Book Review: Uma Aventura na Amazónia - Ana Maria Magalhaes

Author: Ana Maria Magalhães & Isabel Alçada
Book: Uma Aventura na Amazonia
Year: 2009
Pages: 240
Part of Series: Uma Aventura 
Reading Time: May 2022 (8 days)
Rating: 7 Stars

What an interesting read for my favorite children's read "Uma Aventura". Read when I as 12 , still reading when I am 41.

This time our friends go to Brazil for a small vacations and there of course they have a new adventure where they try to deal with problems that deal in Amazonia like destroying of rain forest, animals being stolen from their habitats and sold to the highest bidder and we also learn more about hidden indians that still to this day remain hidden and what to be left alone.

This adventure was a bit different than the others I've read because it had political stuff involved where usually are merely adventures. Quite different stuff.

Book Review: Uma Aventura em Conimbriga - Ana Maria Magalhaes & Isabel Alçada

Author: Ana Maria Magalhaes & Isabel Alçada
Book: Shadow of the vulture
Year: 2017
Pages: 203
Part of Series: Uma Aventura (59)
Reading Time: July 2022 (5 days)
Rating: 5 Stars

So another interesting children book about a group of children as they are representing in a roman ceremony. Portugal has some old towns, so there are parties, ceremonies where people act a people from that time would have done. Medieval fairs is the most common but there are some roman stuff... the latter more on cities with roman ruins. Our more famous ruin is without doubt Conimbriga where Coimbra's name comes from. Basically it was an old roman town that was discover long ago, hundreds of years ago but only in the end of 1800 there were excavation because the town was beneath earth. And it's big tourist attraction.

I am not going to spoil but this one deals with an ancient treasury supposedly hidden underneath, There is also a gang of criminals that want the same stuff. As per normal Uma aventura , the bad guys are really bad and the good guys really good. There is no room for grey areas as you probably would expect from a children novels.

I've been reading for 30 years and while they write I Will read - unfortunately due to the age of the two women who write I highly doubt there will be many more - I do hope I am wrong! 

Anime Review: Banana Fish (Summer 2018)

Here we go. One of the most interesting animes from last season which finished yesterday. You can honestly divide this anime into two couers (around 12 episodes each part). The first half it's very fast forward with a lot happening and we get to know our main characters plus most of the antagonists.

This is an adult anime, no matter how you look at it. It's noir crime mix with action and some parts that talk about being raped - but, since he was a guy and he was rape nobody talked about it. But when it happen in Goblin Slayer my god the rants...

Don't get me wrong - This one served a purposed who making us empathize for Lynx while understanding how he came to be a bit of cold-blooded.

Overall it's a good show but I believe it's nothing over the top. That kind of anime you won't suggest to your friend UNLESS he asks for anime set in america or a gay/bi protagonist or with a lot of action.

Nevertheless, I believe it was a good show with a good ending with a good art/animation.

Anime Review Part 1 - Galaxy Express 999 (1979)

Galaxy Express is a tvshow that from the late 70's and early 80's. With 113 episodes plus several movies and some spinoffs it was a big project at that time. The last tv show from that series was in 2005. It's very well known in Japan but in the west not so much. Probably because at that time Anime was not that know in Europe and the USA and then the project was big to thwart some investment. With the internet it was easier to people to learn about this show but unfortunately it's still not well know because, well people have problem starting a show with 100 plus episodes (plus the art is not that good compare with nowadays).


This show also suffers from some problems - and it's the format on itself. Each episode it's full of really not that important stuff in the great scheme of things.

Well, I am getting astray. Basically the anime follows Tetsurou and his quest to get a mechanical body. With the help of the enigmatic Maetel he boards a train with a free pass and will get him to a planet where getting a mechanical body is free. Although it's never specific a lot of people have mechanical bodies but some are even poorer than him - I don't know why but it's never explain. Apart from a couple episodes each episode it's basically a life lesson and it's way of Maetel and other times coincidentally to make him learn something.

There are a lot of interesting episodes but as I said before most of them are just fill. They would made all the sense but so far Tetsurou doesn't learn anything - or at least it seems. Apart from a couple episodes, as I said before, they could be seen in any order you want. This is the problem with episodic tv shows. Detective Conan suffers from the same problem. But as long you are enjoying it doesn't matter 90% is fillers.

Each episode deals with different stuff for the creator to make us wonder and think about something.

From stories that deal with where's our place in the universe (society), to our misguided and someone nostalgic feel of where is home and our delusion (sometimes of it); to dealings where foreign powers abuse your own country;  to critiques to the poor who turn rich and spit on the plate they once ate. Another episode dealt with technology vs nature faction and why they can never live one without the other or even the the ridiculous growth of manufacturing goods in the 70's with no responsibility to damage they were doing to nature. One interesting episode dealth with material money and how other people see it (not everything is just what it seems).  I remember this episode being very sad (ep16). Episode 17 was another sad one where we are told about the rule of survival of the fittest and how to the strong to live the weak must perish.. 

As you can see a lot of theme and such. As I said, unfortunately even if in the episode Tetsurou connects with those characters in the next they are soon forgot. Let us see where the next 70 eps lead us.

There are some other stuff we will talk about a later day like the imagery quality and characters themselves.

Anime Review: Sword Art Online II (Summer 2014)

All the gang (harem).

Guilly pleasure mix with some facepalm situations...
That's how I think of the Sword Art Online II. This anime had some great premise. I remember enjoying the first episodes of the first SOA but then thinking that Kirito (Kazuto) made Asuna pass from the second most powerful kensai to a housewife and a chef. The last twelve episodes of the first season we almost never see Asuna. 

When we start season 2 I already knew that this season had it's problems and boy it had. First of all we meet another girl Shino and she had some problems. It was very interesting two or three episodes. Enter Kirito and she becomes almost a side character of her show. Twelve episodes later I thought another woman that turn from a lion to a little kitten because of Kirito. Another woman to his harem.

Then we've got some 3 or 4 episodes that really felt like a side-quest of a videogame. Had no purpose at all and then enter the last 6 episodes and probably the better of the 48 episodes. Thus enter Yuuki. A swords-woman more powerful than Kirito and befriends Asuna. With her help and the remaining guild of sleeping knights they do a quest to be remembered. But then the last three episodes really broke my heart - I admit I cried...

Kirito & Asuna in AOL

It seems in the future (this is 2023) terminal patients and other people in pain can "live" inside a virtual world because that way they don't suffer and can live peacefully. I must say I really enjoy this (although there are some questions behind - but it's cool - this is anime).

Well it seems Yuuki has HIV and she is in her final days of life and so she has been playing for two years. The reason they wanted to do that quest was so their names become inscribe in a stone and they could life forever (or until the game lived on) after all most of the sleeping knights had terminal diseases. So the last three episodes were a roller-coaster of emotion and thank the gods Kirito was almost absent.

Sinon the un-important main character...

I think the Sword Art Online is a good franchise but I think the creator of the Light Novel didn't really knew what he was entering when he start writing the first two books. I've read in some forum that he didn't knew how to write female characters and such made them love interest more easier... That's why there is a lot of people who dislike those two books but enjoy some of the latter. First Asuna turns from Strong Female character to another female in his harem. In the second season she is almost absent in the first 12 episodes and only returns in the last 6. Then we've got the girls in the harem. His step-sister who was an important character for 12 episodes "just" exist in the season 2. The same happens with the blacksmith that was important in 2 or 3 episodes in the first season and Asuna and Kirito "Daughter".  Even Sinon who was the main character in the first 14 episodes becomes like all the other minor or irrelevant side characters. And Asuna who don't even care about them being jealous of her relation with Kirito. The situation a bout Asuna and the relation with her mother which I think could have been better. Btw, they entered the world of SAO when they were 14/15 (so middle-school) and left 2 years later



. But at 17/18 they were on the last year of high-school. Argh... hard to swallow.


Another turn-off is the all over-powerful character he is. Kirito is not in the same league of Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni OR Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku but almost. He knows everything and can do anything. When he meets someone he fights one on one but then he eventually wins. the only person he does not win is against Yuuki.


There is a movie (Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale) out that follows sword art 2 and it's a bridge to sword art online 3 Alicization that will come out in Oct 2018. Gonna watch it. Another girl to the ever growing harem? Alice?

Anime Review: Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho (Winter 2018)

"A place further than the universe..." This is it one of the anime of the year. Not season but year. I have no doubt (although it's just the beginning) that this one and Violet Evergarden will be on top 10 or top 5 of most people. Mahoutsukai no Yome as well but unfortunately this one began last year so I don't know where will it be - unfortunately (again) for the awards Boku Hero Academia is coming and probably will take the prize (even without airing), oh and Steins Gate and Attack on Titan... But original works? This three will be on top 10 no doubt.


So why this anime is good? 8.66 on Mal but I bet will get higher as months and years pass.This is how you make Slice of Life with a great lesson. There are dozens upon dozens of youtube videos that really talk about this better I will ever will.. Here 5 reviews I enjoyed in these videos.

So basically this is a story about 4 new-friends who want to travel to Antarctica. Each one for different reason but they ally with one another to go there.

Shirase (voice of Kana Hanazawa) is trying to go to Antarctica because she wants to go where her mother was lost 3 years ago. Mari wants to go because one day she wake up and was bored of her monotonous life. Yuzuki a child actress (Saori Hayami) needs to go because of some work. She is the main reason all other girls go and Hinata a curious and friendly girl always playing tricks on her friends. As the serious develop, so the characters themselves develop. We learn more about each one, motivation, fears and such.

There are a lot of other side characters, each one pretty well developed since they are only side characters (from the cook, to the girl who left her boyfriend and is afraid of him leaving to the captain (and close friend of Shirase's mother Toudou.


The first 6 to 7 episodes is setting the mood and what they are making to go to Antarctica -this anime went so far to make an episode in Australia and other south east Asia country. We've go to learn about the conditions on what they are doing to achieve that and the last episodes is about the Antarctica expedition as a all plus the culmination of the girls dreams (most of all Shirase).

This anime is a wake up call to people who are standing still and don't know what to do. Don't go to Antarctica BUT start living. This anime took the anime community by storm. IT look like another Cute Girls doing Cute Things but it's a serious anime full of drama.

Prepare to cry in the 12 episode... You will.

Then the last episode (The 13) really was the culmination of a perfect series. It's about realizing what it meant "Antarctica" and what it means to have friends. 

No doubt 10 out 10 and a top 10 of my favorite animes without no reservation. Wish for a new anime - about this girls trying to return to their everyday life. Sure seems hard to return from a journey of our life. After an fantastic holidays it's always hard to return...

About the art and animation? This is Madhouse jewel without any doubt. Perfect little anime. Great music, beautiful Intro and Ending. This is one anime I would without any reservation suggest people who never watch an anime. 

Anime Review: Overlord - Season 2 (Winter 2018)

Some of our main characters (in second part of Overlord 2)

Another review of another anime but this time about Overlord - one of my favourite series of 2015. With was my sixth anime since my return to anime world I really enjoy it. 


It was what I wanted. A series that connected to me since I read a lot of Warhammer & 40K. I wanted to watch some anime that focus on an evil character and this was it. 

Some characters that never appear (well the brothers (I think) appear in a couple of times).

I love it so much that I even bought the Light Novel and I was really surprised that the first season comprised of the first and second light novels and they made it so good.

The first season focus on Lord Ainz Ooal Gown or Momon who was trapped inside a game BUT DON'T WORRY - this is not SAO. This is more adult, more dark more epic if you like.

After finish the first season I quickly try other animes out there (focus on this premise of trapped within a video game or even Isekai but this one is probably my favourite (closely followed by Konosuba)).

Other main characters from season 2 (last arc)

When I learn that a second season was coming I was excited and true to be told is not as good as the first season. Why, you ask. Well, the first season focus a lot on our main character and the tower they live giving some background on the NPC that live and serve the tower of Nazarick (This in the first 6 episodes).  The next 6 episodes focus a lot on Momon with the help of Narberal as he explores the nearby city and trying to understand how things work (and how different they are from the game).
Meanwhile in the second season, the first six episodes follows a LOT of lizardman (some random guys who live nearby the tower) and what the plans are for them. Here we have a lot of interaction on Cocytus (Guardian of 5th floor) and somewhat in Demiurge (Guardian of 7th floor). The second part of the series focus again on Sebas (a buttler of Nazarick) and other non-related characters of Nazarick like Climb (nice name); evileye (last three episodes), Lakyus, Lord Stronoff, Gagaran, Tia, Brain

My main question is this... WHERE IS ALBEDO???? :) Yeah... there is almost no Albedo. Combining she has what? 5 lines throughout the season?

She looks so Kawaiii - the princess and climb BUT when someone hurts CLIMB she will turn into a psycopath (the bottom left is Sebas love maid)

The second half of the anime we learn that there is power people (well, to Nazarick standards they are like helpless ants) that rule E-Rantel and Momon wants to be a hero and so he with the help of Demiurge and the other Nazarick captains and Pleiades make that happen with some ruse that made some of the most awesome battles I've seen in anime.

I know some people dislike the trope (I do as well) of over-powerful characters like in SAO or Smartphone or Death March BUT here it works because even if he is over-powerful it's not the even the focus on the anime (I mean battles and such). This anime focus a lot on politics and it's what I call High Fantasy (or Epic) like Game of Thrones (minus the sex). It's all about the characters (all of them) and not only Momon. True be told in the second season he appears only in the last two or three episodes. Even Sebas or Demiurge are ovepowerful but the way the artists and writer wrote made them interesting, even if before the battle you already know he or she is going to win. That's why this anime works. The writing skill of the creator. That's why SAO sucks. Because the writer makes all about the main character and made it all too easy - the other characters exist only to give more focus on our main. In Overlord that doesn't happen at all. 

That ending left me wanting for more...WHAT A FIGHT between Momonga & Demiurge (they are still master and peer but - a ruse) Who the heck is that Princess Renner... She looks kawaii and scary as shit!

Demiurge vs Lord Ains

Overall, if you want a dark epic anime, this is it. If you want an evil main character this is it. There are some hints in his monologue in the last episode that hints to that (well throughout the series he always did what we would considered evil BUT in this context it's acceptable... only by watching you would understand...) There is blood and fighting that last 10m per episode. There is comedy as well. Every NPC (Nazarick captains and Pleiades) are different. I really enjoy this show and I hope it doesn't take two years two have a third season.

So, why 8 instead of 9 or 10? Well first of all - NO ALBEDO! eheh and  because some episodes, even if they gave a bit of wide information about the world, it was very sparse and the story really didn't jump forward that much. I think the first 6 episodes were sub-par and in moments I thought this was another anime because the main characters are the lizards. I know the purpose was to give us more info on other races/places but they over do it. The last 6 episodes with Sebas and Demiurge were way better and I would have given a 10 without any question asked... so 6 and 10 divided it's equal 8 eheh

Anime Review: Sword Art Online Season I (Summer 2012)

Well this was a ride and I might say it was a boring one. I am not a hater of the show like most of the community is BUT I am not a fan. There are a lot of reviews that give it a 9 or 10 rating which I cannot fully understand because there are so bad stuff in it.


First of all lets talk about Asuka - She is a top player in SAO but after meeting with Kirito she basically serves as a cook and dame in waiting in the last 10 episodes. This was character killing right here and there. Good looking, charming a bit tsundere in the beginning I really thought she good be a excelent waifu BUT alas... the writer had plans to but Kirito as a HERO (all caps locks - so tough luck Asuka).

Then Kirito - yeah lets start here. Talk about overpowering character in anime. There are worst out there - like in Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku or Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni. I know SAO is older but I hope the anime industry realizes that this doesn't work. Overpowerful characters don't make them more interesting. He has almost no personality but everything he tries to do - he do. And he also can have a harem but at least in this show he choose one and married her.

Now the plot - so basically 10,000 people are trapped in a game (I can live with it) but still live in the real life (I can live with it as well)  and the first two episodes are pretty good I might say - it took my heart BUT then it broke my heart without any remorse. Some side stories to give Kirito that air of self-remorse that appears from time to time but then more fillers about how he falls in love with Asuka and after one or two episodes we meet Asuka the fighter she becomes Asuka the cooker.

Then the final fight - deus-ex machina PLUS Kirito the invicible it ends and he awakes after several years in the game (at least he didn't grew and the muscles could rapidly move and he returns home to his sister - another anime the parents are non-existent).  So basically the plot advances where another game pop out but this one people aren't trapped.

IT seems Asuka is trapped in that game along 300 people. And it seems people still play that game and enjoy it (how? why? - the government really preoccupies about people...). We also learn that Asuka is being married (while asleep) with one of the father's workman who btw is the second villain of the anime series - which btw suck. One created the world to understand one thing but then afterwards soon forgets the reason (after all 2 or 3 years have passed) and the second one is psychotic and really so comically evil that I fight it hard not to express smile everytime I saw him.

The rest of characters, basically all women want to have sex with him (apart from that they are really pointless). 

Enjoyment? Well I had some. I watch it and I am going to watch the second season & this new sequel that don't evolve Kirito and Asuka - I hope it's better!

There are a lot of stuff that doesn't make sense and are really pointless - their virtual "daughter"; the other male characters which appears from time to time are just there with no real personality. I can't understand why people rank it 9/10. I really can't. Unless they are like High School DxD main character and want to be a Harem King but this time they choose one and keep the others. But no fan service so don't worry. 

This a show to watch if you want a simple anime set in a virtual world with not much to think about it... 5/10

Anime Review: Landlock (1996)

Landlock is a fantasy tale made in 1996. It has more problems than good.

Basically a boy and a girl (brothers) live happy in a village and they are suddently attacked by another girl who kills their father and destroys the village.  After some roundabouts they are captured and taken to a citadel.

The reason the girl wants to capture the boy (not the girl) is because he has some hidden power.

After the ending of the first episode we learn that this girl who is a commander on her father's army understands or realizes that her father is not her real father. She realizes (with the help of other boy and girl) that she is the twin sister of the boy she captures - This is quite easily to understand since both have one eye of each color (red and blue).

They help them escape but are soon recaptured and in the final confrontation the not-father shows his true colours and releases his hidden "wind" power. But in an anti-climatic ending the girl (not the twin) unleashes her true power and defeats the bad guy.

Truly bad ending.

The animation is okay - nothing worthy and the sound was made by a single keyboard -basically. Nothing worth of attention. 

Anime Review: Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990)

Cyber City Oedo 808 it's an interesting anime that deals with three criminal being turn upon police and for each resolved crime their 300 plus sentenced would drop a couple of years.

Each episode focus on one of the three man. The first one focus on Sengoku the second on Gogul and the third on Benten (not the original japanese names...)

Interesting part is that each one focus also on a theme. The First more on action scenes and where man turns into a machine (Ghost in the machine?); The second movie on cyborgs and the last one in immortality.

Even if this was released on 1990 it has a lot of 80's feeling (the music, the cyberpunk and so on..)

Poor characterization ruined and the action scenes are nothing to brag about...

Anime Review: Gin no Guardian (Spring 2017)

This anime was one of the most disappointed of all season. In the beginning I was really enjoying it. A 12/13m episode and the story was really good.

Basically it was the story of a boy and a girl that play a game and he knew who she was in real life but she didn't. He was some "noble" blood student and he was a boy who work several jobs and homeless. He play using the campus electricity.

I really enjoy that thing because they came together as a good pair. Unfortunally the game they play was destined to be closed down so they try to play as much time as they could. After the game close a new game started and then I thought I lost some episodes and got really confuse about the plot and goal. 

The girl was kidnapped (in real life) and so he had to play that a new game to get her back. But the last 4/5 episodes were really disappointing and made me wonder what a heck was a I watching. At times I thought I wasn't watching the same anime. The anime ended, not at a cliffhanger but really opened wide. Basically there was no "small" ending or something akin to a cliffhanger as to give us hints that a second season is in the making. 

From the creators of To Be Hero I was really disappointed by it. A second season will come, and I will probably watch it BUT it doesn't help on my review. 

(First 6/7 episodes)
Story 6/10
World Building 7/10
Character Building 8/10
Animation/Art 7/10
Sound 8/10
Enjoyment 6/10 

(After the 7th episode)
Story 3/10
World Building 4/10
Character Building 3/10
Animation/Art 7/10
Sound 8/10
Enjoyment 2/10 
Overall 4/10

Anime Review: Now and Then, Here and There (Fall 1999)

Now and then, Here and There is another "transported to another world" kind of anime. Probably one of the first to be made. Whereas the ones I've see have some comic relief, others have some challenges but nothing is very hard or difficult... am I making myself clear? Hmm I think the word I am trying to say is that most of all have not a dark theme. This one does... and does it a lot.

I am very torn of what to make of this... 
Did I enjoy it? Yes. 
Do I think the main character and all other characters are one dimensional? Again, yes.
Did I cry? Yes
Etc...

This show is one you watch and then you wanna curl up in your room and stare at the blank wall mumbling and cursing everything and everyone.

This show is dark that I can't even recommend it to anyone NEVERTHELESS is one I want to say It's my favorite. It's dark and gloomy and should not be watch to the faint of heart or people that are easily upset with the dark side of humanity.

You've got your main character Shu which is not an hero like most other "transported to another world" kind of guys. He wasn't given any super good weapon, intelligence or wits. No he is the same guy.

He is transported to another world after trying to save a your girl. From this moment on we realize he is not the "Hero" you expect. He is very happy, easy-going kind of guy who jumps immediatly into danger without thinking twice.

He is gone to another world and becomes another victim of a world gone mad and througouht the series he is almost broken several times (beaten physically and beaten psychologically) but due to his almost stubborness he refuses to fall to a state of hopelessness that much of the other characters are.

Each episode he is stairway into misery and anguish. From the first episode you know no-one is safe and by episode 3 I was cursing and cursing the evil guys. That's a new to me. Usually I preffer the evil guys instead of the good guys (mainly because the good guys are always the same white knight and the bad guys are more diverse and they are given a backstory to why they are evil...) 

In this Anime I must say I preffered Shu. He sees the glass always half-full instead of empty or broken for that matter. 

This is very hard to watch. We see children suffer and die. We see them fall into despair. We see them giving up hope and do evil things. 

Besides the atrocitous the main characters suffer, there are other characters who suffer as well. Rape, Starvation, Hummilation, murder, kidnapping, child labour and war-children... This is a soul-draining anime. This is anti-war anime. After watching this I must say I cried.

But not everything is good in this anime. The characters are one-dimensional (no-one "grows") with the experience. And Lord Hamdo? He is bat-shit crazy. I mean crazy as wacko. Sometimes he is talking with his swift voice of command but most of the times he is falling to despair screaming with everything and everyone.

You've also got Lala-Ru (the girl who can make water with her pendant but she is so distant that rarely you've watch her speak). She changes a bit mainly because of Shu personality but she is thousand years old and most of the time because of her power people abuse her.

You've got Sara that is a innocent girl that is also kidnap from "our" earth because she is very alike Lala-Ru. She loses her innocence both literal and metaphorical sense. Throughout the series she cannot cope with Shu unwavering resolve attacking his beliefs losing hope througouht the way. In the end we learn that she is pregnant (because of a rape) and she tries to commit suicide Again Shu comes out and says her word... Everything will be alright. Sometimes I want to spank him myself.

Then you've got Nabuca and Boo, two war-childs who kill and do awful things with the prospect of returning home someday. Throughout the series they often thing but rarely do the right thing. In the end Boo is killed protecting Nabuca (boo is around 5/6) and Nabuca afterwards is also killed doing the right thing... He is around 13 (?).

Then we've got Abelia. We never see her going against Hamdo's choices but she doesn't approve some of them. In the end after Hamdo is killed Abelia transports Shu back. We never learn about her fate. One thing that I did not enjoy was Why did she put with him? She could have killed him and probably the troopers would follow her instead. 

In terms of music, it's very dark ambient and througouht melancholic tunes.

In terms of art, well it was made in 1999 so it's very old from today standards but in my opinion no more worse than Captain Tsubasa or Dragon Ball. 

My thoughts

Story (Plot) 10/10
World Building 8/10
Character Building 4/10
Art/Animation 8/10
Sound 10/10
Enjoyment 10/10 (not that kind of enjoyment you are thinking)
Score Overall 10/10

Why give 10 stars when I didn't enjoy character building? Because it torn my heart out. It made me think, it made me suffer, it made me upset and sad. It made me realize how lucky my life is. It made me realize we are blessed with our lives (well at least I am). I always have been a optimistic guy but sometimes I fall... This anime made me feel like few have made me feel. It will always be a favorite...



I cannot in good faith recommend this anime to anyone. This is dark. Truly dark. Some people I know would break watching this even if they are "only" anime characters.

If you are ignoring me and going to watch it. Well good luck with that and I bet you will grow a bit. You will learn that humanity is capable of horrible things if they need or want to do it. 

In times, we were like this. Even now, there are people and countries who are almost savages, where the rule of the strong prevails. I cannot phantom other realities because this is my reality. I can read and learn but it's not the same you know? 

Watch it if you want. But you've been warned.

Anime Review: KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! (Winter 2016)

KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!

Konosuba is a very good anime. It's part comedy and part fantasy. This type of fantasy is being very popular nowadays. Re:Zero; Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka; No Game No Life, Overlord, Grimgar, Sword Art Online... Well you get the picture.

It's another real person and going to another world. But most beforementioned shows it's a boy being transported to the game world; in this case is not that. He is a gamer but he dies. A goddess grants him a wish. Either he returns to his own world with no memories (re-incarnation) or he goes to another world that exist and retain all his memories plus she will give him a bonus. He could ask for everything.

Synopsis
After dying a laughable and pathetic death on his way back from buying a game, high school student and recluse Kazuma Satou finds himself sitting before a beautiful but obnoxious goddess named Aqua. She provides the NEET with two options: continue on to heaven or reincarnate in every gamer's dream—a real fantasy world! Choosing to start a new life, Kazuma is quickly tasked with defeating a Demon King who is terrorizing villages. But before he goes, he can choose one item of any kind to aid him in his quest, and the future hero selects Aqua. But Kazuma has made a grave mistake—Aqua is completely useless!

Unfortunately, their troubles don't end here; it turns out that living in such a world is far different from how it plays out in a game. Instead of going on a thrilling adventure, the duo must first work to pay for their living expenses. Indeed, their misfortunes have only just begun!

Score 8.03
Ranked #492
Episodes 10
Studio: Studio Deen
Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural

Sato, Goddess Aqua, Crusader Darkness and The Wizard Megumi

Review
Let us talk about the characters... Oh my - they are amazingly funny.

You've got Darkness which is a... Crusader :) She has some good offences tactics but lack any kind of accuracy. But most important is that she is a tank... and a masochist so she enjoys getting beat up... Funny as heck. Later they find  her true name being Lalatina Dustiness Ford. 

Megumi is a wizard that descends from the Crimson Demons. She knows a very powerful spell called Explosion that one cast incapacitates for that day. She refuses to learn any "minor" magic spells.

Aqua is a Goddess and the one that presents our main character with the question. She becomes the first compantion of our hero. Her magical capabilities are almost useless and she's got no followers in the land. As being a Archpriest and Goddess (since this is a RPG) she is very powerful against demons and undead and even resurrect people. She spends most of her skill points learning useless party tricks.

Our main character is Kazuma Sato. He was obsessed with games and died in a most pathetic way from acute stress reaction. He chooses Aqua (in a way to punish her) He chooses the class of adventure that makes him learn various skills from other classes.

Episodes
The first episodes deal with Kazuma trying to get use to the world and the meeting with Aqua, Megumin and Darkness. Aqua made a deal with Kazuma (before he dragger her alone to the RPG world) that he would have to defeat Devil King and then he would resurrect.

Most episodes deal with their adventures to get money to have a place to sleep and experience to level up. Of the Devil King generals they defeated Verdia the Dullahan & Wiz the Lich works in wizard shop - don't know who she got there... but it's less one General.

This series are hilarious. I know they are coming back in January of 2017 and I will be eagearly waiting. I would advice to anyone who enjoys comedy, fantasy and some Fan Service. Yeah, didn't I talk about it? In every episode there is some fan service but ninth episode should be uncensored... Enough said.

Anime Review: Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (Winter 2016)

Ranta, Yume, Moguzo, Haruhiro, Shihoru, Manato

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash)
Episodes 12
Aired: Jan 11, 2016 to Mar 28, 2016
Studios: A-1 Pictures
Producers: Toho Company
My anime list - here
24min per ep. 


I recently watch this series and I must say, so far, is one of my favourite animes. Well I didn't watch that many but I really like it.

This anime, follows a group of people as they arrive from somewhere. It is hinted that maybe they are not from this world and they came from some videogame. The are a lot of movies that deal with this. Log Horizon, Overlord (I've watch the first season, don't know if they are getting a second) or Sword Art Online.

I can only speak for Ovelord and in that anime, it's very focus on action and our main protagonist is almost a god. In this one it's quite the opposite. They have no recollection of memories apart from some words that they don't even understand what they mean...

First battle... They are not fighting material from the start... 6 vs 1 goblin 

So, this big group divides and six of them remain and form a team. Manato, Haruhiro, Ranta, Yume, Mogzo, and Shihoru. In the first few episodes we saw them fight some goblins and barely staying alive and as they defeated them they learn new techniques and such (Imagine a RPG of some sorts). One other interesting thing is that each of them chose a proficient. Haruhiro became a thief,  Yume becomes a hunter (Ranger?), Mogzo becomes a fight, Shihoru a mage and Ranta becomes a dark knight. In the end Manato becomes a priest to heal them.


The 12 episodes focus on the characters. Everything is characterization centered. They all evolve in some way, but mainly Haruhiro and Ranta and Mary (Merry?) that joins the part around 5/6 episode. Of them all the only one I don't see any change was Mogzo. He barely speaks. Shihoru changes but mainly in combat.

About the plot...

The purpose is as they killed and earn money they will be granted a badge of being a soldier.  They start hunting lonely goblins and then two and three. After they learn some more skills they go to a abandoned city full of goblins. There, in episode 4 Manato, their leader & priest die. Most of that episode and the later are fill with memories and their cooping with it. Mary joins the party as a priest (albeit as cold as a ice cube).

Everyone fights...

Later episodes deal with Mary and the reason why she keeps herself at distance from the rest of the party. Later they revenge Manato, some beatiful fighting scenes and move to the mines to fight the kobolds. There Mary must confront a beast that killed most her party.

In the last couple of ep's we see something change in Ranta and most of all of Haruhiro that had become the new leader but didn't had the confidence.
The story ends when Haruhiro, being apart from the rest of the party kills Death Spots (a gigantic kobold) that had killed Mary party.

Mary & Haruhiro

Opinion:
This series weren't made for twelve ep's. I think this series should had 24 at least (a second season). I read a review that adviced that this animes should be seen on ep every week or 3 or 4 days. I did it and I know that if I had seen it in one or two times the series wouldn't have that much impact. No episode ends with a cliffhanger but every episode gives you some adrenaline or at least a almost physical drain. I think I am alergic to it because some of this episodes made my eyes watery... A couple of episodes, for several minutes a piece, there is only music (beautiful music) and some fantastic watercolour images. Visually every episode is an work of art.

About the characters....
As I said before our main protagonist is Haruhiro. Most of the episodes have some monologue of him. His class is Thief. He has some interesting connections with Yume (which we all think of some love interest), Manato who he looks up to, Ranta which he is probably the only one who can talk to him and afterwards Mary who he starts to develop a possible love. After Manato dies he becomes the leader and he has some interesting dialogues with the deceased because he doesn't know what to do or how to behave. Eventually he tries to make Mary part of the group and at the same time he start paying more attention to his companions. The two last episodes he realizes that everyone looks up to him and trust him as a leader.

Manato dies...

Then, you've got Yume. A interesting girl that from the start has some friendship with Haruhiro. At some point it's hinted that maybe Haruhiro and her feel something more but later on when Mary arrives that love interest dissapaer and mainly she gets upset to Ranta.

Shihoru is a Mage and a shy personality. She mainly talks to Yume and later on, right before he dies, to Manato. She was the one who suffered more with her dead. Yume try to make her talk with the group. In battles she is protected by Mary. In the last two episodes she becomes a powerful mage.

Ranta is Dark Knight. He is brash and the first to attack everything that moves. He is a bit perverted and has calls Yume flat-chested but there is a love-hate relantionship there.. (seen in the last episode when he goes missing). He is arrogant but in the last two episodes, after arguing every episode with Haruhiro, becomes a little more relaxed and acknoledges Haruhiro leadership. In one episode when they rest he goes fishing (quite the opposite of always-action-Ranta.

Moguzo is a warrior and has a sword bigger than the other characters. They all upgrade their armor and weapons after Moguzo because he is tank of the team. He is the cook of the team and makes some wooden figurines. He is soft, probably more than Shihoru but in the battle he is a devil screaming "Thank You" before killing some beast.

City

Manato became a priest and leader of the party. He read the rest of the group like noone and become a good strategist. He died in a town infested by goblins after receiving a arrow in the back. Haruhiro says in several episodes that he misses him and because he could be a defensive and offensive tank.

Mary (Merri?)
Joining shortly after Manato's death because every party need a priest to heal wounds. But she had a different approach from Manato. She doesn't heal light wounds saying that she needs to more complicated wounds and she stays in the back protecting Shihoru. There are a lot of friction between her and the rest of the party. After learning what happened to her the party was able to integrate her (well, she lets herself being integrated). Mary and Haruhiro has some close relantionship. We don't see anything romantic BUT....


About ART/OST and Episode...
This anime's art is amazing. Beautiful watercolours/pastel, slow pace - this anime is slow but never dull. At times, in some episodes a music entered with full minutes of nothing happening. Basically do gives us time to think things over - to built up the drama. This series needed a second season...

Haruhiro and Mary... KISSS DAMN YOU!

Some negative points...
- Moguzo dies... I really enjoy him
- It was rush ending that make me think what were they thinking about it. In hollywood before a season one is completed the news of a second season arrives. Here is not that simple. They must do the full season and then if the sales are there a new season is given - which means that every series must end like a possible final end.
- Some repetitive moments...
- From where they came was never explained (the anime ends with the all the bar screaming "Australia".


Good points...
- Besides Mary every single character is clumsy damsel (in the beginning - they later improve and become powerful) In contrast of other animes they have already all the powers the rule.
- It has some interesting slow building pace
- It focus on the characters development 
- It felt a videogame but not as much as Overlord
- Haruhiro develops
- Beautiful crafted art (pastel like)
- Original use of OST
- Interesting fighting scenes
- The girls have breasts but are not OVER breasted :P
- Some of episodes deal with rest (when did you last heard of it?), bought armour and weapons, sleep, baking and most episodes end with them in the inn talking.

This is the most naked you're going to see here... (Haruhiro Teacher) 

12 Named Episodes
1) "Whisper, Chant, Prayer, Awaken"
2) "Long Day of the Trainee Volunteer Soldier"
3) "Are Goblin Pouches Filled with our Dreams?"
4) "Sky Dancing with Ash"
5) "Crying Doesn't Mean You're Weak. Enduring Doesn't Mean You're Strong."
6) "Her Circumstances"
7) "They Were Called Goblin Slayers"
8) "In My Memories with You"
9) "How to Rest"
10) "I'm Not Fit to Be a Leader"
11) "Between Life and Death" 
12) "See You Tomorrow..."