Tubi TV has bolstered their lineup a bit more this month with a very fun OVA series with Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas now streaming on the service. The show is available in its original Japanese language with English subtitles for viewers. It was previously picked up by Discotek Media for home video release.

The show, which ran for two thirteen episode blocks, began in 2009 and was directed by Osamu Nabeshima with scripts by Yoshiyuki Suga and was based on the manga of the same name that ran for twenty-five volumes by Masami Kurumada and Shiori Tshirogi. The anime adaptation only covers about half of that series, which ran from 2006 to 2011 and is unlicensed in that form. The anime release is DVD only and it will be in its original Japanese language with English subtitles as no dub was previously produced.

The series is streamed via Crunchyroll and Hulu during its original run.

Plot concept: A Holy War, from ancient mythology, where the Goddess Athena and Hades have fought against each other while defending the earth repeatedly over the span of 200 years. The story takes place in 18th century Europe, 243 years prior to the original “Saint Seiya” Three small children, Tenma, Alone, and Sasha have all shared a very happy childhood together. Tenma who is quite aggressive but upstanding has moved to Sanctuary to become a saint. It is there that he is reunited with Sasha who is the sister of Alone and learns that she is the reincarnation of Goddess Athena. Alone, who is kind, gentle and loves painting was chosen for the body of enemy King Hades. Tenma eventually becomes a saint of Pegasus and engages in a fierce battle with his best friend Alone, the King of Hades. Pegasus Tenma, King Hades, and the Goddess Athena and through the twist of their 3 fates merge together which unfolds a prologue to the original Saint Seiya.

TV Tokyo is moving right along with the broadcast of the Pokemon: Sun & Moon anime series, coming alongside the recent new game and general worldwide popularity. As the series progresses, the network has now put together the first promotional video for the next episode on October 12th, 2017. This’ll be a single episode with episodes 987, essentially bringing us the 45th episode of this new iteration out together.

The series is directed by Daiki Tomiyasu based on the series composition by Aya Matsui. Character designs were handled by Satoshi Nakano and Shuhei Yasuda.

The Japanese cast includes Ikue Ohtani as Satoshi’s Pikachu and Rica Matsumoto as Satoshi. The opening theme for the show is “Alola!!” as performed by Rica Matsumoto and Ikue Ohtani while the ending theme song is “Pose” as performed by Okazaki Taiiku.

Please note that TV Tokyo removes the videos when the episode airs.

Plot Concept: Alola, a place with beautiful blue sky and sea, has become the new stage of adventure for Satoshi and Pikachu. New Pokemon, new friends, and new experiences await them.

The K anime has moved here and there a bit over the years with where you could see it online and now Viz Media has worked to bring it out on the Tubi TV service for the first time. The first season, clocking in at thirteen episodes, is now available on the service in its original Japanese language with English subtitles for free viewing.

The project was directed by Shingo Suzuki, who also served as the character designer, and GoHands produced the animation.

Viz Media has released the TV series on DVD/BD in North America after providing it with an English language dub.

Series concept: Shiro is an easygoing teenager content with just being a student – until his seemingly perfect life is halted when a bloodthirsty clan, glowing red with fire, attempts to kill him in the streets. Unbeknownst to Shiro, he is suspected of murdering a member of their clan and will need a miracle to escape their vengeance. Miraculously, a young man named Kuroh Yatogami swings in and aids Shiro in his getaway, only to reveal he’s also after Shiro’s life.

Now a hunted man, Shiro will have to evade the clans of seven powerful kings and desperately try to prove his innocence – before it’s too late!

TV Tokyo had their latest episode of Cocotama earlier today and that means they’re now starting their promotion for the next episode with the 103rd that’s set to arrive on October 12th, 2017. The show continues a pretty solid run and had the second DVD Box arrive on November 25th, 2016 in Japan with the third set recently released in March 2017 debut. Sadly, the series has not been picked up for a simulcast anywhere.

The series began airing in October 2015 with OLM Inc providing the animation for it. The show is directed by Norio Nitta based on the series composition by Michihiro Tsuchiya and character designs by Shinobu Ookawa.

