Kimi ni Todoke, Episodes 10 and 11: Cooperation and Special?

I caught myself up on Kimi ni Todoke last night, but I didn't manage to get a post up about the episodes, so here they are! I'm not thrilled with all that's going on in Kimi ni Todoke right now, but there was still plenty to love about both of these episodes. Just when I think Sawako can not possibly get anymore adorable, she does. She's such a lovable character that I feel like I'll never be able to get all that frustrated with this anime.

The Kurumi plotline really holds no interest to me. It's a shame, because I really do like Aya Hirano. However, I do like to see the way Sawako responds to it, and there was still some good stuff for other characters as well. Kazehaya had a few nice moments, and Ryu always manages to be hilarious in whatever little screentime he has. I hope Kurumi leaves the scene soon so there's more time for all the show's other characters.

Even when I'm not that into the story, I can't help but love this anime. From the beautiful backgrounds to the wonderfully crafted characters, Kimi ni Todoke just has a way of sucking me in no matter what. I hope there are more episodes with a slice-of-life type feeling to look forward to soon.

Rating: 94/100

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The Sacred Blacksmith: Series Review

I should start this review off by saying that The Sacred Blacksmith isn't anything special. The story is tells is a pretty generic one, and most of what it does has been done plenty of times before. The characters are pretty stock, and for the most part, the story is predictable. There's filler, and there are quite a few plot threads left dangling. But, in spite of all that, I enjoyed this series.

When I first got into anime, I would watch just about anything I could get my hands on. This resulted in me seeing some great stuff, and seeing some stuff that felt like an animated Dungeons and Dragons game. The Sacred Blacksmith felt like an updated version of one of those animes. It evoked a lot of feelings of nostalgia in me. In many ways, this anime is like watching an old-school, lame but lovable RPG.

I don't think this is a series that will be remembered for long, and I wouldn't recommend it to many people. However, it does have its charms. If old RPGs give you warm fuzzies too, or if you're in the mood for something short and simple with some good fight scenes, you might want to give this series a go. The show does pick up around the third episode, and it has a few genuinely good moments. Maybe you'll like The Sacred Blacksmith in spite of itself too.

Rating: 84/100

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The Sacred Blacksmith, Episodes 11 and 12: Truth and Blacksmith

I know I have a few shows I need to catch up on a little more than I do The Sacred Blacksmith, but I really wanted to go ahead and finish out the series. I almost dropped this series a bunch of times, and while it has plenty of flaws, I'm really pleased that I stuck with it. This felt in many ways like the sort of show I would've been really into when I first started watching anime- but I'll write more on that later.

The Sacred Blacksmith did get back to its video game feel a little bit with these episodes. In the last episode, they did one of the very things that I got annoyed with them for doing in the first episode all over again. I didn't think these two were as good as episodes 9 and 10 were, but I still felt that it was a satisfying ending, and I really enjoyed a lot of the character centric stuff. It was nice to see how far Cecily managed to come.

I'll write a lot more about this and the anime as a whole when I do my recap of the series tomorrow. I was so back and forth on this anime and I feel like I have a lot of thoughts to say about it. For now, I'll bid Sacred Blacksmith goodbye.

Rating: 88/100

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The Book of Bantorra, Episode 11: A Weakling, the Labyrinth, and Moving the Queen

I apologize for my lack of updates in the last few days. This is a busy time of year, and there just aren't as many chances to sit down and watch some anime. However, I have the whole weekend ahead of me now, and I should hopefully be able to power through plenty of episodes so that I can get as caught up as possible. Having said that, onto episode 11 of The Book of Bantorra.

This episode continues to make Hamyuts Meseta more and more intriguing to me. The contrast between her and the way the villain in this episode was handled was really intriguing to me. I've got to say though, I will be incredibly disappointed if she doesn't get as fleshed out as most of the other characters in this anime by the time this series is over. I want to understand her someday!

There are a few things I'm frustrated with right now (what happened to Volken?), but overall this anime is getting pretty entertaining. I don't think I could handle many shows like this at once, but on its own, it's a pretty neat thing. A nice break from everything else that tends to be out there.

Rating: 89/100

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The Sacred Blacksmith, Episodes 9 and 10: Vestige -Lisa- and Double Suicide -Tragedy-

After a nice long weekend, it's back to watching my anime! I am really happy I decided to get back into the groove of things with the last two episodes of The Sacred Blacksmith, because this was honestly some great stuff, better then I've come to expect from this show. Episode 10 in particular was easily the show's best episode to date.

The episodes connect into each other a bit, and I'm glad I watched them together, but all I really want to talk about is episode 10. My little theory about how the better Cecily is, the better the show is has never felt more true. She was amazingly capable in the episode, and I got really excited and involved in her fight. I never had that confidence that you often get watching anime that everything was going to turn out okay, and that makes any fight more compelling. The plotline was tragic but really well done, and they set up some great stuff for the show's ending. 

It's amazing to see how far The Sacred Blacksmith has come since the extremely generic first episode. It looks like they're going to go all out for the last two episodes, and I can't wait to see what is planned. It should be pretty epic stuff.

Rating: 90/100

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The Book of Bantorra, Episode 10: An Eccentric, a Mother, and the Black Ants' Nest

Onto The Book of Bantorra's excellently named 10th episode! This anime starts up a new story arc with this episode, but it remains as confounding as ever. I seriously think that this might be the most unpredictable anime of all time.

I didn't enjoy this episode quite as much as the last one, but I seriously doubt that'll be a problem. This is definitely the sort of anime that gets better as more pieces of the story come together. I wasn't crazy about the Mokkania but Bantorra always has plenty of curveballs to throw.

Watching this anime is...an experience. I have no idea what to expect from it. I feel like at this point, things could just devolve into a bunch of cliches and that would be shocking. All I can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

Rating: 87/100

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Kobato, Episode 9: .Memories of Summer

I can't believe I'm 9 episodes into Kobato already. Kobato's ninth episode gives Kobato a change in outfits as well as a change of seasons. It seems like time is moving along really quickly in the show considering, but I'm sure that'll be addressed.

I enjoyed this week's "healed heart" story. I especially liked that Kobato was more actively involved in fixing the problems this week instead of stumbling into it by accident as she often does. The story is something that I found really relatable as well, so it definitely tugged at my heartstrings.

I love this anime so much. There's really not much else to say about it. I can't wait to read the manga after Kobato finishes up.

Rating: 96/100

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Kimi ni Todoke, Episode 9: New Friend

Onto episode 9 of Kimi ni Todoke! This was a pretty oddly placed episode- it felt more like the middle of an episode then one with a concrete beginning, middle, and end- but I enjoyed it all the same. There were some really great scenes, and even though I'm not thrilled with some of the plotlines on the show right now, I'm still totally entertained.

Right now, I'm just thrilled the anime is letting Sawako stay happy. I was worried that things would fall into a pattern of Sawako being miserable, then getting cheered up again. I don't think I could've gotten behind watching that. I'm sure that some drama with Kurumi is coming up, but as long as Kazehaya and her friends are there to support her through it, I really don't care. I just hope to get another episode like Saturday Night again.

I feel like I complain about this anime way too much, considering how much I like it. If you haven't seen it, and this is turning you off to it, ignore me! Kimi ni Todoke is an awesome show. Go watch it now.

Rating: 95/100

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Sasameki Koto, Episode 8: Ripple

I'm now up to episode 8 of Sasameki Koto. This episode was a pretty dramatic change in pace from the zaniness of last week's episode. Sasakmeki Koto has been full of comedy in the past, but this was more like a nice little slice of life anime. I really enjoyed it.

Aoi was adorable in this episode. It's nice to see more of her, and I hope she continues to get more screentime. I also liked that some nice things were set up plot wise here. I hope we still get a few comedic episodes in the future, but the slight change of pace really seems like it'll be good for this anime.

Overall, this was a huge step up from last week's episode for me. I think this anime is at its best when it finds the perfect mix of drama and comedy, but I'd gladly take this over more episodes like last week. I'm really curious to see what'll happen with this anime in the weeks to come.

Rating: 87/100

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Seitokai no Ichizon, Episode 9: My Student Council

Seitokai no Ichizon is now up to episode 9! I've been pretty fed up with this anime as of late, but I wasn't as bothered by this episode. I don't know if I would call this one of the anime's better episodes, but it mixed things up, and that's what I need out of this anime the most.

The Chizuru plot this week felt a bit incongruous, but I still enjoyed it. I'm not sure if there's a parody I'm missing here or not, but I found it to be pretty well written and quite different from most of the stuff the show has been giving me. I'll take it over the same old jokes any day (although the Death Note reference made me giggle).

I know that this anime is based on a manfa, and I feel like it must have worked much better in the format. Picking it up for an occasional read seems perfect for Seitokai no Ichizon. Still, this episode was a nice little diversion. I didn't mind it!

Rating: 76/100

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The Sacred Blacksmith, Episode 8: Departure -Resolution-

Onto episode 8 of The Sacred Blacksmith. Thankfully, this episode was a huge improvement over last week's fanservice riddled episode. The story arc came to an end satisfyingly, and there were plenty of great moments for Cecily in particular.

Though Charlotte was a cute character, and they did try and tie this into the main storyline of the show somewhat, I can't help but think of these episodes as filler. As I was watching the anime's OP I was thinking about how funny it is that Luke is the show's title character but has played a pretty small role in all of this as a whole. I assume that he'll play a much larger role in the 4 episodes of the anime that are left, but it's pretty strange all the same.

Still, I was throughly entertained by watching this. The Sacred Blacksmith isn't going to be topping best of lists, and will probably won't get many mentions in the years to come outside of anime fans sneeringly referring to it as "The Sacred Boobsmith", but there's something I like a lot about this show.  I'm looking forward to seeing the plot thicken now that things are so close to being over. Here's hoping this one goes out with a bang.

Rating: 85/100

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2nd Annual ANIMAF AwardsTrailer #2

The trailer for the second annual ANIMAF Awards is now up. To learn more about the ANIMAF Awards, head over to afufu.net.

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Nyan Koi!, Episode 8: The Burning Private Instruction Runner

Nyan Koi! is already on its 8th episode. Well, it's farther along than that, really, but I'm still a bit behind when it comes to this anime. There aren't too many episodes left, so I'm sure I'll get all caught up soon.

This episode of Nyan Koi! had some great moments- I especially liked the ending- but it felt a bit all over the place to me. There was a lot going on that didn't seem to have much of anything to do with the plot, and the plot itself felt pretty thin. This episode wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't one of the best either.

This anime is starting to get a bit repetitive, which makes me sad. The cat element makes for some pretty terrific comedy, and it never felt generic to me the way so many other harem shows did. I'm just hoping that things get great again as this show gets closer to the end.

Rating: 85/100

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The Book of Bantorra, Episode 9: A True Man, a Battlefield, and My World

I'm now up to episode 9 of The Book of Bantorra. It's been a strange ride up to this point. I've never known quite how to feel about this show, and I wasn't even sure if the show was even going anywhere until last week. This anime is still extremely hard to predict, but I think I've finally settled into it. This was another very enjoyable episode for me.

Ganbanzel is an interesting character, and it was fun to learn a bit more about him. What I'm really starting to get excited over, however, is learning more about Hamyuts Meseta. I try to develop theories about her character and they continually seem to get crushed. I can't wait to learn her whole story.

I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the pacing of The Book of Bantorra, but now that I've found a way to enjoy it, I'm good. I'd try to theorize about what's coming in the next few weeks, but I think my attempts to do so would be laughable. I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride this anime provides.

Rating: 89/100

If you'd like to watch this anime episode for free, you can do so here.

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Kobato, Episode 8: A Kitten's Lullaby

Kobato strives to get even cuter in its 8th episode. This is generally a pretty adorable anime, but sickening levels of sweetness were achieved with this episode. I was also pleased to see a few familiar faces popping up here, even if they were in small doses. I hope it'll continue in the future.

It seems like Fujimoto has played a large role in most of the last few episodes. I'm hoping for a big story arc involving him soon. I haven't read the Kobato manga at all so I'm not sure how far they've gotten with him there, but it really seems like the anime writers are gunning for something big with him. I can't wait to see it.

I feel like I'm repeating myself every week when I sum up this show. I can only say that it's sweet and wonderful and I love it so many times before I sound like a broken record, so I'll mix it up a little. I don't think this is a show that's going to convert any non-CLAMP fans over to their side, but anyone who has loved shows like Card Captor Sakura or Chobits should really check this one out. I think they'll fall in love with Kobato too.

Rating: 95/100

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Kimi ni Todoke, Episode 8: Voluntary Practice

It's hard to believe it, but I'm already on episode 8 of Kimi ni Todoke! This episode wasn't quite as good for me as the last one was, but it was still terrific and had that slice-of-life feel that I love about this anime. There weren't as much of some of the characters as I would've liked, but Sawako was probably the cutest she's ever been here, and there were some good moments of Kazehaya as well.

I'm not particularly interested in the Kurumi storyline that they seem to be developing, but I do enjoy Aya Hirano's voice acting. I don't think that they'll go back to so many people being against Sawako even when they do reintroduce some melodrama to the show, and I'm glad for that. I hope that there's room for a few more sweet and simple episode's like last weeks in there as well.

I wasn't sure about this show at the beginning, but I've really fallen in love with this anime and its characters. I'll definitely be picking up the manga after this one ends. I look forward to enjoying all the episode of Kimi ni Todoke I have left this season.

Rating: 95/100

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Darker Than Black II, Episodes 7 and 8: The Doll Sings to the Dancing Snow and On Summer Days, the Sun Sways

My quest to get the longest post title possible continues with episodes 7 and 8 of Darker Than Black II. I think I enjoy this show more when I get a double dose of it. These managed to combine just about everything I loved about season one of this anime with all the best stuff of season 2, and it mafe for a great viewing experience.

The intrigue level of this anime was really ramped up, especially in episode 7. I didn't see the reveal coming at all until this episode. I'm really curious to see how it plays out. So many great plotlines were set up, and I can't wait to see how this anime follows through on them.

It looks like Darker Than Black II is back to getting better with each episode, and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. These episodes really managed to be dark but not have that ugly and uncomfortable feeling the show did for a little bit. Also, I know I've mentioned that this show has scenes after the credits before, but please make sure you see the one after episode 7. It's pretty important!

Rating: 96/100

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