JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – TOILET BOUND HANAKO-KUN – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Tiolet bound Hanako-Kun

Studio: Lerche

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural

Hello my friends, Welcome to another entry of my blog.

Today, I am very happy, because I was able to finally watch an anime that I was contemplating for a long time; to be honest, I was waiting for the Halloween season in order to talk about it, but because it is still a couple of weeks away, then I better start doing it right now before it is too late.

Also, I think I am keen with ghosts, so I will start with it.

Now, let me introduce you…

Tiolet Bound Hanako-Kun!!

But before I start writing about this nice series, I must ask you the typical question:

Are you guy ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

Now, let’s get into the ghost world, and beyond… This is Toilet Bound Hanako-kun!

PREMISE

Based on the manga written an illustrated by Aidalro, Toilet Bound Hanako-kun (Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun or 地縛少年花子くん), takes place at Kamome Academy, where the rumours tells about a spirit that is bounded by the girls’ toilet, called «Hanako-san of the Toilet», who grants all kinds of wishes for a price. Nene Yashiro is a first-year student who longs for a boyfriend, so… what is her idea for having one? Simple. To summon Hanako-san. But what she discovers is that Hanako-san is… Hanako-kun, the spirit of a boy. After a series of events including the supernatural, Yashiro becomes the assistant of Hanako-kun, who fights evil spirits, and uses the service of Yashiro to fight the rumours of the spirits and keep the balance between the human world and the spirit world.

As of September 20, Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun has published 18 volumes, from June 18, 2014, by Square Enix, and Yen Press in English language. And the anime was released between January 9 and March 26, 2020 by Studio Lerche, for a total of 12 episodes.

During the 5th edition of Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun was awarded Best Character Design, category in which I voted BNA: Brand New Animal. Also, I am not sure, but Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun is available at Crunchyroll.

The opening of Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun is called No 7, in reference of the Seven Wonders of Kamomoe Academy, is performed by Jibaku Shonen (Yes, that the name of the band), and the ending song, Tiny Light, is performed by Akari Kito, the same seiyyu that performs the voice of Nene Yashiro.

Finally, Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun has a Latin American dub, which I am watching at the moment, and I must say that it is fantastic, and so it is the opening song, which I leave a link here.

STORY

Ok. I will definitely start discussing the very first element that call my attention about Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun, which I think the same happened to most of you, and the element is… the animation. Seriously, I do not know why, but I feel I have never seen this type of animation before, it is like some kind of mixture, between retro style, horror, and anime for kids with adult themes… kind of, something similar of that I felt with Ranking of Kings.

Furthermore, during some of the episodes, we see this wonderful narrative that resembles a comic book, in which one scene takes place, and suddenly another appears in the same one in the form of a comic book box; that is a pretty original way of telling this story, as a matter of fact, I remember seen this type of narrative in the Broken Saints webseries.

Yes. I have watched this series… AND I REALLY LOVE IT.

But seriously, that kind of narrative really adds up to the mystery and the supernatural atmosphere that Hanako-Kun wants to share with the animegoers. And the comedic element makes it more enjoyable and more original. in fact, before I forget, sometimes I feel like I am watching Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Really, because of the characters design and the animation, I think that Yako is a relative, or a descendant of Shinobu Kocho.

And because the animation, the fights scenes of Toilet Bound Hanako-kun combines action with horror, but not to the point of being scary; I think it is mostly to the point of inspiring of many supernatural shonen that we love, mostly Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen for the sake of the supernatural paraphernalia. I know it is a very dull comparison, but I cannot think in another way to express myself. And this is why many of these action scenes are so much fun to watch.

Secondly, during Episode One and Episode Two, we got a really well-done introduction of everything and everyone, at least the main characters, from Kamome Academy, to the concept of Seven Wonders, and also the characters of Hanako-kun, Nene, Kou. And then, we got a good balance between action and story, but also comedy. Because before I forget, that is another feature that I enjoyed from Hanako-kun, that there is a lot of comedy, but that comedy is funny. And in a story about supernatural and Japanese curses, a bit of humour is always welcome, if it implemented correctly, and not just gore scenes and disturbing situations

In addition, because the characters are so likeable and the setting is so relaxed, you can enjoy the episodes even more.