Plot Concept: Cocotama are tiny gods born from the thoughts and feelings of objects that people use with great care. The fact that Cocotama wear part of the egg they hatch out of as underwear is proof that they are still apprentices. The Cocotama use a mysterious magic, and they train hard to be of use to humans and to become full gods. They live inside human houses and stealthily move around to help humans find things they have lost, although they make many mistakes.

Funimation is getting ready to bring out the first season of ReLIFE on DVD/BD combo on October 10th, 2017 and ahead of that they’re having a bit of fun with it by hauling out a fun four-minute interview with three of the leading actors. Sitting down with Alexis Tipton, Micah Solusod, and Blake Shepard, they talk a bit about their own experiences in what they’d want to relive things and some of the show elements associated with it.

The set, priced at $64.98, has the thirteen episode original run in bilingual form. Extras for the show includes the clean opening and closing, promos, and a commentary track produced for the final episode.

Animated at TMS Entertainment, Tomo Kosaka directed it based on the scripts from Kazuho Hyodo and Michiko Yokote. Character designs were done by Junko Yamanaka, whose other recent adaptations are featured in Servamp.

The Japanese cast includes Kensho Ono as Arata Kaizaki, Ai Kayano as Chizuru Hishiro, Ryouhei Kimura as Ryou Yoake, Haruka Tomatsu as Rena Kariu, Yuuma Uchida as Kazutomi Ooga and Reina Ueda as An Onoya.

Directed by Jeremy Inman, the English cast includes Micah Solusod as Arata Kaizaki, Josh Grelle as Ryo Yoake, Jeannie Tirado as Chizuru Hishiro, Alexis Tipton as Rena Kariu, Blake Shepard as Kazuomi Oga, Kristen McGuire as An Onoya, Bryn Apprill as Honoka Tamarai, Stephen Sanders as Nobunaga Asaji, Alejandro Saab as Akira Inukai, Caitlin Glass as Kokoro Amatsu, and Anthony Bowling as Koshi Usa.

Plot Concept: Arata Kaizaki (27) quit the job he landed after graduation in only three months. His life did not go well after that. Now his parents are threatening to stop sending money, and want him to come back to the country. He has no friend or girlfriend to share his troubles with…as he hits rock bottom a strange man named Ryo Yoake appears. Yoake invites Kaizaki to join a societal rehabilitation program for NEETs called ReLife. This program uses a mysterious drug to make him look younger, and sends him back to high school for a year…

The second cour of the second season of My Hero Academia has wrapped up and Funimation’s getting some extra promotion out there for their involvement in the series. The distributor is working through the simuldub of the show and they’ve now brought out a new promo for it that focuses on Shoto Todoroki as played by Yuuki Kaji in Japanese and David Matranga in English.

Animated by studio Bones, the series is directed by Kenji Nagasaki based on the series composition from Yousuke Kuroda. Yoshihiko Umakoshi serves as the chief animation director and character designer.

The Japanese cast includes Daiki Yamashita as Izuku, Kenta Miyake as All Might, Ayane Sakura as Ochako Uraraka, Kaito Ishikawa as Tenya Iida, Aoi Yuki as Tsuyu Asui, Ryou Hirohashi as Minoru Mineta, Marina Inoue as Momo Yaoyorozu, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Yuuki Kaji as Shoto Todoroki, Eri Kitamura as Mina Ashido, Kōsuke Kuwano as Yūga Aoyama, Kei Shindou as Kyōka Jirō and Masakazu Nishida as Mezō Shōji.

The English cast includes Christopher R. Sabat as All Might, Justin Briner as Izuku Midoriya, Luci Christian as Ochaco and Clifford Chapin as Bakugo.

Originally starting back in the summer of 2014, after creator Kouhei Horikoshi Barrage series ended, My Hero Academia is one of the more well-received books in the English edition of Weekly Shonen Jump.

Horikoshi received a Tezuka Award Honorable Mention in 2006 after publishing several short stories in Akamaru Jump. His first serialized work was Oumagadoki Doubutsuen back in 2010.

Plot concept: What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless? Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny.

The summer 2017 anime series Action Heroine Cheer Fruits is having its home video releases handled by Nippon Columbia and they’ve set a shorter plan for it. We’ve got a about a month until the second volume arrives but now we have a look at the main cover packaging for it with what we expect to be the slipcover and the case cover. The twelve episode series is getting a four-volume release that begins on October 11th, 2017. The DVDs are priced at 6,500 yen each while the Blu-ray’s are priced at 9,200 yen. Check the full schedule below!

