Noir

Genre: Action
Parental Guidance Recommended
2001 Ryoei Tsukimura (creator) Koichi Mashimo (director ). Victor Entertainment, Beetrain, TV Tokyo

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Skysenshi's Description:
Noir is a name of purity for a sinner's soul, a codename that two assassins have taken as they weave through the dark side of society. Kirika is a young girl whose memories have been lost and Mireille is a woman who has made a decision to bid farewell to her past. Following them are a series of risks as they chase case after case and gun down men after men. Together they search for the true meaning of Noir.

(26 episodes)

Lethargic but action packed. Eh? >>> by skysenshi
Set in present-day France, Noir is Cowboy Bebop meets Serial Experiments Lain -- intense and action-packed but beautiful in its subtlety. The atmosphere is quite different from most anime since Noir is devoid of nearly all forms of exaggeration or excessiveness, including humor and blood baths. There is dramatic flair and exquisite attention to detail, even dabbling in a bit of European history, without resorting to overemphasis.

Noir is profound -- so much so that it becomes quite a heavy watch. Because of this, Noir is not something that would be good for a marathon. Some scenes tend to be drawn out and the juicy parts make their entrance only in the middle of the series, when the connection between Noir and their clients takes root in family history and clan-based mafia activities. At this point, one sees that the characters Kirika and Mireille aren't completely heartless... just hardened. When they start developing attachments, situations that may break one's heart would happen. Ironies like these have a high probability rate in such a grim tale, though, so one must really anticipate the worst yet still manage to receive an unpredictable outcome. Such can only be expected from Ryoei Tsukimura, the person responsible for Noir's original plot, composition and scenario. Tsukimura is also known for brilliant masterpieces such as Revolutionary Girl Utena and El Hazard.

The sounds are definitely the most noticeable aspect of Noir. In fact, I got wind of its soundtrack first, which eventually led me to this anime. We have Yuki Kajiura to thank for this, as she has woven a wonderful repertoire of rich and somber classical, new age, and techno pop music. Goosebumps may raise at the vocals, accompanied by simple yet elegant play of the violin and the contra bass of such pieces like Canta Per Me (Italian for "Sing for Me"). The voice acting is equally superb, taking into consideration that Noir's main characters are quite complex. Excellent delivery by seiyuu Kuwashima Houko (Kirika) and Mitsuishi Kotono (Mireille). Mitsuishi Kotono, best known for her work as Usagi in Bishoujo Senshi SailorMoon and as Misato in Shin Seiki Evangelion, especially synchs well with Mireille.

All these make Noir a philosophic discourse with the soul...a profound discovery if one has enough time to at least take one dose of it every night.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 8; Story 9; Characters 9; Sounds 10

Read or Die (OAV)

Genre: Action
Parental Guidance Recommended
2001 Kurata Hideyuki, Studio Dean

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Skysenshi's Description:
Books are Yomiko Readman's life. At first glance, you'd mistake her for a nerd who has no life beyond classic reading material, but watch out. Yomiko has a double life that will either amuse you or bring you to tears. She is.The Paper.

Don't steal her books if you don't want to die.

(3-part OAV)

An original, just like Noodle-chan! >>> by skysenshi

One secret to enjoying Read or Die (R.O.D.) is to not take it seriously. Of course with codenames like Ms. Deep and The Paper, it is really hard not to break into gales of laughter. Take note, however: it already has a lot of plusses fighting for its side, and one of them is originality. The characters may resemble a few X-Men in terms of abilities, but they sure are far from being cookie-cutter. How else would you have agents who act so clumsily and yet surprisingly survive even the harshest nemesis? I find The Paper really charming, even as she lugs around a huge bag of documents that serve as her weapons. Hey, I am not pulling anyone's leg here! She may not be suave or sleek like what everyone expects a double agent to be, but her amusing tricks just fall naturally into place. Who cares if she's a little too softhearted and geeky? At least she's not as useless as most pink-haired damsels-in-distress anime characters are.

Plot? Don't go looking for something profound and deeply disturbing from Read or Die because the storyline here is just as kooky as the codename The Paper. All in good fun, one gets to meet figures of history as they've never been seen before. And they're all in on the ultimate goodness of human extermination. Goodie!

I find this 3-part OAV quite satisfactory in terms of length. It's fast paced and doesn't lead you around in circles. Perfect for career women like me who haven't the time to dilly-dally in overly long sequences. The artwork is superb, with every minute detail taken into consideration. Most screencap takers would have had a hard time selecting which shots to post, as there nearly isn't a single flaw in the visuals. Animation is equally spectacular, especially when it comes down to the action. Ms. Deep has the best of these scenarios as she gets to battle the toughest opponent imagineable herself. Truly these are moments worth playing over and over on your DVD-ROM.

Music is rather good. The opening song reminds me of those Sean Connery movies where he played James Bond. In modern anime lingo, you can appreciate the sounds if you were a Cowboy Bebop fan.

Isn't it painfully obvious? I highly recommend Read or Die.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 10; Story 8; Characters 10; Sounds 8

Angel Sanctuary Manga

Genre: Dark
Parental Guidance Recommended
Yuki Kaori.

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Cover Description:
A beautiful angel wages war against God - and loses. Reborn as a human boy, Setsuna struggles with horrific visions and supernatural powers. Angels and demons flock to his awakening, spoiling for battle. Will Setsuna lead them to the apocalypse, or to salvation?

Suspenseful and fantastic >>> by firesenshi
You've seen those paintings, haven't you? Those paintings where the Archangel Michael holds his flaming sword and leads his host of angels against legions of demons with their fiery tongues? You've also seen statues and pictures of angels with several wings and their marble ethereal faces or those gargoyles atop church steeples looking down on you. Even in their stationary state, these beings can be the most beguiling and the histories about them are majestic! This makes Yuki Kaori amazing mangaka. She couldn't have chosen better subjects than the sublime creatures of heaven and earth. She has been totally fascinated with their world that she includes the most intriguing details of their myths, starting from their extensive hierarchy down to the wars of demon and angel.

Yuki Kaori, of course, like most mangaka who take Norse myths and fashion them into their own, also gave her own picture of their world. (She has admitted this also in her free talks in the manga.) For one thing, there isn't really a lot of descriptive references as to the places where demons and angels live. Yuki Kaori had to use her imagination in creating these. She chose European medieval Gothic architecture in showing heaven while Baroque architecture seems to suit Gehenna, the world of demons best.

You won't be disappointed with what you will see here. Yuki Kaori is a great artist! Her artwork has been hailed as one of the best and her character designs are nothing out of the ordinary. I especially liked how Rociel, the most beautiful angel of all, was drawn to be so beautiful to both men and women. He stands with so much grace and talks with too much conceit. Demons on the other hand aren't your typical red creatures with horns, pitch forks and spiky tails. They're actually beautiful creatures as well. (Besides, the Good Book did say that Satan would not appear looking so horrible.) The character designs are not stereotypical. In fact, that's a very nice thing that makes the story so good! You will find yourself having a very unlikely protagonist and the most beautiful of antagonists.

Be warned though. The story deals with a lot of taboos, most especially the subject of incest. The story's hero is Setsuna, who is actually the organic angel, Alexiel. Heaven and Gehenna both await Setsuna's awakening with different goals in mind. However, while hosts of angels and legions of demons battle for that right, our hero finds himself reluctant in that awakening but concentrates more on Sarah. Sarah is Setsuna's beloved and he will do everything for her. Sarah is also Setsuna's sister. (Don't get mad at me. That is not really a spoiler because that is not the point of the story.) I find this a little hard to comprehend because whichever way you look at it, it's not something anthropologically possible. Sure... that's still within human realizations and could be different the laws of angels here in Yuki Kaori's world ... but STILL... it's scientifically impossible and thus hard for me to accept. You will learn later why this taboo is necessary. It leads to a grander design that will affect both heaven and Gehenna.

If you really liked the Angel Sanctuary anime, you have to read the manga. The anime is only until up to volume 6 and they cut a lot of stories in the 3-part OAV. The manga will shed light on why the characters acted a certain way and will fill you in the part of what happens to Setsuna at the end of the third episode. I was actually pissed that the anime left me completely hanging like it's only some sort of teaser for you to read the manga. There is a lot more that you haven't seen. I told you about the angelic hierarchy, right? Well, the manga will introduce you to archangels, thrones, seraphims and cherubims, even those outcasts in the hierarchy and will give you insight on what has really happened to Gehenna as well.

The manga is truly astonishing. It will show you the most remarkable worlds and will test some of your philosophies. It's quite a heavy read though with all the deaths and violence. (Who would've ever thought that the sublime and beautiful can be twisted and cruel?) But it's all in here. Go find out for yourself.

Individual Rating: Art 10; Story 8; Characters 9

Onegai Teacher (Please Teacher)

Genre: Romance / Comedy / Sci-Fi
Parental Guidance Recommended
2002 Yasunori Ide (series director) Bandai Visual, DOOM, Genco, WOWOW

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Skysenshi's Description:
There is something extraordinary about the new teacher that has arrived at Kei Kusanagi's high school. Mizuho Kazami, the new instructor, is kindhearted, young, pretty, and deliciously endowed. But that's not what makes her strangely different. It doesn't take a whole day for Kei to realize that Mizuho is actually the beautiful alien he had encountered the night before. Unfortunately, what other secrets he needs to learn from her, he has to learn the hard way. And it doesn't help that he finds himself falling in love in the process.

(13 episodes)

Nearly dismissed this as just another booby show. >>> by skysenshi (08.04.2002)
An opening sequence showing a high school student on the verge of having a relationship with his teacher can make anyone uneasy, so it doesn't come as a surprise that my initial impression of Onegai Teacher is that of an ickier version of Boys Be or Love Hina. True enough, Onegai Teacher features high school students experiencing angst, love, and other post-pubescent concerns. But that's where the similarity with the previously mentioned titles stop. While Onegai Teacher 's humor puts Kei Kusanagi in nearly the same position as Keitaro of Love Hina (or Tenchi Masaki of Tenchi Muyo) -- where you rip your hair out trying to understand why every female falls for him -- this anime is far more serious and unabashed when it comes to touching sensitive matters such as illicit love affairs and other non-kiddie responsibilities.

Onegai Teacher is much more adult-oriented than any normal teenybopper show. It does not skate around the subject of sexuality and maturity, but actually embraces these concepts without being lewd or hentai. Each teenager is faced with life-altering decisions that aren't as shallow as selecting what dress to wear at a prom.or as simple as choosing an extraterrestrial girlfriend over a human one. While the first scene made me think, "Oh goodness sakes! Not another one of those boyish fantasies about getting it on with an older woman!" or, "I sure hope this is not something I would have to stash in the dark side of the Fridge," it was a pleasant bolt from the blue to find that there is substance beyond first impressions. Events happen at a fast pace. Early on in the series, one of the characters finds himself in a compromising position that leads to the sudden change of his civil status. Somewhere in the middle, another character discovers that having sex at age 15 would have repercussions that could cost him his life's dream. And somewhere near the end, another figure learns that being too selfless can sometimes be a selfish act too. The deeply imbedded conflict in Onegai Teacher, however, is not the fact that Kei's love interest is an alien from outer space, but that Kei is actually afflicted with a disease that could do more damage to their relationship than the forbidden nature of their love. These themes are not too heavily delivered, though. There's just enough lightness in there for the humor to still seep into a viewer's consciousness.

Onegai Teacher boasts of beautiful artwork and animation. The imagery can remind anyone of CLAMP art, but they have their own distinct spice that speaks a clear message: newer anime titles have become much more refined. Onegai Teacher is highly recommended for romance fanatics who are looking for a different flavor. At least, it proves that anime can be cute, serious and mature without crossing over to the borders of perversion.

Individual Rating: Art: 9; Story & Plot: 8; Characters: 9; Sounds: 7

Ooh... kinky. >>> by MarkPoa (02.25.2004)
With a title like that, visions of ecchi images dance through the mind.

And the image is not wrong either. Mizuho-sensei is a feast to the eyes (and with Kikoku Inoue's voice, a pleasure to the ears as well) and exudes a good balance of sexiness and quirky cute charm (what with her Pocky addiction). The other females in the cast are no slouches in the cuteness department either.

As with most anime romantic comedies, Onegai Sensei follows a strange premise: Boy meets girl... boy marries girl... boy falls in love with girl... in that order. Add the mix of supporting characters, each bringing their own problems and subplots into the package, and you get your romantic comedy.

I initially thought this would be like Oh, My Goddess. There were enough similarities even. Mizuho is almost as perfect as Belldandy, though more quirky and human. Her cute sister Maho and sexy mother provide the Skuld and Urd for this series. The main hero, Kei, even seems like the short good guy type Keiichi is known for.

There are differences though. As mentioned, Mizuho is more quirky than Belldandy. In addition, Kei is afflicted with an illness that made him an eighteen year old stuck in a fifteen year old's world. The characters here are more complex and not entirely as innocent as in Oh, My Goddess.

Despite that, I found it hard to continue watching the series past the first few episodes. It just wasn't interesting enough... that is, until the ninth episode and so. That was when things picked up for me with regards to the series. The series takes a more serious turn around this episode and it was definitely more interesting than merely showing cleavage shots every other scene or so.

(For those who find that more interesting, don't worry. There are still more than enough to satisfy you. And if those are not enough, find the Onegai Sensei OAV episode. That ought to satisfy you.)

Sounds and music are nothing special. Not that it's anything bad, but there's nothing memorable in the beginning or ending themes. The background music are appropriate but nothing ground-breaking. I don't think I'd look for the soundtrack of this series anytime soon.

Overall, Onegai Sensei is worth a look-and-see. Give it a chance until the ninth episode, at least. The last four episodes more than make up for a semi-lackluster first eight episodes.

Sadly, it's not top priority.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation Art: 9; Story & Plot: 7; Characters: 8; Sounds: 5

Miyuki-chan in Wonderland

Genre: Comedy
General Audience
Miyuki-chan in Wonderland (C) 1995 CLAMP/Sony Music Entertainment/Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., LTD/MOVIC.
English Subtitled Version (C)1996 AD Vision
DVD (C)2002 AD Vision

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Cover Description:
She's late, she's late, and you won't believe her fate! It's down the bunny hole and through the looking glass as lovely young Miyuki takes a mind-boggling trip through the wildest wonderland ever animated! The fabulous artists of CLAMP, Japan's famous all-female art team, have created an entirely new universe where everything from the dormouse to the door is undeniably feminine. From the seductive Cheshire Cat to the S&M Queen of Hearts, enjoy a dazzling array of femme fatales and sexy surrealism with Miyuki-chan!

I follow strange bunnies all the time. >>> by MasterChief
As the title of the anime suggests, the main character is a girl named Miyuki, who is cute and innocent in every way. On her way to school, she comes across a bunnysuit-clad girl on a skateboard, falls accidentally into a huge hole that suddenly appears in the middle of the street, and from then on, the zanyness ensues. From the moment she lands and the door the door that asks Miyuki to touch her knobs (read:breasts), it's pretty easy to tell where this is going. Miyuki finds herself from strange place to strange place that manages to throw in a lot of obvious references to Alice in Wonderland, which is the clearly the basis of this work. Of course, Alice's wonderland wasn't so full of non-stop sexual innuendo. The all-female inhabitants seem to mostly want to fondle poor little Miyuki or make her strip, much to her chagrin. I won't spoil it too much, but before she wakes up, Miyuki meets a very, very scary Queen of Hearts. Right after this comes a second mini-feature, Miyuki-chan in Mirrorland, which which starts with Miyuki being pulled into her mirror by her own reflection and subjected to even more hilarious, near-hentai adventures.

The art in this is, as one would expect from CLAMP, quite amazing. All the characters and environments come to life with striking detail and a hearty helping of bright color. The vocal work is good, though all the actresses seem to be hamming it up with the normal range of sterotypical Japanese female voices, from high-pitched squeals to seductive coos to dominatrix barking, which helps to hammer in the overly lesbian nature of the world Miyuki gets trapped in. The one thing that gets to me though is this annoying music that plays in the background for most of the anime, which is really the only thing that detracts from enjoying it fully. One thing that has to be understood is that there's really no plot to delve into, and none of the characters are well developed. This will not deter from the enjoyment though, as this sucker was meant to be enjoyed, and giggled at, one zany moment at a time. Check your brain at the door, you'll thank me later.

An interesting note about the DVD. Although the back of the box says there is an English track, there is none. This is a subtitled-only affair, and something tells me this is a good thing.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 9; Story 7; Characters 2; Sounds 4