Natsume Yuujinchou [ A gem of warmth ]

Simplicity, mixed with warmth, with a tint of darkness that surrounds creatures of the dark, yet, all is engulfed in a set of what we call mere mundane emotions.

Today we present you with Natsume Yuujinchou a heartwarming anime that touches on topics that appear simple at the first glance but have rather intricate and deeper meanings when inspected carefully. Natsume Yuujinchou is a mere high school boy who can see yokai.

“Been there, done that. Not interested!” Those might be the first thoughts that cross your mind. 

Well trust me on this one, if you discard the anime from just reading my first lines, then you are letting go of one of the most simple, beautiful and moving anime you will ever lay your eyes upon.

PRESS PLAY :3 !

So let me ask you this and I hope you answer me truthfully:

Have you ever been so tired  that you wanted to turn your laptop on and watch a simple heartwarming anime that is not too intricate with its plot to leave you with a headache like the BIG ANIME, yet has at the same time depth, heartwarming feeling, and character development that will not leave you agitated ?

Well, if “YES” is your answer then you can carry one reading. If “NO” is your answer then you can ALSO carry on reading :3 !

"Thank you... for not growing to hate humans."

        Plot: Natsume Yuujinchou is a very plain anime at first sight, that tells how one boy gets his hands on his late grandmother’s Book of Friends and releases a demon called Madara from his seal who later becomes his bodyguard only until Natsume dies; the latter promises to hand him The Book of Friends as a price.

The Book of Friends contains the name of yokai whom his grandmother defeated in the past which makes the demons indebted to Reiko and hence, Natsume the owner of the book.

       Themes:

So what is so amazing about this anime? The anime is 13 episodes (season 1) , which tells several encounters with major Yokai. Some are trying to find their names, yet others have ripped the veil that separates humans from yokai and are seeking to have their wishes granted.From love, to simply the desire of not being forgotten to various other themes that are simple, yet, humane in nature, the anime will tackle.

Although many might underestimate it, the loneliness, the beauty of friendship, the forbidden love between humans and Yokai, the depleting feeling of anger, sorrow, loss, and more importantly the feeling of isolation are only some of the themes weaved into such a so-called plain anime.

Who would have thought that someone can actually present Yokai in a very "human" and fragile nature? Apparently, the mangaka and the anime succeeded in doing that.

 Characters:

Other than Madara ( who sometimes takes the form of a cat ) and Natsume there are several characters whom we encounter as the episodes roll. I will refrain from delving into their pasts, fears, and simple desires. Yet, although some get only an episode to retell their story, the latter can be quite deep on several occasions leaving you speechless. One remarkable encounter (season one) is when deities lose all their followers. This makes you wonder what really happens to them as people stop believing.

    Natsume and Madra in different forms! [ Kawaii Neko-chan is sometimes called Nyanko-sensei :P ]

Editor’s side note: To be honest some episodes left me speechless, others left me jumping out of satisfaction, peace and warmth, yet, some were quite sad that made me tear up. YET, I assure you I did not cry. To me it was more moving than Clannad, Clannad After Story, or even Angel Beats. [ GO figure! In addition, the last three anime stated did not even move me :P ]

Music: 

Remarkable, lovable, and very touching at times ! Check out the lyrics when you get some free time ~!

Final Comments: I love the anime, and season 2 and 3 are currently torrenting. The music leaves me speechless, the anime leaves me wanting and yearning, more like extending my hand into the characters' hearts and wanting a place between them, and by the end of the day I am left with the resonating warmth that the anime leaves behind. It is and will always be memorable and warm!

It is a 10 for me because it is such an undiscovered yet valuable gem to those who know that beauty is not something that is discovered by the eyes yet by the heart <3 !

My thoughts on: Rebuild of Evangelion 3.33 You can (not) redo

This time instead of reviewing I'll just write my thoughts on the movie Evangelion 3.0

I know lots of you didn't watch it yet so I'll make this short enough to sum it up in 2 images with a minor spoiler (nothing big, it won't ruin the movie)

Here is the first one 

This is pretty much how things happened at the producing studios (Khara).

And next one is: 

Ok that's it for today stay tuned and subscribe for more anime reviews!

Anime Review: Angel Beats

Hello everyone! Today I will be reviewing one of the best anime out there that really affected me: Angel Beats

Before I begin let me say 2 words about why I began to watch this anime:
   1- The original idea (the plot take place in the after life)
   2- The beautiful art/animation
   3- The presence of guitar

With this being said I will begin the review (you can read relaxed, I won't be spoiling the story)

Story:

The story takes place in school acting as a limbo for those who died. People who are sent there are those with lingering attachment to life and are rebelling against there past; In other words people with a hard childhood (sickness, paralysis, un-achieved goals etc...).
Note that people who committed suicide are not allowed to go there and people there can still feel pain, sadness and can "die" (they will awaken sometimes later with no injuries)
The story begins with Otonashi Yuzuru, a boy who awaken there not remembering anything about his life.

Upon awakening he is approached by an armed girl: Yuri Nakamura

Yuri tells him that she is a member of the Afterlife Battlefront (Shinda Sekai Sensen or SSS), an organization she founded and leads against the oppressing God and his messenger Tenshi (Angel in Japanese).

Tenshi

There is a rock band called Girls Dead Monster that act as a diversion for the SSS missions and a guild that mass produces weapons.

The rest of the afterlife school is populated by a large number of "normal" students and teachers Yuri deems "non-player characters" (NPCs) as they are not human, but look and act the part.

Also if they just do like everybody (go to class and everything) they will be obliterated and reincarnated as a sea barnacle (or so they say)

Now I won't say anymore to avoid spoilers, I will just say that the story is really not what you might believe, things are very complicated. We have some childish humor but we also have this dark atmosphere when some of the SSS member's past is revealed. Each one has a unique story, torturous, depressing tale. 

The ending will leave you in tears

(image pretty much accurate of how I felt at the ending)

Characters:

As I mentioned before the story follow mostly Yuzuru and the SSS in their fight against Tenshi. Though we might notice that not all the character's past is covered (the Manga and the Light Novel do)
Each of them also have a special way to make you laugh as they are funny as hell.

Sound:

Nothing to say, the music is awesome, perfect, you will never forget it.

Opening theme "My soul"

"My song" One of the most emotional

And the ending theme which is relaxing after an action episode

Also the music really fits the situations, happy songs in happy moments, sad songs in sad moments.

Animation:

The animation in this series is quite detailed and beautiful. The school campus looks good and the scenery is close to flawless. The character designs are wide and different for every character. It doesn’t rely on sex-appeal or moe characters, which is refreshing. The amount of detail put in the weapons and instruments is impressive. If you’re knowledgeable with these kinds of things, you can clearly see what model, brand and such the different items are. The violence is dramatic, but not «gory» or noticeably special.

The action scenes does not disappoint as well. It gets your blood pumping, and that’s all it takes for a viewer to want to see more.

The series has its own band called «Girls Dead Monster». The amount of detail put into their performances is incredible. If you watch closely, you can see that the guitarist holds the correct chords, the drummer hits the right drums and the bassist plays as if it was a real performance. Now THAT is amazing since anime often just lets the guitarists hand slide up and down the neck of the guitar and so forth.

Difference with the Manga:

The manga is still ongoing, and it is wider since it covers more the SSS's members story.

Conclusion:

Overall, this anime is one for all tastes, and it will have you crying and laughing at the same time. You will start thinking about your own life in comparison to the pasts of the members of the Battlefront and get caught in deep thought. It is visual and musical brilliance, and I would recommend seeing this if you want a mix of everything. It did turn into one of my favorites the moment I finished it, and the same may happen to you.

Final Grade: 9.8/10 MUST WATCH!