Keizou Kusakawa is directing based on the series composition by Naruhisa Arakawa. Naomi Ide is handling the character designs while Diomedea will be producing the animation.

The Japanese cast includes M.A.O as Misaki Kurogane, Rie Murakawa as Roko Kuroki, Miku Itou as An Akagi, Yuuki Hirose as Mana Midorikawa, Haruka Ishida as Yuuki Aoyama and Genki Aoyama, Erii Yamazaki as Mikan Kise, Moe Toyota as Hatsuri Momoi, and Haruka Shiraishi as Kanon Shimura.

The opening theme song “Jōnetsu☆Fruits” will be performed by the main voice actresses for the series while the ending theme song “Hi no Ataru Basho” (The Place the Sunlight Hits) will be performed by the Tokimeki Kanshasai unit.

Plot Concept: “Support the city!” The setting takes place in a peaceful area for fruit production. Since the city is losing its vibrancy, the local girls became the city’s heroines! This is the story of the youth and their struggles in making the city’s excitement back again.

Action Heroine Cheer Fruits Japanese Volume 2 Cover

Action Heroine Cheer Fruits Japanese Volume 1 Cover

[Source: Action Heroine Cheer Fruits]

The weekend is just about here and that means it’s time to get into more anime. Being the start of a new season means things are going to be a bit off as we don’t know what shows will be announced on the spot yet. It also doesn’t help that Crunchyroll isn’t able to do a coming soon list anymore either, so all we know for sure is what’s being unlocked for free today with:

• 10:00am - 18IF
• 12:30pm - HELL GIRL: FOURTH TWILIGHT
• 1:05pm - RWBY VOLUME 1-3: THE BEGINNING <JAPANESE DUB>
• 1:30pm - CHRONOS RULER
• 2:05pm - NINJA GIRL & SAMURAI MASTER 2ND
• 7:30pm - PRIPRI CHI-CHAN!!
• 7:30pm - 100% TEACHER PASCAL
• 7:30pm - FUTURE CARD BUDDYFIGHT X
• 8:00pm - BONO BONO 2ND SEASON
• 9:30pm - ULTRAMAN GEED 

Funimation has one new simuldub ready for today with:

HiDive has one show going live today with:

• 1:00 pm – Garo Episode 19

“On to Anegawa”

What They Say:
The year is 1555, the middle of the Warring States period, and one young man holds on to a very big dream. That young man, known as an empty-headed fool, is none other than Oda Nobunaga. Enchanted by his dream, a certain young girl who admires Nobunaga swears that she will become his ninja one day. Nobunaga has one goal: to unify Japan by military might! Decorated by a colorful cast of characters, including the airheaded Kichou, the errand boy Hideyoshi, the tsundere Nene, the straight man Mitsuhide, and the half-dead Hanbei, this heavy-hitting wartime gag anime is about to begin!!

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The second series comes to a close here and it has some fun focus on Kicho, which hits a certain sweet spot for me if it’s not Chidori. Having her spending some time with Nobunaga, whose stressing about everything, is a nice contrast for the viewer since she’s so upbeat and he’s beyond tense. She does know how to work him pretty well and getting him to change his appearance just a touch to not be seen while walking the city is definitely fun. All eyes are on Kicho anyway and her brightness certainly makes for a nice way to draw this season to a close as she helps to reconnect him to the people (and get some shopping in, too!).

In Summary:
While this season had more serious material and strategy than I cared for, even if it did manage some humor it, the show as a whole still delights. When it uses Chidori and her nature I’m more interested but I understand why it focused on more of the cast of characters as there are so many to play with. But that ends up kind of diluting it for me and made it harder to connect with because for many of them I just didn’t care enough. This episode is a good capping to the season and has me hopeful for a quick return with a third season announcement.

Grade: B-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

©2017”VANISHING LINE” Keita Amemiya/Tohokushinsha

Crunchyroll has set another simulcast for the fall season with the pickup of Garo: Vanishing Line, which Funimation will also be producing a simuldub for. The first episode of the series has gone live in Japan but we haven’t gotten the premiere date, time, or regional availability for it through Crunchyroll yet.