DID YOU HEAR THAT MAGICAL GIRL SITE!! THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THE FREAKING THING.

Why am I still remembering you?

Anyway, despite the fact that the first episode are mostly based in Hanako-kun, Nene and Kou trying to discover the mystery of the Seven Wonders, and to clean Kamome Academy from those nasty rumours, you will indeed feel that the lore of this story is too vast and enjoyable. Believe me, just for that, I can’t stop watching the whole thing, so do not get surprised if I end up binge it by the end of the day.

Overall, Toilet Bound Hanako-kun has the perfect combination of comedy, adventure, action and horror that I always enjoy, and that, sadly, from my perspective, not every anime is able to accomplish now.

CHARACTERS

As I just mentioned, the characters of Toilet Bound Hanako-kun are pretty defined, Hanako-kun is the playful, mysterious spirit that fights spirits and loves to tease Yashiro; and Nene is the typical high school girl who is very curious about the occult and dreams with love the way a typical high schooler will do; Kou is the devil hunter, headstrong, stubborn but hilarious. In other words…

ADORKABLE!!

What I got to say about the characters is already said, I know that my words are being very simple, but at the same time, what makes them so compelling is what they do, how they solve their situations based on their personalities and how they act in determined situations, such as fight a ghost, or chatting in the rooftop of the school, or how they feel with each other.

However, what of the elements that I must mention is their design of our main characters: It is… pretty realistic, something that you will see in real life, but with some original details that makes Nene, Kou and Hanako-kun pretty interesting.

Seriously, you will love them, for both personalities and designs. And what about other characters?

CONCLUSION

It is now wonder why Toilet Bound Hanako-kun is so popular; the characters are so much fun, the animation is beautiful, the setting is compelling, and the story gets better and better, at least referring to the anime, because I haven’t read the manga. So yes, watch it and enjoy it, and then, I will read the manga eventually.

Until then, I will try something else for getting a girlfriend… A ghost… Just like Nene and Hanako-kun, I will try a ghost as a girlfriend. But I got too little options. Can you my friends help me to choose between Girl 1 and Girl 2?

See you next time.

JAINITUOS ANIME/MANGA REVIEWS – SHINSEKAI YORI – FROM THE NEW WORLD – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Shin Sekai Yori – From the New World

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Thriller

Studio: A-1 Pictures

LITTLE WARNING – THIS REVIEW HAS NUDE PARTS, MAINLY FROM MANGA

Hello my friends. Welcome to another entry of my blog.

I think I have time to do another entry for today. And I am here to work for another life story that has to do with LGBT themes, indirectly, unlike with Yuri!!! on Ice, but it is definitely there. To be honest, I watched this series almost seven years ago, but now I have read some episodes of the original novel, and read all the manga (That’s right!! It is a literary story). So here it comes.

Having said that, we got…

Shinsekai Yori – From the New World

But before I go on with the review, I need to ask you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy. Now, let’s travel to the future. Sorry Satoru, you too Takemichi, this is a travel none of you can come with me.

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Now… Shinsekai Yori.

PREMISE

Ok. This is a really complicated story, so I will do my best to tell you the premise.

From the New World, of Shinsekai Yori (新世界より) is based on the novel, published by Yusuke Kishi, in 2008, by Kodansha.

The year is 3013, one thousand years ago, the humankind received a mysterious power, called «Canto», a psychic one to say the least. At the beginning, only 0.3% of the human population got this power. Nonetheless, this Canto power submerged the society into chaos, humans use the power for murder and rampage that, at the end, brought humanity into a complete dystopia. Worse still, the rest of Earth was deformed and new species were brought into existence, most of them living in an eusocial order. And now, societies are deeply controlled to prevent more chaos and rampages, through genetic modification and social conditioning, including homosexual relationships during adolescence to prevent births with no control of Canto, and immediate system collapse for those who commit murder, a technique called Death Feedback.

In this new age, five kids try to live through this new order, Satoru Asahina, Shun Aonuma, Maria Akizuki, Mamoru Itou, and their «leader» Saki Watanabe.

The anime was released between October 2012 and March 2013, directed by Masashi Ishihama, and with soundtrack by Masashi Sogo. Also, the public got access to the manga almost at the same time, from May 2012, to June 2014. I will try to comment more about this later, because, like I said, there is a lot to say here.

And before I forget, some of the species of this new Earth include Queerats, mole-like creatures capable to communicate through human language, and the Impure Cats, from where other two creatures were born, even if it was indirectly – the Karmic Demons, and the Fiends.

As you see, From the New World has one of the most developed worlds in anime, at least from 2010s. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Also… Shinsekai Yori has 25 episodes.

STORY

Now… Where to begin?

Unlike many recent anime, Shinsekai Yori relies a lot on time ellipses; Part I takes place when Saki has 12 years, Part II, during her teenage years, and Part III, shortly after Saki reaches 26 years, followed with another events happening after so… many years. Another element that I really love is the appearance of this dystopia. Different from franchises like Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, and from a Western perspective, Blade Runner, there is no flying cars, high skyscrapers, intergalactic flight. Simply a pseudo-feudalistic society with clothes and customs resembling Tokugawa Japan. And the story is about the kids trying to survive this world and discovering the awful face of it.

In that sense, it has vibes from the Bildungsroman literary genre, that is, coming-of-age genre, telling the story of our main characters, and their growth, both physical and psychological. Finally, loyal to its dark tone, Shinsekai Yori has large amounts of blood, violence and sexuality.

But in the sexual department, the manga is a bit more explicit, especially in the yuri side.

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Unfortunately, that is only for yuri

But in the anime is more subtle, both yaoi and yuri.

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I have to confess that, when I read the manga and saw this… explicit girls love, I was like…

I just couldn’t believe it. And I saw Scum’s Wish, Citrus, Peter Grill and NTR: Netsuzou Trap.

I know that the art of anime and manga tend to be different, but this deviation was something that even I didn’t see coming. And I have watched many Hentai throughout my life.

But, on the other hand, it is nice that mainstream stories take some risks and let themselves go regarding violence and sex, especially in Japanese art, as long as it has a purpose, either for storytelling or character development. I am well aware that sometimes this content needs some restraints, but that doesn’t justify that «censorship» has only erases completely.

In addition, just like Erased, 86:Eighty-Six, Sword Art Online and Kaguya-sama: Love is War, A-1 Pictures does a fantastic job with the animation, and like with Erased, it matches the drama of the story and the tragic nature. However, sometimes I think it is too dark, and I don’t dark in tone, like with Magical Girl Site, I mean… too little light, can’t see a thing Dark. However that is not something terrible, not one bit.

And finally, the narrative, rhythm of Shinsekai Yori is pretty enjoyable. It can be a bit slow, because we are reading a story that deals with many timeskips, but for showing how awful the world can be, allowing protagonists to grow, facing the obstacles and realising that the world, despite being so screwed, is worth fighting for, From the New World does the job pretty well.

CHARACTERS

The characters are simple, but easy to identify.

We got Saki, the intuitive girl; Satoru, the wisecracking dude who likes to tease Saki; Shun, the most mature and calmed of the group; Maria, the most popular red-haired childhood friend, and Mamoru, the shy boy who wants to prove his worth, especially toward Maria.

Of course, we got other characters, Reiko; Squealer, a prominent member of the Queerats and probably the most prominent of the non-human characters, at least in appearance, whose appearance and attitude give the impression of an ally, however, just like Saki and her friends will find out… nothing sees what it is.

Of course, there are others, but these seven are the most prominent characters of the Shinsekai Yori. And just like happens with Saki, all of them grow and change due to the events and revelations of the story, so rest assured that we will meet another versions of them. Better or worse? Well… you have to see them by yourself, but one thing is certain. Every character will leave you an impression.

CONCLUSION

Shinsekai Yori, or From The New World, is indeed a very challenging and entertaining story that will make you think for a long time, and a hard one for those who prefer lighter material. Something different that we are used to see, as anime and as manga from my perspective.

But trust me. It is worth checking it out. Just remember, the story gets darker, so be ready. And enjoy…

And also…

Don’t tell to Lena and Annette. If both find out that I reviewed a A-1 Pictures story, not 86: Eighty-Six, they will…

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UH-OH!!!

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – Akame Ga Kill – My own Impressions

Akame ga Kill!

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror, Adventure

Studio: White Fox

Hello my friends.

And welcome to another anime review.

Today, I will talk about one of those animes that, no matter how much time passes, you will always want to binge, especially now because there is available in Netflix. To be honest, I watched this anime years ago, but I always wanted to make my review of it.

Now. with that said, I want to introduce you….

AKAME GA KILL!

But there I continue, I must ask the typical question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy and happy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy. Just remember, keep washing your hands, maintaining social distancing, and remember that the COVID-19 is a very dangerous virus, whatever happens, do not underestimate it. Ok?

Now, with that said, let’s start talking about Akame ga Kill!

PREMISE

Based on the manga written by Takahiro, and illustrated by Tetsuya Yashiro, Akame ga Kill! tells the story of Tatsumi, a young swordsman from a very humble, poor village, who goes with his companions to the capital of the powerful, yet decadent Empire; despite this, for Tatsumi is the only place in which he can get rich enough to save his people, and he goes with his childhood friends, Sayo and Ieyasu. And after a couple of unlucky experiences inside the capital, he is taken by a noble family who apparently has good intentions.

However, one night, Tatsumi meets a group of Assassins, called Night Raid, who work for the Revolutionary Army, and they reveals to him a very dark secret; that noble family intended to kill him after killing Sayo and Ieyasu. Because of this, Tatsumi joins Night Raid and befriends the mysterious and powerful Akame, one of the top members of Night Raid.

Night Raid is composed by Mine, a tsundere that is an expert in marksmanship; Sheele, a shy meganekko that wields a giant couple of scissors; Leone, a fighter with powers of a lion (Obviously). Lubbock, an assassin with string powers; Bulat, the strong armoured lancer that acts as a mentor to Tatsumi; and their leader, Najenda. All of them are fighting to bring a change to the country and restore peace and liberty.

But remember… They are no heroes. THEY ARE ASSASSINS.

In fact, in the anime, it is the members of Night Raid the ones who proclaim themselves as assassins, which is bought to establish the anti-heroic nature of the fighters. This is one, along with some of the strong imagery that confirms the dark tone of Akame ga Kill, pretty reminiscent to Goblin Slayer.

Akame ga Kill is comprised by 24 episodes, and is animated by White Fox, famous for animating That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime (I think the animation of both is pretty similar), and we got pretty awesome seiyuus behind the characters, including Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Kana Hanazawa, and like I said, Sora Amamiya.

You know which other character did Amamiya dub?

A certain Hilarious Aqua!

STORY

That single element that made me so invested in Akame ga Kill! is the first episode. Because it perfectly introduces everything, the characters, the setting, the conflict, the twists, and the motivations, especially from our main lead Tatsumi; and from there, we slowly start knowing our beloved anti-heroes. Again, what is motivating them, how are they at the moment, and what kind of relationship they create with Tatsumi, and from there, despite being assassins, Night Raid brings a lot of emotions and empathy from us. Of course, when is the time for action, we see those amazing jaw-dropping action scenes that will make excited, and later cry.

On the other hand, there is another element from the anime that is, let’s say… half-hit and half-miss; the manga was ongoing while the anime was released, so some liberties were expected, just like Full Metal Alchemist of 2003; and for those who read the manga until the end, the anime might not be as exciting as would expect, or as poignant and tear-jerking. Well, that is only my own interpretation. Yet, every episode manages to bring a lot of excitement.

It is like Akame ga Kill! first wanted to first properly introduce us to everything, especially in the first four episodes, and then, it comes the action. So, the story is pretty decent on that regard.

Furthermore, like I said, the animation is beautiful, and it shows a variety in mood. For instance, when is day, the landscapes are bright and colourful, allowing the fans to experience the beauty, and when it is night, it has the same balance, with enough intensity that we got the emotions of our protagonists.

Take this picture, for example:

Sadness, anger, and resolve. All in a single frame.

Indeed, every fan might have a hard time trying to choose one favourite episode, especially because, from my perspective, is in episode 13 when things get more intense.

Finally, one last element that I wanted to point out are the curious names of every episode.

1. Kill the Darkness
2. Kill the Authority
3. Kill the Grudge
4. Kill the Imperial Arms User

It is like the anime is trying so hard to be as edgy and dark as it couldn’t been. But don’t worry, I promise you that the episodes are not that graphic, they are at the same level as Goblin Slayer, except that the characters have better names.

CHARACTERS

Don’t let those creepy eyes fool you…

…Akame is such a cutey!

Regarding characters, both heroes (or anti-heroes) and villains are equally charming. Akame ga Kill! takes the time to explore who they are. They are not just hollow, generic villains with desires of taking the world. Every character has a different perspective of the world and society that basically justifies their actions and mentality, as twisted as it is.

But don’t get me wrong… ANTIHEROES ARE STILL ANTIHEROES, AND VILLAINS ARE STILL VILLAINS. That means that the story is expecting fans to love or hate some characters depending on their roles, because, if you haven’t seen Akame ga Kill!, let me tell you that there are really despicable villains, and characters that evolve. Nevertheless, I think the roster does a pretty good job at keeping the audience entertained.

And that is something that many awful blockbusters would like to do.

I am watching at you, 2019 Hellboy

And yes, as much edginess that Night Raid has, they are still likeable characters. All of them together have a pretty awesome chemistry, especially Tatsumi with Akame, or Tatsumi with… basically any other member, even some of the villains.

Because, there is time for some comedic moments, always for our hero, and despite being simple, all of them are pretty decent.

However, a villain that really takes the cake…

…is Esdeath

Literally, she was born to be a villain, and she is a perfect rival for Tatsumi and Akame; due to her power and relationship with the former. But, also, that is what makes her so entertaining. And despite her evil personality, she is pretty likeable… to some degree, of course. We get to know her, how is she, and she does for a pretty good villain.

CONCLUSION

To sum up. Akame ga kill is a pretty decent and entertaining series, especially for fans of anime like Goblin Slayer, but it has more episodes, more depth and a lot of variety of characters. Possibly not the best option to watch in these days of quarantine, but definitely something that you can take a look whenever you feel curious, or just looking for something different.

So unleash your blades and enjoy how Akame is dress to kill.

And now, some of my plans for today.

1. Kill the sadness
2. Kill the gloominess
3. Kill the grey
4. Kill the smoking habit (Just kidding. I don’t smoke)

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san – My Own Impressions

Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san

Genre: Comedy, Yuri

Studio: Seven

Hey Guys.

Welcome to another anime review.

And now, I will continue with my reviews of Yuri stories, but this one has its own identity and joy, just like with Bloom Into You, but with great comedy.

Let me introduce you to…

Inugami-san and Nekoyama-san

But before I continue with my review, I must ask the typical questions;

Are you guys ok? Washing your hands? Maintaining social distancing?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy, and remember.

Be really careful with the COVID-19

I must always remind you of how dangerous and unpredictable it can be.

Having said that… let’s go with Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san.

PREMISE

Based on the manga by Kuzushiro, and published by Yuri Hime Comics, Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san tells the story of Yachiyo Inugami, a student from class 1-A who looks like a dog, but in truth, she is a cat lover. No, seriously, that is how she introduces herself.

Yep. And another girl, called Suzu Nekoyama, who definitely looks like a cat. For those who don’t know, Neko means cat in Japanese. Despite this, Nekoyama has a great attraction toward dogs, and when they are introduced through their mutual friend, Aki Hiiragi, they feel in love with each other. And from now, they get involved in all kinds of insane, hilarious situations, combining Inugami’s masochism with Nekoyama’s dominance, where Aki must be there in order to keep their relationship under control.

No pervy stuff, to say the least. And don’t worry, because…

This ain’t Cats

(Yet, I feel dirty by saying that)

Inugami-san to Nerkoyama-san has 12 episodes and a OVA, and each episode goes from 3 to 4 minutes.

By the way, have any of you, my friends, hear of Studio Seven? Because they don’t sound familiar to me.

Anyway, through these episodes, we basically see a lot of comedy sketches from this characters, and most of them resembling many kind of animals. But I will get there later.

STORY

I remember that, on a YouTube video, someone pointed out that Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san is basically cute girls doing cute things. And, as awkward as that statement sounds, I have to admit that this person was right. That is the premise of the anime. However, I want to add something to the mix.

«Cute girls doing hilarious stuff.»

And that is basically what you see in Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san, these girls being themselves, and doing nice things where they have fun and try to be happy. Taking aside the runnings gags of animals, this series resembles a lot of Kaguya-sama: Love is War. because most of the sketches involves an object or a place, such as karaoke, the student council room, card games, glasses, etc.; and the episodes revolve around our character’s personalities make them act, or shall I say «respective animals.»

Typical situation comedy.

So yeah, each episode is standalone.

So Doggish!!

But one element is for sure. Every episode, in terms of comedy, does not need to be complex, or even convoluted. On the contrary, the story develops in a very organic way, as well as the comedy, you know that from watching; both imagery and simplicity of dialogue will allow you get hooked and get a few of good laughs. At the end, that is the same method used by Kaguya-sama: Love is War, and what makes Inugami-san so enjoyable.

Moreover, this less-than-fifteen minutes format is quite popular in many comedic anime, such as Isekai Quartet, and Tonari no Seki-kun, and with very good reason, because you keep the jokes simple, and easy to reach, for both Japanese and Western audiences.

So yeah, if you enjoy this type of comedy, then Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san is definitely for you.

CHARACTERS

Yeah. Cute girls doing cute things.

Of course, we do not only have dogs and cats (Sorry, that sounded wrong)

Inugami-san has other characters with their respective animal motifs, such as fellow 1-A student, Sora Sarutobi, who likes bananas and has a monkey motif, Yukiji Ushiwaka, member of the biology class, who, as suggested by her cow-like name, she has bright breasts.

And our… mouse girl. Mikine Nezu.

These two images really cracked me up!!

Of course, there are more lovely girls, but you get the idea.

Regarding the characters, there is not really too much to say about them, because they do not need to be complex; they are as simple as the comedy used in the series. and that’s enough. Normally this type of characters can be easily forgotten, but in the premise of Inugami-san, you remember most of them, or at least our three lovely ladies.

Definitely their purpose is to allow fans to have fun, with all their misadventures and cute things, and relax.

Overall, that is the feeling of Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san, pure fun and lovely characters that are simply living their daily lives.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san is something you can keep in mind when you are feeling tense, or again, if you are looking for something similar to series like Nichijou or Daily Lives of School Boys, all of you need to do is to sit back, relax, and watch cute girls doing cute things. Ok. That’s the last time I will say that.

Or if you want to learn how difficult is to take care of a dog (LOL! Just kidding).

And the end, you will feel like this after watching Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san: