Book Review: The Sailor on the Seas of Fate by Michael Moorcock

The Sailor on the Seas of Fate by Michael Moorcock
My rating: 7 of 10 stars

I've read this book in 2007 and then at 2023 and this is one reason why I am against re-reading. I didn't enjoy this novel compared with first one. I remember enjoying a lot and reading the first three in one go. This is why you shouldn't re-read. I read this book when my knowledge of fantasy was Dragonlance and forgotten realms. This was something awesome. Now, I've read 1300 novels. This is not as good novel. I would rate 2 stars nowadays. BUT since I gave 5 stars before I am dropping to 4.

It's a bit confusing, compare with the first where we follow Elric travelling throughout time and space in the future, past and present. We get to see the first glimpses of Erokese, Corum among other characters that will be important if we continue to read in the multiverse.



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Book Review: Volkhavaar by Tanith Lee

Volkhavaar by Tanith Lee
Pages 192

Year 1977

I really loved Tanith's Lee novel. First of all it's a fantasy/romance kind of novel. We follow two characters - Volk the evil sorcerer and Shaina a slave girl. It's very interesting that one chapter is one , then it changes to the other (probably not in the same timeline).

What's interesting is that Volk is not born evil. He, has a boy that have a rough upbringing and so turn to evil by via of a strange god. The girl, who have lived most of her life as a slave meets a witch that says something will change drastically. All of these takes like 80/100 pages and they were marvellous. IF tanith lee is good at something is fleshing her characters.

Then the story evolved and we get more of Volk (which was my favorite character) and then we get a new character and the the culmination and meeting of the two characters and that I didn't enjoy that much. If Volk was so powerful in the dark arts how could a girl with the power of love and light defeat him so easily so anti-climatic... as a youtuber says "barely an inconvenience". I hope for more.... That's why I won't give this book 5 stars. Btw, the last two pages were also horrendus to the point of vomiting (I am kidding of course but in the 70's grimdark stuff didn't exist per se... yuo expected happy disney (old disney) endings... Oh well

Read it if you enjoy good characters development and how to make a evil character. Also a bit of new age stuff with all the gods/wicca (?) who knows what inspired Tanith.

Don't forget... the power of love and light will triumph over evil. 8/10

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Book Review: The Fellowship of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

 hat an amazing novel. This is why fantasy is awesome. So beautiful written, so overwhelming beautiful. Words are meaningless describing the novel. IF you ask, will I Love it? Well, it will depend on your tastes. If you are expecting the same pace of LOTR the movie then no. You will hate. There are very few action scenes. So few you barely notice them. Slice of Life, Drama, character driven & landscape top tier.

There is a reason why it's the most loved novel or at least revered. Tolkien "invented" the genre. He didn't create fantasy but he made it available for everyone. He worked on his world for 60 years. He created languages, not random words, vocabularies with logic and such. There hasn't anyone that will ever go to it's steps. The pure dedication is without parallel. We are talking in a time fantasy/sci-fi was seen as a weak genre, a thing people did for gaining a quick buck. Tolkien created the genre, and thousands of authors were inspired on him. Even today...

Now about the story... well go watch the movie :) I kid you. There are better reviews here. It's about a quest, it's about a fellowship, it's about the world building, it's about honour and doing the right thing.

Anime Review: Koutetsujou no Kabaneri (Spring 2016)

One of the first animes I've ever watch and glue me to the screen was Wit Studio's Seraph of the End or Owari no Seraph. Since then I've tried to watch most shows from them since they really excel in drama and action. Shingeki no Kyojin was the second one and afterwards was Koutetsujou no Kabaneri. All of them are really good anime with action scenes almost rival to none and drama that makes you sit and watch everything in one go. One of my favorite takes on romance was Koi wa Ameagari no You ni. So beautiful. Their art so unique and love story that really connected with me.



Look at the latest Attack on Titan and tell me a show with more drama. 

