yuu thinks they are … Continue reading →

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My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax (Review)

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Roger Pocock

The aptly-titled third season of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, also known as Oregairu, does manage to bring the story of Hachiman, Yukino and Yui to some sort of a climax, something that is actually surprisingly unusual for love triangle … Continue reading →

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