[Review] Nodame Cantabile

I first saw Nodame playing piano in an amv of Romeo x Juliet opening theme. i still dont know that the RS Orchestra is the one that playing and chiaki conducting it in the background while juliet is singing. The amv is so cool and perfectly made that got me interested to the orchestra playing in the background. But i really dont know the title of that anime.. a few months later while browsing a streaming site finally i found it. Title: “Nodame Cantabile” immediately i run into marathon. Im not really into classical music and i dont have any idea about Beethoven and Mozart piece but this anime share it to me. Theres no reason at all i just love this kind of anime that involve in music maybe because i called my self sometimes a frustrated musician hehehe. and it was really fun watching nodame its give me the feeling of doing a review about nodame. so here i am again.. ^_^

Synopsis:

At a top music academy in Japan, Shinichi Chiaki’s arrogance is matched only by his top-notch piano playing. But when Chiaki and the teacher get into a fight, he’s demoted to the reject class. Chiaki is left to pursue his dream of being a composer while surrounded by a bunch of loser musicians and one annoying girl, Noda, who has proclaimed herself Chiaki’s girlfriend. It doesn’t help that Noda, who insists on being called Nodame, lives right next door to him. [taken from ANN]

Review:

The Story: when it all started ^_^

Chiaki attends a renown school that specializes in music. Chiaki is a very skilled pianist and he isn’t the most modest person. His inflated ego, however, becomes the root of the argument he has with his instructor. His instructor then kicks him out of his division, and Chiaki is left with Tanioka Hajime-sensei. Chiaki falls from the instructor that teaches the best students, to the one that teaches the worst students.

He meets a girl named Megumi Noda (Nodame) who seems to have a gift in playing by ear. She’s full of energy and does play quite well. But she’s poorly skilled at sight reading, is childish, and is a total slob! He has to attend classes with this poor excuse for a girl??

Since he probably won’t excel in playing the piano, he starts thinking about his true dream of being a composer. Then again, Nodame’s behaviour and attitude toward music opens up his senses in a different perspective. [anime-source]

Nodame trying to hypnotize chiaki ( in the end she really did it ^_^ )

Its not that im being being biased but Nodame Cantabile is really one of those hilarious series that can move you to tears while in a burst of laughing. Extremely entertaining, brilliantly done, musically beautiful, and absolutely satisfying. ( in my own opinion neh ^_^ ) well it really looks like that im biased because im totally into chiaki x nodame story hehehe

First thing you’ll probably know is that the series has a lot of humor, particularly because of the two very opposite personalities. But what attracted me, even before I started watching it, is that the story uses its music to drive to storyline, which boosts the emotions of the characters.

The story centers around on this talented perfectionist musician Shinichi Chiaki who’s life’s passion is to be a conductor, Megumi Noda (aka nodame) who is a highly skilled clumsy oddity pianist who is the exact opposite of perfection and this crazy cast of other musicians in their college. Nodame is such an amazing character. Helpless, and hilarious at the same time. She really did an amazing job.. Proclaiming herself as chiaki’s girlfriend, influencing others with her unidentified ability and opening chiaki’s new looks in life. Nodame even used a hypnotizing strategy to make chiaki took a plane ( i wonder why she didnt used it to make chiaki totally fall inlove with her ) and more over she’s a certified weirdo. She is the one that really takes this from an above average series, to an outstanding one. A unique character with a so unique personalities deals with perfectionist but ended up together although i cant really say that they are romantically inclined but these two characters are so simple with a likes on music i guess they are ^_^

There are also some unique characters the unskillful mine-kun but with a heart for the music and the transversal guy who is in love with chiaki and the S orchestra which is composed of bunch of unskillful student who are all weird in a different way, a sensei who alsways hold a fan, and of course how can we forgot that perverted milch maestro Stressman.

This anime not only introduced us to the world of unique characters, comedy and drama but it gives as rich introduction into the world of music with a slice of life.

Nodame dreams is to be able to perform in a piano concerto where chiaki will conduct.

Since this anime is in a music touch, although i dont have any idea about that i can surely say that the music is quite amazing. You’ll definitely like this one where you into classical genre. There will be a favorite classical piece that you’ll fish out like Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt, Bach, etc. The concert where the orchestra are playing are quite real. and also they really did a great job in the OP and ED songs they are quite enjoyable and are great to listen to.

The animation is frequently stunning and pretty decent as well throughout the series. Particularly the animation showing the characters playing music. While its not always perfect, it frequently shows the characters playing in such a way that is completely realistic and some of the artistic used for Chiaki’s conducting and the smooth animation of fingers on the piano are really good. JC Staff did a great job again on this one. The production is very similar to the way Honey and Clover is presented. But i enjoy watching Nodame cantabile more than H&C.

nodame’s dad looks angry LOL ( poor chiaki)

arent they are sweet? ^_^

There always have some funny moments in every episodes. Specially those scene between chiaki and nodame. The only romantic scene here between those two are the scene when Chiaki hugged nodame from behind, it’s really romantic!! How could such a perfectionist guy like chiaki take interest in this messy Nodame?? LOL!! Of course how can we forget Nodame’s crazy speech Mukya! and Gyaboo! is also rather cute, unique and funny.

I like this anime a lot. I am definitely not into classical music, but the way how they presented this series makes it very entertaining to watch. Actually, I didn’t know much about Composing, but it’s amazing that they were still able to get my interest when it came to those parts. Once you start it you can’t hardly stop, I would have liked it to be longer, but perhaps they will come out with another season. I even read its manga ( the current manga story line now took on paris where nodame and chiaki story continue where there is a chapter of their first ever romantic kiss Mukya!!! ^_^) and also im currently watching the live action too^_^ and also if you like honey and clover (the same company that made this series), then you will definitely like this series.

nahh.. they are definitely into each other ^_^

Persona -trinity soul- 01: Awakend Personas

I dont have any idea about hows the game played and its story but my boyfriend always talk to me about it recently. All i know is these tiny info that PERSONA 3 was published by Atlus in 2006 and featured high school kids firing guns into their temples in order to summon magical beings known as “personas”. The anime is really based on the game but with a different plot, “firing gun into their temple” were removed well it simply because it was too edgy for television, sound reasonable nehh ^_^

The OP theme is nice ^_^

Synopsis:

The Persona Anime takes place ten years after the game when it seems that the Apathy Syndrome is back, and it’s up to three brothers to get to the bottom of it. The story involved the investigation of the mysterious Apathy Syndrome and the creatures called Shadows and fighting them with the use their “personas”.

Episode 01:

The story take place 10 years after the outbreak of the game’s apathy incidents, The first episode introduced us to the 3 main characters Ryou (age 28), Shin (17) and Jun (14). The eldest is a police chief in the city of Ayanagi, and investigating bizarre student deaths referred to as the “Reverse Cases”, due to the corpses being turned inside out.

Meanwhile, his two younger brothers decided to come home where Ryou live. Unfortunately the locked of the house has been changed and they couldnt find the key, so they end up having to walk around turn reminiscing about their childhood, and they also mention about Jun’s dead twin sister Yuki. On the other side of town, Ryou finally catches up with the killer, who’s about to absorb a girl’s persona into his own. To stop him, Ryou brings out his very own persona, and the two supernatural creatures battle it out on a rooftop. Ryou manages to save the girl, but the perpetrator run away, injured.

At the same time, Shin wakes up from a dream, in which he and Jun meet a strange fortune teller, telling them about weird things. Soon Ryou comes back home and lets the two younger boys inside, disappointed that their older brother didn’t care a little to them. As Ryou goes to bed, he heard in Jun’s room a sound like he’s having a dialogue with himself in two different voices, Shin decides to take a walk hoping that the fortune teller is on that place.

Hearing strange moaning from a building, he wanders inside and comes across the wounded guy his older brother just encountered. And guess what, it turns out Ryou is not the one only have a persona in the family( go Shin ^_^ ) Shin instantly killed the other persona but still in the state of shock after seeing what just happen. >>> the end

Shin’s persona fighting against another persona

Persona -trinity soul- look promising, the animation is good so does the fighting scene. Characters are well drawn and sexy and the story line i cant really tell for now, but as long as the animation and characters persona -trinity soul- meet my expectation ^_^ The OP theme fits the anime and the ED theme is somehow sounds cute with all those mascot students running. Maybe i should try the game too heheheh

the ED theme looks cute ^_^

[Review]Ghost Hunt

Introduction:

I accidentally stumbled Ghost Hunt across in a streaming site, i just dont know if the one i saw has a nice sub version ^_^ but anyways most likely the anime went well till the end. Ghost hunt is not a new anime at all and its really not the right time talking about some scary anime for the first month of the year, but i think this is one hell of a kind that makes me post a review after seing it.

Synopsis:

Based on the novel by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada

Taniyama Mai is your everyday high school student, who has the pastime of telling ghost stories with her friends. Much to her surprise, she meets a mysterious ghost hunter, Shibuya Kazuya, the 17 year old head of Shibuya Psychic Research, sent out to investigate strange phenomenon occurring in Mai’s school. Accidentally interfering with their investigations, Mai unintentionally causes the injury of Shibuya’s assistant, resulting in Shibuya demanding Mai herself to aid him in his investigations.

Thats the start of mai’s ordinary part time job with an extraordinary profession, eventually she get acquainted and be close to those other characters that deals with the purifying of ghost.

Review:

Ghost Hunt is about a team who solve paranormal events, the storyline is divided into different stories, each one compensate 2-4 episodes and I have to say each story was unique in its own way. All the stories excited me, some of them terrified me (like the dollhouse and the Blood Stained Labyrinth )… but all were really good. The stories made me want to watch more of the series until I had finished all of the episodes. I had finished the half of the series in a night and it took me a while to sleep, because as i close my eyes those creepy scene are flashing in my mind ^_^

This series is not scary at all instead, it is the story itself that helped to build that spooky feel. The anime can be quite suspenseful at times, it keeps the “creepiness” to a minimum What i like most on this anime is the stories themselves are very in-depth. From explanation of ESPs, poltergeists, to Japanese Folklore, Traditions and Customs and Cultural practices. I really learned a lot of things about terms that involved in a paranormal settings.

How about a date with this bishie even in a dream?

Characters are all well drawn with a unique personality. from a celebrity psychic girl to an in styled priestess. from a baby face priest to a long haired monk. and omyouji anti social guy who hates people just because they are Japanese to a student council president with a weird ways of humor and an ordinary girl tends to have an extraordinary ability as the series progress. and of course how can i forgot the main protagonist of the anime a narcissist guy who is full of himself with a pride of mount Fuji. Every character did not progress until the end.. but it somehow suite the story^_^ ( yeah this anime despite of the many characters i tend to remember each on of them pati ata yung chant na tinuro kay mai heheheh ^_^ )

The Opening and ending theme is just ok. but it really gives me the creepyness so i tend to skip it a lot hehehhe but the sound effect are all good through out the series that gives the scene a more scary touch ^_^

I really have fun watching this anime not scary at all and the humor are worth in the ear, seriously their punchline are funny specially Yasuhara san. Ghost Hunt left me aching for more, each case was a mystery, and was solved in a clever way – don’t you love detective stories? ( and naru reminds me of L hehehe ) Its really worth watching but i will just remind you of the ending, thats not what im expecting and it really dissapointed me for a while but anyways Ghost Hunt will not waste your time.

Macross Frontier the First Encounter

Prolonged

Im not really exposed to macross series but i have been a big fan of minmay, hikaru and misa love triangle.. when it comes to macross this 3 characters i can only think off ^_^
Macross has been a legend to anime history, if you dont know this anime, then maybe you miss 20 years of your life ^_^ One thing i really like about this anime is they emphasis on the music. In all the incarnations of Macross, music has been a big part of the story. That mostly likely the reason why everyone got so attached to this anime. well of course the fighting scene and the story are all done pretty good.

I think “Macross Frontier” the new macross sequel will reign again in aside from having a good looking character ( that probably most of the time i’ve been looking for ^_^ ) and animation combining with CG that makes it really awesome. Macross frontier will be one of my list this year.. ^_^

Macross Frontier Synposis:

On the Macross timeline, the story is set on the year 2059. The series features the 25th colonial fleet, dubbed the Macross Frontier, en route near the galactic center.

During a mission to an unexplored asteroid belt, a reconnaissance VF-17 Nightmare is destroyed by powerful & fast insectoid biomechanical alien lifeforms, which immediately begin their attack on the rest of the fleet. Not being able to stop the new enemy treat, the U.N. Spacy forces authorize the deployment of an organization called S.M.S., which utilizes the new VF-25 Variable fighter to destroy the alien menace.(wikipedia.org)

The First encounter….

Miss Sheryl a pop idol consider a galactic fairy is having a concert on the colony, suddenly an unknown alien start attacking the frontier that leads the military to deployed their famous VF-25 Fighters. as the main character Alto, a college student who’s partiming in the concert of Sheryl pilot a fallen VF-25 to save a young girl. That most likely the summary of the first episode. ^_^

Viewing the town and the school ( cool !!)

Space encounter

Macross Frontier show us a future we can grasp on.. not soo perfect unlike those other anime. in this anime there will no high schooler will be piloting the VF-25 ( except Lanka, well he just look like a high schooler i think ). Abosolutely no loli, but im still in doubt since that nyan nyan girl most likely one of the main cast huhuhu T_T The scape and the backgrounds look simple but the fightings are cool combining it with CG is just perfect

Characters…

That’s what im talking about ( drool!! )

no loli please..

Speaking of Characters… Macross frontier has many hela good looking characters, specially the main character Alto ( a real bishie you can dream off ) sheryl really looks like a pop idol well i just hope she change her attitude for she is one of the important character here.. There you go the nyan nyan girl ( i forgot her name damn nyan nyan song ^_^ ) i like her cause she makes Alto smile and i like her cellphone pretty useful ^_^. Michael is cute too.. the way he tease Alto ( i smell ah shonen ai touch here ) is so cute ^_^ Lanka looks like a small bro with mature mind than michael. Those character the one i just remember.. The president, the girl who are baby sitting sheryl the capt. of VF-25 fighters and the girl who is a co-worker of the nyan nyan girl.

Thats the spirit

The above image show the ending scene.. Flying alien bugs got enter the colony. the city was being destroyed and nyan nyan girl is in danger. Here we go Alto to the recue. Piloting for the first time a VF-25 mech with all his heart and soul to destroy the alien.

Very very promising, i wonder why they still have not release the succeeding episode.. ^_^

[Review] Romeo x Juliet

Sorry for the late review of this masterpiece. Actually the review for RxJ was finished last year and i already post it in our forum and aeshrine. I thought i will edit it a little more before posting it here. But it took me months to open this drafts ^_^

Here’s my review:

I had to watch the last episode again before I was able to write this review and I still cried while watching it for the second time. T_T

As an intro for this Anime, Rome x juliet is one of the best Anime Series I have ever seen. Yeah, I’m quite sure about that. They really did a nice story adaptation of Shakespears’… with a little twist of the event and a romance which is 100% kilig…

Some of the heart-breaking scenes of the last episode…

William: Strife, Hatred, Sadness, pain, There’s an emotion that could stop all that… it is love. Loving someone and being happy. This is what we have learned from you…

Isn’t that inspiring?

Story: The story line is great, although we know for a fact that this was going to be a tragic love story like the original one… I was still hooked on it because the first episode really showed a different story. GONZO really did a great job for the first episode and he made one hell of a last episode too.

Animation: I really don’t have any idea about the animation, as long as it is good in my eyes then it’s ok for me. What matters most is the story and the characters drawing which they drew quite well… Where could you find a flying Pegasus in an Anime in a natural way? No powers involved…

The most unforgettable kiss scene in episode 7…

Characters: The characters are all nice… drawn well. And each characters has its unique identity. Tybalt was the most promising one. Too bad he’s just a supporting character. Cordelia and Benvolio look really nice as a couple. Of course Romeo and Juliet characters. Their drawings are not superb but the hell every scene they are together are awesome.

Music: There is only one thing I can say about the OP and ED theme… they’re all great!!! The sounds are really nice and gave an atmosphere to the scenes. I can’t stop my tears when the song started to play. T_T

Some of the scenes in first episode.

Over All: One of the good Anime Series and a must watch for everybody. 24 episodes will not waste your time. A love inspired Anime….I enjoyed the series and fall inlove again in the romeo and juliet story. I hope they could make more Anime Series with Shakespeare adaptation…

Their first meeting…

They made their own wedding… How sweet! ^_^

The most famous scene in the original Romeo and Juliet…

“Oh Romeo Romeo… where for art thou?”

There’s definitely no ecchi scenes here. T this is the scene where Romeo discovers the identity of Juliet.

This is Tybalt, one of the coolest characters in Romeo x Juliet.

The OP and End Theme

Watch the OP theme

No Incest please… not in Vampire Knight!!

I becoming more and more attached to Vampire Knight, it feels that i have been bitten by kaname-sama.. hehehe Im not that really addicted to it, but i cant wait VK to be animated. ^_^

Vampire Knight is really slow in updating.. but then your wait is worth a while. since the flow of the story is getting better and better but episode 35 is the most shocking one revealing the true identity of yuki that make this manga an incest type.. Please no more incest!!

I dont know whats Hino Matsuri thinking.. first she make a manga about a 7 year old boy fall inlove with a high school girl.. and now sibling vampire. Oh well. Enough of the Intro lets get started..^_^

Lets summarize first the story what have been happening on the cross academy… After kaname make a condition about telling yuki’s past. Shiki ( being possess by Rido shiki’s father) have returned to cross academy to kill kaname. The two pure blood met and kaname didnt hesitate to kill Rido but he was stop. Kaname is affraid of loosing yuki so he decided to kidnap her and make her a vampire for his sake ( that’s what it looks like )

Now at Chapter 35…..

( Ichiru please dont kill zero. he’s your brother no matter what )

Zero is seems to be troubled, he even ignore kaein ( poor Kaein ) and walk past to ichiru. On the other hand ichiru is planning to kill his own brother with the help of Rido. The Image above show their conversation. And it looks like yuki is really a Kuran.

Lets go to yuki and kaname situations… Kaname is still doing his ritual to awaken yuki.. seeing the image below makes me wish that i hope im in yukis place hehehhe ^_^

( yoh kaname sama dont do that! its not appropriate on the eyes of a kids like me ^_^)

Yuki’s is awaken.. ( who will not be awaken by that kind of kiss and gentleness ^_^ ) as the reunites i mean celebrate their reunion Zero stop them calling them vampires ( zero is so cruel he dare to point his gun to yuki, yuki who gave her blood for zero to survive his craving )

( oh my….. incest?? no T_T )

Zero must be so jealous he will will surely kill kaname for what he did to yuki and i think he may kill yuki as well even though he loves her.But zero was also shocked knowing kaname is yuki’s brother ( wushhu! i bet hes happy hehehe ) after those scene memories of yuki’s past flow..

(kaname is so cute in that expression but what that looks? are you planning something kaname sama?? )

Yuki’s true name is Kuran Yuki and her mother Kuran Juri Father Kuran Haruka with a big brother Kuran Kaname.. Yuki seems like close to kaname every time kaname goes home she seems so happy seeing her big brother. on the other hand kaname promise to protect yuki no matter what. Yuki’s existence remain secret for her own sake. but the warm days have ended…. Rido seems to be informed about yuki’s existence…

Rido: well then, it’ll be good if you become my sacrifice……

( your not that strong rido.. you were beaten by a mere brat ^_^ )

Yuki’s father sacrifice his life to protect yuki…on the other hand yuki’s mother did some kind a ritual or spell ( what ever ) to makes yuki forget everything about vampires and leave a normal human life. ( ok thats explain everything ).

( oh my… thats nice to hear kaname sama )

The last page still makes us crave for a more vampire knight release… Theres a big chance that this is not a incest type relationship, thats gave me a relief. ^_^

Kaname said hes not her true brother does it mean that they are not real siblings? hooray!! But because of that many questions have arise…

Who has been adopted by the Kuran? Is it Yuki or Kaname?

What kind of vampire is yuki? Is she a special one? cause i dont see any vampire features on yuki ^_^

what will happen to zero? is he still going to love yuki knowing shes a vampire.

Kaein whats his story?

Rido whats his interest is he really that evil..?

will shiki comes back?

 

 

 

Gama Sennin have fallen

Jiraiya the “Gama Sennin” (Toad Hermit) is a very unique character in the world of Naruto who is part of the Densetsu no Sannin (Legendary Three Ninja) of Konoha, a group that is composed of himself, Godaime Hokage Tsunade, and Orochimaru. His Legendary status however doesn’t mean that he acts anything like a lord, in fact it is quite to the contrary, possessing a fabulous sense of humour that sets him apart from any other ninja. Jiraiya’s favorite target is none other than his hot-tempered student, Uzumaki Naruto! With a list of hobbies that includes spying on young attractive girls, supposedly for very serious studies, it unfortunately has to be admitted that everybodie’s favorite hermit is a pervert! Nonetheless, Jiraiya has an incredible sense of justice and does not kill anybody without a very good reason to do so, most of the time he just gives them a beating, and that proves to be very useful as he can interrogate the enemy afterwards. Jiraiya also has a great knowledge of everything related to the world of ninjas and he’s both a reliable source of information and a wise adviser that knows what to do when he or someone else is in a difficult situation. The only weakness this powerful Sannin seems to have is his love for girls which sometimes, leads him into some trouble. Even so, Jiraiya is a good judge of appearance and knows when to trust somebody. (Source:narutofan.com)

He maybe look like a loser but hes still one of the great shinobi in the world of naruto.. But even in hermit mode jiraiya was badly beaten by pain making him near death. As his deaths come jiraiya realize the true identity of pain, and im really disappointed cause he didnt tell us even in the next chapter.

(a dying message of the great Sennin realizing the truth behind revealed on his death.)

He figures everything, but ended up dead. Oh well im sure this will make naruto more powerful. Powerful enough to take down pain and the akatsuki organization.

(An honorable death with a good title )

(A perfect title for his last book)

Die or Not? Jiraiya will surely be forever leave in the heart of all fans of naruto. A galliant shinobi for his country, a father figure to Naruto, a great writer to Kakashi, and still a perverted ninja to Tsunade.