The work comes from director Seong-Hu Park based on the series composition by Kiyoko Yoshimura. Takashi Okazaki is on board with the original character designs. Studio MAPPA will be handling the animation for it.

The Japanese cast includes Tomokazu Seki as Sword, Rie Kugimiya as Sophie, Nobunaga Shimazaki as Luke, Ami Koshimizu as Gina, Daisuke Namikawa as Knight, Romi Park as Queen, Kenyuu Horiuchi as Bishop, Chiaki Takahashi as Waitress Chiaki, Takaya Hashi as Fei Long, Ayahi Takagaki as Mei Fang, Yuuka Misaki as Miia, and Hironobu Kageyama as Zaruba.

The opening theme song is “EMG” as performed by JAM Project while Masami Okui will perform the ending theme song “Sofia.”

Plot Concept: In a prosperous city named Russell City, an omen that threatens to shake its world begins to move within it. A man named Sword is the first to hear the first stirrings of the plot, and throws himself into a shadow war in order to expose it. His only clue is the key word “El Dorado.” He meets Sophie, a woman searching for her missing older brother who has only left her with the same words: “El Dorado.” With Sword having also lost his younger sister in the past, both are drawn together by the words, and work together to find out its meaning.

Friday has arrived! And while we’re gearing up for a big movie night we also have some new comics to dig into. DC Comics has our only domestic title with the latest issue of Bombshells: United and we’re excited for that.

Yen Press has the latest chapter of Napping Princess debuting as the film related title continues.

Kodansha Comics is the one that goes big with five simulpub titles, including one that’s got a new anime adaptation arriving as we speak!

“Welcome to the Goma-chan Hotel!”

What They Say:
A comedy manga, “Shonen Ashibe,” that follows the friendship between baby spotted seal Goma-chan and first-grade student Ashiya Ashibe. First serialized in 1988 and adapted to anime in 1991, the adorable Goma-chan created a massive following and a spotted seal boom. This spring, Goma-chan returns to “Tentere Anime.” A cute, pleasant story of Ashibe and Goma-chan and their unusual school and their neighbors. Sometimes endearing, sometimes bizarre, it’s a fun anime for the whole family!

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Spending time showing how Goma-chan was getting jealous of things the last time around definitely made for some cute scenes not just for him but for the cast in general as we saw them play with the concepts. With this episode the focus is still definitely on Goma-chan as we expect but it runs with an idea that has a certain solid comical appeal while letting the supporting cast get in on the fun in a good way. The desire to travel by kids is almost universal since they’re at the will of others and with a heavy school routine they want to shake things up even more.

So when the brothers are heading out on some travel themselves, it’s disheartening for the one to discover that it’s just his brother’s Goma-chan fetish as they arrive at Ashibe’s house that’s been renamed the Goma-chan Hotel. What they get here is that the neighbor’s apartment has been emptied and the landlord said that they could use it while it’s vacant. Suffice to say there’s plenty of fun kids can have, though one of them is just focused on Goma-chan far too much. Ashibe doesn’t run a high end hotel, though he promotes it as such, and the things they do are silly, from the pool time with Goma-chan to a massage and more. Ashibe is the type that could be really annoying after a while, which is made clear here, but the draw of Goma-chan for one of the brothers is what keeps them there against their better judgment.

Sugao Watch: About ten seconds of material that involves the adults far more than Sugao, which means it’s not good.

In Summary:
There’s definitely some fun to be had here, especially in the travelogue piece as Goma-chan essentially cosplays as famous monuments, as we enjoy all the changes and the goofiness of it all. The brothers are so different in what they’re looking for, and one so focused on Goma-chan, that the whole thing is just a bad situation. But brotherly love is what it is and the things you’ll do to take care of family is paramount in many ways. It’s properly silly and works some good ideas making for a goofy nine minutes of kids entertainment that makes my day better.

Grade: B-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

HOUSTON, TX, October 5, 2017 - HIDIVE will soon begin streaming Dynamic Chord for the 2017 fall simulcast season in North America and international territories!

Starting October 7th, HIDIVE members will be able to stream new episodes of Dynamic Chord every Saturday at 13:00 UTC on HIDIVE’s anime streaming service in the following territories:

United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, South America, Netherlands, Scandanavia, and Turkey

This anime adaptation of the otome game by Honeybee Black follows the professional and personal lives of four hot boy bands under the “DYNAMIC CHORD” agency and music label. There’s progressive rock band rêve parfait; newcomer Liar-S; veteran rock band KYOSHO; and international sensation, apple polisher.

To learn more about HIDIVE’s anime streaming services, or to sign up for a 7-day free trial, visit HIDIVE.com, or follow HIDIVE™ on Facebook and Twitter.

About HIDIVE™ LLC

HIDIVE is a new anime streaming service built with the needs of anime fans in mind. Currently offering a beta with a curated (and growing) catalog of some the most iconic anime and live action titles of the past and present, HIDIVE provides a unique streaming experience to its territories around the world. Featuring one of the industry’s best players, customizable subtitles, in-episode live-chat, pinned searches, and more, fans can watch, discover, and share their favorite shows. For more information, or to start a free trial, visit HIDIVE.com.

© Fujio Akatsuka / Mr. Osomatsu Production Committee

Viz Media will be handling the eventual home video release of Osomatsu and they’re getting the second season streamed through their official site. Ahead of that they’ve now brought out their trailer for it that serves to introduce the viewer to the cast and the kind of wacky hijinks that will ensue in watching it.

Based on the manga by Fujio Akatsuka that ran from 1962 to 1969 and had a couple of revivals along the way, it had an adaptation in the mid 60′s and then a remake in the late 80′s. This series is serving as a sequel to it with the same animation studio from the 80′s involved, albeit with a new creative team. The original series focused on the six kids when they were young but this one takes a look at them as adults now and how their lives turned out.

Directed by Yoichi Fujita, the series is animated by Studio Pierrot based on the composition by Shu Matsubara and character designs by Naoyuki Asano.

The series stars Takahiro Sakurai as the eldest son Osomatsu, Yūichi Nakamura as the second son Karamatsu, Hiroshi Kamiya as the third son Choromatsu, Jun Fukuyama as the fourth son Ichimatsu, Daisuke Ono as the fifth son Jūshimatsu, Miyu Irino as the sixth and youngest son Todomatsu, Aya Endo as the heroine Totoko, Kenichi Suzumura as Iyami and Sachi Kokuryu as Chibita.

Plot Concept: The Matsuno household has six naughty and mischievous sons (who are sextuplets), led by the eldest, Osomatsu. They may have been grade schoolers since the Shōwa period, and they may still live in the same house, but modern day society has certainly changed around them.

A look elsewhere amid other large events.

What They Say:
Leila Malcal, commander of her very own W-0 unit for the European army, takes on dangerous missions with her powerful and mysterious lieutenant, Akito Hyuga. With a group of rebels on their side, they fight the Britannian army but face more than the typical perils of war. A foe from Akito’s past seeks his life and a dark power threatens all that Leila has worked for.

The Review:
Audio:
The audio presentation for this release brings us the original Japanese language track and English language dub in 5.1 for, both of which are encoded using the Dolby TrueHD lossless codec. The series got a theatrical run prior to the home video release and the 5.1 mixes work well for this when it comes to the action and some of the incidental sound effects. It has a larger feeling than the TV series for sure and that plays well amid the mecha combat sequences and some of the more intense one on one fights that gets underway. The show also deals with the dialogue well with some nice throws to the rear channels but also just some strong and distinctive elements along the forward soundstage, such as crowd scenes or the general movement of characters across it. The collection does a great job overall with both tracks and it’ll definitely deliver what viewers are hoping for in this arena.

Video:
Originally released between 2012 and 2016, the transfer for this five-part OVA series is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 in 1080p using the AVC codec. The show is spread across two Blu-ray discs with three on the first and two on the second and that gives it a good bit of space to work with as episodes are just under an hour or so each. Animated by Sunrise, it has all the style and design of the TV series that we saw back in 2006 but blends and elevates it up with a richer palette and a lot more settings to work with. The show has a really good richness to its design that’s very appealing with costumes and the detail of it comes through perfectly here with the encoding. Colors are solid throughout, the high motion scenes look fantastic, and background details are spot on. It gave me something that feels exactly within the context of the TV series but nudges it up just right so that it must have looked great on the big screen.

Packaging:
The packaging design for this release comes in an oversized Blu-ray case the holds the discs from both formats with two Blu-ray’s and three DVDs on hinges. The set also comes with an o-card that replicates the cover artwork but works the foil angle so that it stands out nicely with some subtle pieces in the way you hold it in the light. THe front cover has a good key visual piece of the main characters in action poses looking serious while the eye looms in the background. I do like the use of the font for the Akito the Exiled aspect of the logo and how well it blends but also stands out against the original logo. The back cover goes for a black background with a few shots from the show along the right that are decent but it also gives us a lengthy summary of the premise, which is sadly done with a dull goldish-brown on the black making it hard to read. The technical grid along the bottom works better with the white text on black and breaks down everything cleanly and accurately. The case itself replicates this and has a good image on the reverse side across both panels of the main cast looking serious.

The limited edition set also comes with a pack of art cards of good size that comes in its own cardstock case. These are great key visual pieces we saw during the theatrical run that shows off the main cast of characters in a wonderfully painted style.

Menu:
The menu design for this release is a simple one overall as we get the white stripe along the bottom with the navigation that doubles as both the main menu and pop-up menu navigation. The rest of the menu is given over to clips from the show, working some slow build material early on with cityscapes and the like, before adding a bit more to it with character and mecha. The logo is kept along the center of the screen and it’s one that overall looks decent in how everything ties together. The problem is that it feels like it lacks the energy and grandeur that it needs to really set the atmosphere and tone of what you’re going to watch and is more just standard fare material instead. It’s not bad and as a menu it’s fully functional and problem free but it could have been juiced up a bit more.

Extras:
The extras for this release are a bit meager in a way but there are some good things for dub fans. That comes in the form of an audio commentary for the first episode, which is lengthy, while the third episode gets a video commentary. Beyond that we just get a few Funimation trailers.

The focus of Akito the Exiled is on the Europia United nations that are currently in the midst of their war against the Holy Britannian Empire, which they’re losing to a very good degree because of just how power the empire is. One of the military units within Europia has Leila Malcal taking on a leadership role when an defensive mission goes poorly and she takes control of it, which will bite her in a bad way down the line. But her quick thinking in the here and now has her in charge of a small group of W-0 armored units that’s piloted by Akito Hyuga, who is definitely gifted and has the ability as we see later to drawn on and sync with other pilots in order to take his skills to the next level. It’s a little loose in a way but it works well and allows him to be an unexpected element in the war, especially once Leila draws more soldiers to her group that are like Hyuga in that they’re all Elevens. She doesn’t call them by that and there’s more referencing to them as Japanese at times but they’re still pretty much viewed with derision by most others out there as Eleven’s are essentially cannon fodder to try and soften up the attacks before the “real” soldiers go in. And with so many wiped out they definitely, sadly, serve that purpose.

Over the course of the series we follow as Leila’s group achieves some attention and slowly moves up the rank a bit and gets involved with a range of missions. The show is one that works well for me as it mixes a good bit of politics into it, which was the appeal of the original Code Geass, so seeing more of the Europian side and some of what’s being thrown at them by Britannia certainly hits some sweet spots for me. Leila’s group is a complicated one and a lot of that is because of Leila. Her lineage comes into play as she’s adopted and her family goes back quite a few generations in importance and that allows her to be a key player when tensions are ratcheting up to extreme levels. It also doesn’t hurt that an event in her past has gifted her with the Geass as well, but in a form that will disappear if not used by a certain age which leaves you wondering when and if it’ll be used.

Similarly, Akito is complex in his own way. Being Japanese amid this war and essentially a nose to the grindstone kind of pilot that’s doing what he can to survive he keeps a low profile. There’s a growing romance with Leila to be sure that’s sprinkled through it that comes to life more when they spend some time with the romany people, but his past is complicated as well. He’s been disowned by the family, which seems to just be his older brother Shiang, who is a high muckety muck in the ruling class that’s orchestrating his own events and looking to secure greater position and prestige for Britannia. The relationship when dealt with is certainly complicated but it gives both of them something fun to work off of. Akito’s personality is one that makes it hard to really connect with him a lot of the time and I really felt like Leila was more the central character but he does have some strong sequences throughout and the action really delivers.

The main problem that I’ve seen people have with this show is that if you took off the Code Geass name and eliminated the relatively brief bits with Lelouch you could have placed this into anything. And to some degree I agree with that criticism. But the trappings of the Code Geass series is what sells it more for me as we get going with it because this is an appealing alternate timeline with intriguing social/political aspects that get touched on. Not enough for my tastes but just a bit of it works as most series rarely delve into this realm. I’m also a big fan of the costume and character design for the project and the OVAs here essentially mirror what we had in the TV series but with some really slick animation and a brighter and glossier look with a lot of it that shows just how animation changes over the space of a decade.

In Summary:
Akito the Exiled is going to be a hard sell for some Code Geass fans because of how it operates but it was exactly what I was hoping for with its setup and some of the areas it explored. It has a really good sense of pacing with each episode that clocks in at around an hour so that it delves into both character and action in engaging ways. The quality of the animation is great and it left me wanting more of these characters and these settings. I do wish that things had been a bit clearer and more detailed about the various factions and overall setup of the war that’s underway and the Europian side but what we do get is quite tantalizing. I had a lot of fun with it and am looking forward to revisiting it in between rewatching the original series again some day.

Features:
Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Language, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Language, English Subtitles, Episode 1 Commentary, Episode 3 Video Commentary, and Trailers

Content Grade: B+
Audio Grade: A-
Video Grade: A
Packaging Grade: B
Menu Grade: B
Extras Grade: B-

Released By: Funimation
Release Date: June 27th, 2017
MSRP: $64.98
Running Time: 290 Minutes
Video Encoding: 1080p AVC
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Sony PlayStation3 Blu-ray player via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.

“My Precious…”

What They Say:
Our IDOL friends are back again today! Get a rare look at how IDOLS spend their days off, as well as their comical interactions with each other in this hyper-fun-filled short anime.

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
After a skip season, the Cinderella Girls are back with more shorts to delight with that clock in at just three minutes. This episode has some fun right out of the gate as we spend time with Chihiro and the group she’s with and has to manage things with them and their personalities at work. Dealing with such diverse personalities isn’t easy while maintaining a smile but she does it well enough. Of course, her job is multifacted to seeing her doing laundry and handling idol problems there as well just reminds us of how hard it is to be in that position and seeing how she handles everything definitely delights in that simple kind of charming way.

In Summary:
A day in the life of Chihiro is cute and enjoyable as it should be as she manages things well for her boss and the girls themselves. We get a good range of characters involved here that show their core personalities and interactions well. Mostly, however, it’s just a nice and simple reconnect to the show which I do find charming even though I don’t watch any of the main material and have had my fill of idols for a while now. It hits a certain sweet spot that I like and the episode length definitely helps immensely.

Grade: B-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll has picked up one of the least promoted new shows of the season with Taisho Mebiusline Chicchaisan. The boys-love series got announced last November but hasn’t had much discussion since. The streaming service kicked off the first episode this morning with new episodes going live every Friday at 10:30am ET for members. Availability is strong with it open to members worldwide outside of Asia. This is being done as a series of five-minute shorts, however, so it’s not a full on adaptation as some may hope for.

The Japanese cast includes Tarou Shuchi (a.k.a Yasuaki Takumi) as Kyouichirou Hiiragi, Oily Hana (a.k.a Hikaru Hanada) as Misaki, Kikunosuke Izumi (a.k.a Hiroaki Miura) as Shigure, Cider Yotsuya (aka Kazuyuki Okitsu) as Iori Senge, Sugari Toori (a.k.a Satoshi Hino) as Kai Tatebayashi, Kazuma Fujishiro (a.k.a Kenji Akabane) as Kahoru Ise, Daiko Kabuki as Touko Tokitou, and Yamakoba as Yuuma.

Plot concept: The story takes place in the Taishou era (1912~1926), centering on Kyouichirou Hiiragi who travels to the capital to join Japan’s army during their wars with foreign countries. However, he finds the military’s thirst for power to threaten to consume even his life…

“First Glass: Plum Splet”

What They Say:
Quiet but capable, Mizusawa Chisato is a beautiful leader who has a secret that only her husband, Sora, knows about: she loves to drink, and when she’s drunk, she becomes extremely adorable! What bliss will Sora’s cocktail bring tonight? “Yoidere,” the drunken comedy cocktail about Japan’s most lovey-dovey couple.

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With a couple of very weak seasons when it comes to short form shows the arrival of a series that focuses on adult characters, cutely, and a married couple at that is exactly what I’m looking for. This show focuses on the attractive young woman named Chisato that works hard but has a kind of ease about her that makes her the envy of the younger women working in the company. The hint that something is off about her is when she declines a drink out with her junior, Koharu, as that’s kind of one of the usual working rituals. The simple truth is what we see at home when her husband Sora makes her a drink and she says that she just doesn’t handle alcohol well. While we could have seen a series that made her an obnoxious drunk this one instead shows that she’s just bloody adorable and free in a way when she drinks, and with a bit more personality. Knowing what she’s like keeps her from going on and having a character that understands that about themselves is a nice change of pace.

In Summary:
The opening episode serves up the general idea and two leads pretty well without making it feel rushed or obnoxious, which is pretty impressive. There’s plenty to like here and plenty of room to grow in getting to know Chisato and Sora as it goes on and the kinds of silly adventures that they’ll get involved with. It’s well animated and has the love for spirits that will definitely delight many fans. This should be a winning combination overall with its run if it builds upon what’s here well.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.

Viz Media has made a welcome pickup that’s been announced at NYCC this weekend with the acquisition of the Blame! feature film that premiered on Netflix this past spring. The distributor doesn’t have a date for it yet but will be bringing it out on both DVD and Blu-ray and will have the bonus materials that we’ve seen from Japan for on-disc extras with the art gallery while the Blu-ray will also get the making-of documentary.

Check out what the Japanese release that’s coming in November is like.

Hiroyuki Seshita directed the film at Polygon Pictures while original creator Tsutomu Nihei is on board to work on the character designs and the script itself as a creative consultant.

The Japanese cast includes Takahiro Sakurai as Killy, Kana Hanazawa as Cibo, Sora Amamiya as Zuru, Kazuhiro Yamaji as Pop, Mamoru Miyano as Sutezo, Aya Suzaki as Tae, Nobunaga Shimazaki as Fusata, Yuki Kaji as Atsuji and Aki Toyosaki as The Authority.

The original manga ran between 1998 and 2003 for a total of ten volumes, which TOKYOPOP released. There were a few short incarnations after that which have not been picked up, and a six episode ONA from 2003 that Media Blasters licensed and released previously.

Plot concept: In the distant technological future, civilization has reached its ultimate Net-based form. An “infection” in the past caused the automated systems to spiral out of order, resulting in a multi-leveled city structure that replicates itself infinitely in all directions. Now humanity has lost access to the city’s controls, and is hunted down and purged by the defense system known as the Safeguard. In a tiny corner of the city, a little enclave known as the Electro-Fishers is facing eventual extinction, trapped between the threat of the Safeguard and dwindling food supplies. A girl named Zuru goes on a journey to find food for her village, only to inadvertently cause doom when an observation tower senses her and summons a Safeguard pack to eliminate the threat. With her companions dead and all escape routes blocked, the only thing that can save her now is the sudden arrival of Killy the Wanderer, on his quest for the Net Terminal Genes, the key to restoring order to the world.

The sequel to Pacific Rim had a fun path in getting made and changes along the way while trying to also decide on how to work the story without being repetitive. The new film is looking to expand on things and while the first one went with Del Toro’s view of mecha anime brought to live action form, this one looks to angle a bit more toward the sentai things and going with more daylight scenes – which is actually easier CG work than night time + water based CG work and likely helped to keep the budget down.

The trailer is being attached to the release of Blade Runner 2049 today so if you’re planning on seeing that you may want to hold off on watching the trailer to see it then.

Directed by Stephen S. De Knight, the film stars John Boyega, Cailee Spaeny, Jiang Tian and Scott Eastwood. None of the cast from the original film have been confirmed to return and Charlie Hunnam saying specifically that he would be sitting this one out.

Plot Concept: John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.

Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny), as the heroes of the PPDC become the only family he has left. Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they will set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale.