What I watched in March: Digest Version

b Black Butler:  Dog training with Sebastian.  Holy cow.  I do love the sometimes vicious interplay between Ciel and Sebastian.  "I'm far past being afraid of shattering."  Oh, Ciel.  When he shows he's an adult by teaming up with Grelle to save Lizzie instead of seeking immediate revenge for Madame Red, it kind of breaks my heart.  And "I don't want time to heal my wounds."  So therapy is not an option, then, and living is not the best revenge as far as Ciel is concerned. 

b Cyborg 009: I really like this show; it's just good, angsty, superpowered fun.  I have now had two chances to experience this work, and I have been prevented from seeing it through to completion both times, once by TV cancellation and the second time by DVD release cancellation.  (And the manga got cancelled early, too, in case you wondered.)  But, but, fun things!  Ooo, new character designs!  I hope this movie is good, but trying to cram all that and all those characters into a movie while doing them all justice without having time for character development will be tricky.

b Kaze No Stigma: Really?  Was there really a need for that many panty shots all the time?  The voice acting, especially of the main characters, tries its best to make up for the panty shots, and it's pretty darn good, but sometimes they don't have much to work with.  A fun, adrenalin-soaked tsundere good time.  The extras were kind of fun, too, in a ridiculous way.

b Maison Ikkoku box 4: Oh, romantic comedy; sometimes I just want to slap you.  However, the frustration of people being obnoxious and miscommunicating constantly is finite in this show, so I find it bearable.  Or I would if I could ever get ahold of a cheap copy of the last set.  (Don't worry; I've read it, and I saw the whole thing on Netflix, so I'm not in agony about how it ends.)

b Salaryman Kintaro 5 of 5: No matter how many times I watch this, it's still just totally ridiculous.  And incomprehensible.  Seriously, what's with the ending?  Sigh.  Did I mention how much I love this testosterone-laden, salaryMANtastic MANime-fest?  It makes me laugh so hard.

What I watched in January 2012: Digest Version

b Blood +: Part Two:   I thought I hadn't seen most of the second half, but apparently, I was only missing the last few episodes.  I still really like this show.  Good dub, good characters, interesting psychology, great music, solid, heartbreaking ending: what more could I ask for?

b Legend of Black Heaven: A thirty-something protagonist who used to be an almost-famous rock star.  Rocky relationships with his wife and son, a job he hates.  Life it kind of crappy.  Until the aliens come and tell him that only his guitar playing can save the planet.  (I am not making this up.)  The dub is great fun (with Beau Billingsly [you may be familiar with his portrayal of Jet Black in Cowboy Bebop] as the lead), and this show deserves an award for showing the best bedhead ever displayed in anime.  "Rock and Roll is going to save the Earth!"  Rock on, man.  It's totally ridiculous, and I love it.

b xxxHolic: Hmmm.  I wondered how they were going to do this adaptation.  In the end, they took some of the tamer stuff and put together a serviceable series not lacking all the manga's bite (but most of it, especially the long-running plot threads that tied in to long-term payoffs and developments beyond the scope the anime).  They knew this one wasn't ever going to get to do the whole series, so they took out most of the long-term plot connection elements without making too many dumb mistakes.  It's fairly gorgeous.  Some of the voice acting in English grated on me, but, well, it's not their fault Watanuki is such a spaz.  His is a hard role to play.  : )  Overall, worth watching.