Anime Review: Hanebado & Harukana Receiver (Summer 2018)

This last season had two sports anime.

The first was Hanebado -a  story about badminton and the struggles of one team. In the beginning you think  Nagisa wo

uld be your main character and then afterwards it change  Ayano and to me it was a deal breaker. I didn't even enjoy the story besides it was very stupid and basic. Basically she was a really good player that took a bit to far the competition (because of her mother who push her). When her mother sense she was going too far - she left her daughter and runaway to Denmark to train another girl who then would appear on the story to battle Ayano. Then it was over in a couple of episodes and on to battle between Nagisa and Ayano.

In my humble opinion, in terms of art style is really really good. The movement of the players, the lightning, the imagery, landscapes all perfect BUT then the plot was really dumb and stupid.  At times you could see Ayano almost ready to murder her opponent (even on practice matches)... Enfin... To watch if you want to try to see one of the most gorgeous animes of the season but nothing else. I rate 5 out of 10.

Then we've got Harukana Receiver a tale about beach volleyball. We follow Haruka & Hanuta. The first is new to game and the other had some problems playing after she and her other friend separate after losing a match. A bit too much dramatic in my opinion but ok. 

Basically we follow them playing together from the first match to compete in the preliminaries. They meet some people who help them  like Claire and Emilie and other bunch of characters who really have no impact on the tale. Don't know why they were there.  There are some interesting imagery but overall the story really doesn't go nowhere and probably a second season will be made (but I highly doubt it). Advisable if you want to see girls in bikini playing beach volley.

Overall they are not great animes but watchable... If you want to watch some sports anime with ecchi involved try Keijo!!!!!!!!

Anime Review: Teekyuu Season 1 to 9 + Takamiya Nasuno Desu!

With 9 seasons and each one with 12 episodes this anime has been around from some time ALTHOUGH  each episode is only 3 minutes long so there's that.

What's this about? Well Teekyuu means Tennis and this is about a Tennis Club girls but the only thing this is not it's an anime about Tennis Club, at all.

Basically this is a show about the antics about four girls Marimo (super-perverted girl), Kanae (physics-law defying girl) , Nasuno (super insanely rich) & Yuri (the normal one). Each one is as different as the other but when they are together stuff happens.


Each episode is individual, there is no connection between them and even if it's only 3 minutes long they have more monologues than most 25m anime. They spitfire entire sentences in 2x velocity of normal beings. At times it's hard just to follow what they are saying. My god. It's an adventure every single episode.

Will not win any kind of awards BUT, as you know there are a lot of 3 to 5m long anime. This one is in top 5 to me and to must lists I've seen in the internet. It's very complex since although it's wacky fun and absurd it never repeats the jokes.

There is also a spin off focus on Nasuno for some reason. She is not the most famous of the series BUT If I had to wonder, I would say it's because she is insanely rich and bought the artists to make a 12 episode show based on her. If you seen Teekyuu is basically the same (the other girls also appear on it). It's called Takamiya Nasuno Desu!

My recommendation? Go watch an episode (the first one if you want). Either you enjoy the premises or don't bother - it's all the same.

Anime Review: Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun (Summer 2017)

Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun (Cleanliness Boy! Aoyama-kun) is a Comedy show about a handsome young football player  who is germaphobic and likes everything pristine.

From: Studio Hibari
Theme: Comedy, Sports, Seinen

My Opinion
This anime is one of those you  watch and feel a little guilty watching it, because  there is no important message or anything that interesting that should captivate you, besides the comedy parts. Aoyama is g

ermophobic (no, he has no phobia with German people but germs).  He plays soccer and due to his unwillingly resolve of not getting dirty he plays football very well and he is even on Japan U16 national team. While the first episode we get to see his motivations in later episodes we get to know a lot of other characters like Gotou (who adores him) or Zaizen who do not understand how can he be so good player. 

Part of the animation is like this chibi kind like anime...

Other people in his class or school either loves him or… well there isn’t any other type (well there is but they quickly change their mind).  Interesting was the change of focus. The first episode they focus on football but the next three episodes focus on his cleaning habits and interaction with people. In the fourth episode there is even a food battle between another germophobic (but this one doesn’t come “clean” of his status – sorry about the pun). As I watch the rest of the episodes I can’t say this anime is going to be on top ten of any list (either good or bad). Basically Aoyama which is show name is not the main character. I dare say there isn’t any. Each episode is focus on someone near Aoyoma and how they seem him (either good or bad). In then Aoyama always comes on top – aloof all the way… There are some episodes he barely says anything 

My Advice?  
If you like comedy animes mix with slice of life and a bit of football then go ahead BUT as I said it’s never going to be a much have and one of those animes that is bound to be forgot as the times passes….

Anime Review: Long Riders (Fall 2016)

Long Riders is anime focusing on cycling and the enjoyment it is. It's a slice of life mixed with sports and a bit of comedy. 

MAL thinks makes the tag word of Shounen. I don't agree. This anime is not be focus on Young Male but rather in Young Female. So it should be Shojo, maybe, no?

The stories focus on a young girl called Ami Kurata. She is a first year universty who buys a bike and tries to ride it. With the help of her friend Aoi and then new friends Yayoi & Hinako and then later an older Saki she stars to understand the joy of riding and the great difficulties it comes with having a bike.

This anime focus mainly on the sports (giving hints on how to ride and how to maintain a riding bicycle). 

The main feeling I get fro this anime is the relaxing and tranquility that gave me. I know they are all girls but don't expect anything ecchi or something like that. There isn't any. They are girls who enjoy riding. No fanservice at all... unless you count on seeing on a biking clothes.

In terms of characters there are any interesting about them. The only one who grew was Ami. The rest - well; they exist and serve her purpose. Oh, they are all smilling... ALWAYS with the exception of our main character. One thing that bother me, two of the girls were very alike... (physical) in terms of mentality (well they were almost all the same...)

In terms of graphics, art and CGI it serves it's purpose. Nothing that transcends what's normal. In terms of Background and Vistas... that's where it shines. The views on the mountains and sea and so on are great.

This is a anime that focus on people who want to ride a bicycle or wants to get motivate to get into one. Unless you are one of those two groups I would skip it UNLESS you want something to fall asleep due to feeling it transmits...  Tranquility & Peace


Story 3
Art         6
Sound 4
Character 4 
Enjoyment 7
Overall   5

Anime Review: Keijo!!!!!!!! (Fall 2016)

For those who play Dead or Alive Xtreme3 - this is not but probably one is based on another....

Well this is a sports anime. Sports anime with Boobs and Asses. Basically several girls go into a pool on top of plastic isle. Then each girl must throw overboard the other girl with their asses or boobs.

  

I mean talking about it it sounds awful right? 
After all for a series that is basically that it has a score o 7.44 with 115,571 Members 

But it isn't all that bad. Basically the 13 episode is about a couple of girls trying to find out the best way, tactics and such about it. The authors really thought about this through (the best they could). They made up tactics and each girl "personality" adaptated to that particular tactic(s). Like fast girls who use their speed to sneak up. Others are brute force and others are a mix. They mainly use their asses but there is also the ones who use boobs AND a some use their feminine "arts" to defeat their opponent.  There are special moves.... machine gun but missiles or supersonic hip swings (that could damage you forever) or even Vacuum Cannon. It's so strong that can destroy the opponents cloth. 


Keijo is a shounen-action/comedy series. There isn't a single guy in it and there isn't kind of romance. It has fan service, after all girls are hitting one another with their asses and boobs (and in all honestly it can't live witohut it BUT not in the same as other fan service where it exists to excit the viewers).

The art and animation are quite good, after all it's an action/sports anime and the girls are well portrayed.

This anime proofs that Japan do what Japan does best. Innovate and thinking out of the box.

Watch it. Don't expect a deep anime. Don't expect the best characteer or sound anime. But expect something different that uses fan-services with purpose. Expect something new coming out from Japan.

The creators are Xebec which made To LOVE-Ru, Pandora Hearts or Love Hina. Or the remake of one of my favourite "Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199"



Story 6/10
Art 8/10
Sound 5/10
Character 5/10
Enjoyment 8/10
Overall 7/10

Anime Review: Days (Summer 2016 & Fall 2016)

I've just wrote a brief review of Area no Kishi. I also made a review this year about another football anime I watched called Giant Killing. This last one is a bit different. It focus more on managerial aspects.

The last anime of football I watch this year It's DAYS. With 24 episodes it began in July and ended in December. One of the fews animes I watch the episodes as they came out. Just before the last episode we were informed that Days 2 is coming in a new future (probably July of 2017).

So what's the difference between this one and other football out there? Well comparing with what I saw, both Area no Kishi and Captain Tsubasa they were already great football players. Tsubasa is a journey to be the best player in the world, while Kakeru is a good player but have to find himself with his new "heart". In this Tsukamoto is quite different. Tsukamoto never once play football; I think he doesn't even understands what football is but one day Kazama (a brillant player) invites him to play indoor soccer and Tsukamoto enjoys so much that he follows Kazama into Seisiki football team. 

Right from the start older players understand his value. He never gives up and never surrenders and he goes beyond everything (training) to be better. He has no self-esteem and so he trains harder than anyone else so he might not be a burden. I must say that at times I felt like kicking is butt but he is an okay guy. I must say that he develops a lot in those 24 episodes. It's not like he wakes up one day and he is better. He sucks. He fails shots with no keeper and sometimes because of him the team loses. But everyone believes him. From 14/15 episode forward we see a development and a new side of Tsukamoto. He still thinks he sucks but he is has some value. When everyone thinks they are going to lose he screams Seisiki! FIGHT! and an inspiration to everyone else. He is a captain... (or at least the older players know he has the means to be one).

It's a great series. 
Kazama is a great player, probably the best one but also a first year and he helps Tsukamoto (at the same time he learns from Tsukamoto). Then we've got Ubukata a girl that first is quite harsh to Tsukamoto until she sees him training and doing more than anyone else. We've got Ooshiba who is always fighting with Tsukamoto because he knows he can lose his place to him; Kimishita a guy who is always angry and very harsh to Tsukamoto and the current Captain Mizuki who says awkwards things and nonsense things all the time. He is quite funny. He most of all sees Tsukamoto like he was. 

Advisable to anyone who wants to see a guy become a man. A real football series. Sometimes you lose sometimes you win. 

Two or three notes: First; there is a new series out there "All Out!" about rugby that it's a copy from this one. Basically it's a series about a guy who doesn't ev


en knew Rugby existed and starts playing from scratch. That's where the similarities end since their characters are quite different.

Good sound, good artwork and football skill and play. After the 12/13 the artwork it becomes way better. It's like a new guy arrived and start doing the artwork...

Anime Review: Area no Kishi (Winter 2012)

Well, my review is about a anime focusing on football or soccer as Americans call it.
I always enjoy watching football anime. One of my favorite growing up animes was Captain Tsubasa or Captain Hawk or Holly & Benji (all different names for it).

I remember watching and waiting for a new episode. I Still remember most of the plot and probably all the names from Nankatsu and many other teams. One of my favourite players was Misugi Jun. Well but apart from that, when I start watching anime again (June last year or something like that) 
One of the first animes I watched was:

The Knight in the Area  (Area no Kishi) - I never made a review of it but here it goes...
In this series 37 Episodes are mainly focus on a young boy called Kakeru that after having an accident received the heart of his older brother Suguru. In this series, Suguru is star play for japanese national team and Kakeru went to a more managerial place. After that accident something changed inside him (not counting his new heart) and he reevaluates what's best for him. 

He then meets some other football players and with them he begins to play football but something happens because at times he (and other people who knew his brother) sees in him Suguru.

I think that at times it focus a lot on that and less on the game play and such. There are a lot of episodes that nothing happens and others that we have some jump forward. Interesting is also Nana Mishima (his best friend, probably wannabe-girlfriend). She also plays football in the Japanese soccer team and it's a great player as well.

Good artwork, some mix genre (soccer & drama or slice of life). It has some fun moments, mainly Araki and in the end we get something. Unfortunately it was not the ending I invisioned. Basically the story ends right before they are playing a maximum importance game. Maybe someday a second season will come out BUT I don't know. Maybe is not that important. Maybe the important part is the JOURNEY until that moment. 

Would I advice anyone to watch it? No. There are way better out there...

Anime Review: Giant Killing (Spring 2010)

Giant Killing  7.72 - Users 18,629
Episodes: 26
Studios: Studio Deen
Genres: Drama, Seinen, Sports
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating:  PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis

East Tokyo United, ETU, has been struggling in Japan's top football league for a few years. It has taken everything they have just to avoid relegation. To make matters even worse, the fans are starting to abandon the team.

In an effort to improve their performance, ETU has hired a new coach, the slightly eccentric Tatsumi Takeshi. Tatsumi, who was considered a great football player when he was younger, abandoned the team years before but has proven himself as the manager of one of England's lower division amateur teams. The task won't be easy, the teams East Tokyo United is pitted against have bigger budgets and better players. However, Tatsumi is an expert at Giant Killing.

Review

This series are a good football anime with 26 episodes. As The Knight in the Area (another football anime)  I thought they both missed something. This one focus on a coach that is the best at winning points to big teams. In football there are always team that are called Giant Killers but never contenders to titles.  

This story focus on a couple of characters. The first is Takeshi Tatsumi a former player of the team that left to a bigger club (money) and from that moment on the team fell and even w

as relegated. With time and the new captain the team rose to the first team but always small team. After training in England a team and winning bigger teams he return to Japan to train ETU (East Tokyo United) but of course the team is not the same it was and much supporters have left and most players (including the captain) is against the new coach.

Much episodes we are following Takeshi training schedule and his odd appearance and ways. He is undoubtly the main protagonist along with Tsubaki Daisuke a new player that his fast as lightning.  We also follows the supporters (the old supporters and the new more "ultra" supporters, capable of violence and the ones making threats and such)

My problem with this anime is that is rather short. With 26 episodes we see ETU change from a small team to a team who can defeat opponents. As a guy who watches football most things we see him do in the team are highly unlikable to happen in real football and that disappointed me. I hope for a more realistic feel I guess...

Another thing I didn't like was the way it ended. I hoped for more episodes to see where this team was going... but at the same time I understood. This was never about winning the championship but the change...

But nevertheless I enjoy one thing. The same team can play a lot better or worse depending on the manager. He sure is important. My own football team (Sporting Clube Portugal) changed a lot with this new coach. Same team and one year with didn't even compete to win the championship (like previous years) and the next year we were playing for the title becoming second 2 points behind.

A much watch to anyone who enjoys football.