I've watch most of their stuff. In my list I Have to watch Hal (movie) & Shisha no Teikoku (movie); Hoozuki no Reitetsu (Tv show) and Mahoutsukai no Yome (Tv Show).

But let us return to Kabaneri. This is a show about zombies or Kabane storming the world and leaving humanity on the brink of extinction. There are only dozens of "cities" trying to survive. To travel between them we've got this armoured trains. 

The story begins as a city state being overrun and only a handful of survivors - surviving. Amidst that you've got Ikona who turns half kabane half human - Kabaneri. 

Most of the episodes is drama aka game of thrones and the other half is fighting scenes. Really interesting battles.  We learn more about Ikona and later on Mumei another young Kabaneri.

Is there flaws? Yeah... the way Ikona stopped from being a kabane. The festivities when food is so scarce. The black fog. Mumei being every time of dere there is. And the humans are always evil. No matter how desperate things are - human beings will screw a bit more.

If you enjoy action, zombies and a bit of horror (not much) then you've got your hands full. There are some weak spots I might say but it's good. If you enjoy Attack on Titan then you will probably enjoy this.

Anime Review: Island & Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria (Summer 2018)

Two crappy animes for different reasons.

Island is a Steins Gate ten

tative but focus on Romance. While Vallkyria (For short) tries to emulate the Smartphone anime. They both fail so terrible that is really annoying I've watch them.

The first (Island) began in a mystery anime where you've got some boy who doesn't know where and why he is in that island while he meets very people on the island that adds to the plot. There's a bit of romance but mostly of the show is a bit fluff and really nothing happens. Then at episode 7 I believe they mix time travel and such and to me that was a deal breaker. But since I had committed so much time I had to watch. In the end it's one of those anime that will lead nowhere and you will learn nothing. There is a reason why in IMDB it's only 6.52 (and to me that's a bit more than it deserves). A lot of Deus Ex Machina moments and somethings are never really that well explained. 4 Stars to me.


In the other end we've got Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria. First of all the anime doesn't start at the beginning. A boy is in another world leading a faction but we never really know HOW he ot there and got to be boss. There are some rather late explainations but... not that good. Basically he is living in a world akin to norse mythology mix with other religions where the wolf clan fights other animal clans and when they conquer them they belong to him. Of course by the image, this is a Harem but all the girls love him - but call him brother or father or something like that. There are some interesting ecchi scenes - some the police will knock your house (If you leave in USA - not here in Portugal).

But the boy here doesn't want any of the gorgeous girls but instead love a girl who he doesn't see for 2 years but talks to him by his smartphone (why it can work in another time - beats me).

There are some fighting scenes but nothing interesting and really bad cgi. He basically uses his smartphones to plan the tactics to fight other clans while using it to make stronger weapons and such. There are some cringe moments that really upset me.

This show doesn't have any redeeming qualities. I mean, You can watch it for Harem but there are better. You can watch it for fighting but there are a lot better. You can watch it for Isekai but there are a lot better. In the end it's crap and don't watch it. Rate 3 out of 10.

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 Reviews: 08Th Ms Team; Gate, Golden Kamuy, Darling Terra, Formars, Hisone, Akame Ga Kill, Btoom!, Kill La Kill

Since I started on my current job (4 months ago) I've watch a lot of anime coming and going on the train and at home. They have been my salvation... And I've watch quite a few. Just to have a quick look since 01 May I've watch roughly 1098 animes and 112 tv episodes while in terms of movies only 12.

After all it's easy to watch a 23m anime than a 2 hours movie right? Besides the season ones I've  watch Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - my first Gundam story and I really enjoy it. A lot of action but mix with Romance and Politics. I understand now why people think it's on top ten Gundman shows to watch. There is no need to watch anything previously. The characters are really good -mainly the first two main characters on both sides of the war. After all this is anti-war story, no? There is also a small movie that you can watch easily afterwards and helps you enjoy even more the main story.

Now Gate: Thus the JSDF fought there. This show as rather interesting. While Gundman is anti-war this one is a bit of pro-war if you will. Not that they want to make war or something like that but you can see this anime really tries to give praise to Japan army forces. There is battles between japan special forces and russian/americans and of course the Japanese come on top. There is also the invasion of Japanese forces of another world. While japanese have tanks, helicopters and such - the others have knights and bows. Pretty one sided. At the same time we see the japanese as the good guys (even after massacring countless people). It's not bad mind you - I enjoy it. A different kind of Isekai with a more related main character (older not your typical 16/17 year old guy). Recommended but beware the nationalistic views. Some people will not enjoy it. While the 08th is more mature - Gate is more isekai.... with your typical loli, big brested and such girls... (not that much ecchi).

Speaking of War anime you've got Golden Kamuy as well but this one is different. Focus on our main protagonist and his Ainu female sidekick. There is a lof fighting scenes but the tone is very different comparing with the other two anime. This one, our main characters is a more chaotic neutral kind of character that only really wants the gold he is looking but as the episodes progress we get the impression he is falling of the Ainu girl. This show also tells us a bit of Hokaido and the Ainu people after the Russian - Japanese war. What people did to overcome that and the views of all factions. It was really good experience with a lot of interesting characters and battle scenes. The only problem was a bit repetitive at times... There is a second season in the making coming out in Winter 2019.

It seems I am making a war post... So let us continue with Sword Art Online: Gun Gale Online. A lot better than the parent's story which will have a third season - with 52 episodes.  This one focus on a online game of war, where people battle for top place. Unfortunally as the main series our main character is totally undefeated and this is quite boring. I don't enjoy shows were the main character is undefeated - Overlord is an exception. Nevertheless - watch it if you enjoy sword art online. Good fighting scenes but a bit boring after a while - after all almost no challenge exists...

Can we put here Darling in the Franx? I am not going to make a huge post like the youtubers made about this show. I enjoy it - period. BUT to me the last four episodes or so mess it all up. This show is Mechas and about children who are breed to fight with them. Good interaction between the characters and our main protagonist, unforttunally it suffers from direction. At times I thought nobody really knew what to make of it. Okay humanity was almost killed because it harvest Magna - people stop having children but being immortal although they made a Mecha that only function with one boy and one girl. There are a lot confusion, it seems a lot of different people wanted to put something but in the end messing it all... You can watch the Trigger and A1-Pictures probably having their own ideals... The ending with the aliens and that battle scenes were over the top (of bad). I didn't enjoy it.

Should you watch it? Although I enjoy it I wouldn't advice to anyone...

Terra Formars (season 1) - I watch it pretty rapidly but in the end I didn't enjoy it. Basically you've got people who have insects powers and they must go to Mars to get samples to cure earth people. There are a lot of fighting and dead. Almost every episode focus on a one or two characters who ended up being killed... a bit formulaic and something I've watch it before. Will watch second season but I don't believe it will improve.... bah. 

Hisone to Maso-tan is not a fighting anime but features the Japanese Air Force. It's more slice of life in my opinion and one of the best I've watch. The animation is quite good. I won't talk about it here but you've got slice of life & romance while there are some interesting action scenes. Watch it on netflix.

Akame ga Kill was really good. You've got a band of assassins that must overthrown the emperor.  There are a lof main characters and this anime is hailed as a good fighting anime but at the same time it uses a lot of character killing. But it's different from Terra Formars -  I think in a way it's saying that although you are fighting for freedom people will die eventually. They died and the deaths meant something - while in Formars is just for effect with nothing gain. I can advice other people to watch it. IT's more dark with a bit of comedy and ecchi (very  rare instances).

Then you've got Btoom!. This one is something I've already watch it called - Battle Royale. A buch of people that play a game called Btoom! are thrown into a island and must fight for survival. Unfortunally it's not that good or interesting  and it doesn't have a true ending - and will never have. The only redeeming feature, I am sorry to say like this was the girls boobs :)

Last but certainly the best is Kill la Kill.A Trigger show with a different kind of animation that I really enjoy. Totally different from everything else I've seen before. The story is awesome, the battle scenes truly epic and the our main characters are really interesting. If you have to watch one - this is it. One of the my favourite animes this year so far. I am really sorry it ended....

Now about the numbers - which I really enjoy.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team	(1996/1999)	12	8,09	8	Military, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Drama, Romance, Mecha	Sunrise
Gate: Thus the JSDF fought there (Season 1)	Summer 2015	12	7,88	8	Action, Military, Adventure, Fantasy	A-1 Pictures
Golden Kamuy (Season 1)	Spring 2018	12	7,7	8	Action, Adventure, Historical, Seinen	Geno Studio
Darling in the Franx	Winter 2018	24	7,67	7	Action, Drama, Mecha, Romance, Sci-Fi	A-1 Pictures, Trigger,
Terra Formars (season 1)	Fall 2014	12	7,13	6	Action, Sci-Fi, Space, Horror, Drama, Seinen	LIDENFILMS
Hisone to Maso-tan	Spring 2018	12	7,56	8	Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Military	Bones
Akame ga Kill	Summer 2014	24	7,78	8	Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen	White Fox
Btoom	Fall 2012	12	7,57	5	Action, Sci-Fi, Psychological, Seinen	Madhouse
Kill la Kill	Fall 2013	24	8,19	10	Action, Comedy, Super Power, Ecchi, School	Trigger

Here you go.. Let us hope I can make more...

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: 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: Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku (Winter 2018)

So here we go to another anime review... This time is Isekai Smartphone to Tomo ni season 2.... sorry nah... it's Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku or Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody and it was awful! 

Another show that the FBI will soon unrest the main character...

Harem King soon to be arrested by the FBI

I love Isekai guys. I really do. Overlord was one of the first animes I watched and loved. Dan Machi aas well. But both Death March and Smartphone guy are crap. Comparing it Sword Art Online is almost an affront to it. Those two shows suffer  from the same problem I truly despise. Over Powerful characters. In Death March we follow Ichirou Suzuki who works at a software company and it's transported to another world. Right from the start he finish off some lizards with a fireball that make him level 300 or so and from this moment on every people he meets are between level 1 to 15 or so. There aren't anyone more powerful than him. And everything he do he do it easily.  So, of course he sets to do what High School DxD main guy couldn't... Be a Harem King. And this guy is the man. He has by the last episode 8 girls range 10 or so 17/18 and all want to jump him down HARD. (okay not all but half!).

The problem with the cast of females is that they are so many and so poorly written and most of them are alike or bland. After all they are characters from a game (minus one). From Liza, Ponchi or Tama who were slaves and were bought by Satou. But he doesn't end there Arisa & Lulu. Also Nana who is a Homonculus and become part of his harem - she has great boobs but unfortunately (or not) don't have a personality... Mia an elf princess and I am forgetting someone... But I tell you it doesn't matter. There is also soldier who he doesn't buy but saves in the first episode and that's Zena. It seems he has some legit interest in her but unfortunately the other gals don't let him pursue the feelings...

So each three or four episodes follows a arc (maybe a light novel) and Ichirou deals with plain and easily putting one more girl in his harem...

Sorry forgot to mention about the rest of the things... Art is okay - nothing to spectacular but fortunately not all girls have super boobs but they pretty generic comparing with other works from Silver Link. They really look the same with other characters from some of their shows.. good look ;) The sound it's there and serves its purpose but it's nothing too good.

He has a gun but in a fantasy world... He is not OP!

Overall it's one of those animes to watch between other animes but if you skipped it you would miss a thing. This show is not going to be recommend by anyone. Please don't watch it in one go... Unless you do it rapidly. 

Boring little anime, with no real ending (after all the light novels keep coming out and surprises me how people enjoy it). As a novel it might be good to read before some more complicated novels and thus I comprehend the hype after all we all do that. I do that with Dan Machi per example or some warhammer novels. But comparing the anime to Overlord, Grimgar or even Dan Machi or god's sake (well not him) Youjo Senki is really saying that Mongólia has a international football team as Portugal or Germany. They are both football teams but they play in very different leagues. 

4/10 (which is the same rating as Smartphone guy)

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: Centaur no Nayami (Summer 2017)

o From: Haoliners Animation League
o Theme: Slice of Life, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Seinen

My Opinion
I had hopes for this anime but I remember saying it could go both ways – it went the bad way. Basically in this world  there are no humans because evolution went another way and so centaurs, devils,  angels and other creatures… Interesting it deals with a lot of subjects of nowadays – racism,  education, sex, being parents and so on… there are hints of a controlling government but totally communist in practice. Basically if you say anything that could being intended as racist or prejudiced they would be “lock” away to reformation at a correctional facility. They even go as far to say that  equality is more important than civil rights.

They even give hints of a conflict between the reptilians of Antarctica and the rest of the world. The centaurs nazi, and the frogs people being seen as inferior and turning as a leader of a country? It has some many good things they could explore but alas they did not. They prefer to make it more focus on the girls and their affairs… 

My Advice
As I said, it could have been great but it is not. It’s a school slice of life anime and nothing else. Forgettable…  Average in every way. Watch it at your own peril...

Story (Plot) 5
Art / Animation         5
Sound 5
World Building 5
Character Building 4
Enjoyment 4
Overall   5

Anime Review: Isekai Shokudou (Restaurant to Another World) (Summer 2017)

This show is going down because I really don’t understand where it’s going. Basically it’s about a restaurant that once per week travels to other dimension and serves food to very particular people. I really don’t know where this is going. On mal the rating is on 7.22. I really doubt it can stay that high…

o From: Silver Link.
o Theme:  Mystery, Comedy, Fantasy

My Opinion
This anime was boring episode after episode. I nearly gave up several times but I really didn’t wanna gave up because I thought the show could go somewhere – but it didn’t. 

Basically you’ve got a chef that has a restaurant that every Saturday is close on our earth and the magical door opens in several worlds in several places. Each episode is self contain. There is no plot whatsoever or no character building. Basically each episode is divided in two. Each segment is independent although some characters appear in several segments. In the end after 12 episodes we learn how delicious are 24 recipes. 

My Advice
Boring anime that tries to combine two genres that are growing fast in the industry - Isekai (Basically a person or persons transported into another universe – usually fantastic) and Food. So if you enjoy one or the other or both go right ahead. Supposedly on MAL it has a rating of 7.38. Don’t understand why.. The Art is fine at least… 

Story (Plot) 4
Art / Animation         6
Sound 6
World Building 6
Character Building 4
Enjoyment 4
Overall   5

Anime Review: Outbreak Company (Fall 2013)

Outbreak Company is anime that took all the tropes in existence and mash them together.

This anime, follows the story of Shinichi as he goes to another world (Isekai) to teach Otaku/Moe culture. Basically Japan discovered a gate to another world and they try to teach Japanese stuff (and they chosen otaku?anime?manga?)

There he meets Myucel an half-elf and Petralka the ruler of the country he is in which will their love interests. There is also Elbia (a werewolf of some sorts) and Minori Koganuma (a JDSF officer) who is not a love interest but wants to see Shinichi and Galious (cousin of Petralka) in some BL (BoysLove) situation.

Well, each episode is basically Shinichi trying to teach something new to Petralka, Myucel and other inhabitants of the fantasy land - from anime to manga, to light-novels and movies. They are very interesting episodes and I really enjoy it. The last two episodes were a bit fast-paced as we learn of why the Japanese Government was trying to expand the Otaku culture to another world (a bit far-fetched BUT plausible).

Interesting is that in some episodes we learn about the world they are like racial problems to culture clashes. We also learn about Shut-in situation in Japan (and how they deal with it)

There are all kind of tropes within - from the breasts and nakedness (never seen anything) to the beach episode most animes have.

In terms of Art I really enjoy it and feel. (the studios) know their stuff. 
In terms of characters - they are given depth and I enjoy learning more about Myucel and Petralka power problems. 
Excelent soundtrak, no doubt about it and the voice over was HILARIOUS. 

Overall I really enjoy the anime and feel. is one of those studios I will look more in the near future. After all they made one of my favourite animes Tsuki ga Kirei which I will make a review in the near future. 

Mayo Chiki, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father! are three animes I will be watching in the near future.

Anime Review: Quanzhi Fashi (Full-Time Magister) (Fall 2016)

This anime came out of the blue. I was trying to get QuanZhi Gao Shou (Full-Time Expert, The King's Avatar) and I found this anime. I was very intrigued since both had the word Quanzhi (which means it seems full-time) and both were Chinese. So I start watching and four days later I had finish it.  I would have watched it sooner BUT it’s the end of the season and a lot of animes to be watch.

This anime is totally different from Quanzhi gao shou. One deals with online gamers and this one deals with magicians.  Full Time Expert was made by G. CMay Animation & Film and Full Time Magister (Shanghai Foch Film Culture Investment). Both with good ratings on MAL - Expert with 8.20 and Magister 7.76

In this world, people awake magic powers that come from various elements. Each person has one power and the High School basically teach these youngsters to learn more about magic. 
What’s interesting is our MC Fan Mo who three months before awoke into a different world he lived. In this world magic exists – This unfortunally is never really dwelt upon. It seems everything happened as in the world who had no magic except that. 

Well I am getting side-tracked – before the awakening, our MC had done some things that make his papa in a bad position. Supposedlly he escape with a girl because she wanted ask him – unfortunally her father thinks he kidnap with intentions of elope with her.

After the awakening he enters the high school, his father had to sell his house,  and he awakes a fire elemental – he also awoke a lightning elemental but hides from everyone else, only showing it to a girl who is in a wheelchair after saving her (we never learn very much about who she is – supposedly is his adopted sister?).

The twelve episodes we learn more and more about how the magic works – first the awakening, then the 7 stars – then learning a level 1 skill then the 2 and finally the 3 skill. They also say it’s pretty hard to cast spells but only after a couple of months Mo Fan and the main rival both are level 1.
Meanwhile, they are tested on their skills and Mo Fan gets into fight with the father of the girl he saved insulting him. He then makes him duel his adopted son and considerably the best mage in school. As the episodes flow we learn more about his motifs and motivations and evolution of dual wielding culminating in a final battle where he shows everyone he can dual wield the two most powerful elementals. 

In this series, only our MC gets enough time to evolve. Most other characters are just what they are Secondary Characters.  To me that’s okay because with 15/18 minute episode and with 3 year span there isn’t enough time to dwelt on other characters – which also can lead to discontent to some people BUT this MC is quite good.

About the art and animation…. Well I watch a 480p version so it might be because of that but it’s not that interesting animation/cgi. Some characters look alike (even the air) and most girls have also the same body… configuration. There is a teacher with big boobs than we see them bounce (probably the only fan-service available). The fighting scenes are not that great in terms of fluid motion. 
The sound is there – basically. The characters all have the same timbre of voice BUT probably that’s because they are Chinese and not Japanese which I am used and can hear the different between them.
The music is ok. Nothing interesting… unless you can count on the music from rocky. 
In some episodes, we also have some glimpses of something akin comedy. But not overdo.

Story 6/10
World Building 7/10
Character Building 6/10
Animation/Art 4/10
Sound 4/10
Enjoyment 7/10 
Overall 7/10

Overall I enjoy the series and I am eagerly waiting a second season. I only hope they expand more our MC and the side characters. I also hope to learn about the world around them.