Playlist - Young and Beautiful

Lana del Rey's haunting music from the original soundtrack of The Great Gatsby is my favorite song for the past two weeks. Play this video to be mesmerized.

WYD Rio 2013

Wishing I could be there. But since I won't be able to go with my vagabond shoes here's a promo trailer for the 2013 World Youth Day to be held in Rio de Janeiro this coming July 23-28, 2013. I'll be celebrating in spirit together with every folks from all over the world praying for their safety, enjoyment and harmony.

First Look: Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu

Year: 2013 | Based on the manga series written by Ikoma and illustrated by Tomomoka Midori |

 Directed by: Masayoshi Kawajiri | Studio: Gainax

So Girls und Panzer meets K-ON! 

I love those two aforementioned series and I'm a fan of them obviously. In a way my expectation for C3-bu is to be disappointed, after all the formula for "cute girls doing cute things" has been repeatedly done in anime countless of times. So what's new? For one, the studio that produced this anime is the same studio that brought us Evangelion. However, there is no Ikari Shinji here, everything looks nice and carefree, butterflies and daisies. For a summer season that is composed mainly of cute high school girls I am surprised that this one turns out to be rather enjoyable. Not sickening saccharine. These girls are weird and they are not afraid to show it. They are crazy about a hobby that doesn't get as much attention from other girls because it is known to be something rough, crude and dangerous. Of course the staple scenes of getting a new member for their underdog club is right there, but I really don't mind because the premise of the story is all about fun. The whole point is not to take itself seriously. I watch these shows to be relaxed, to get in touch with my inner child, and I'm glad that the first episode gave me a dose of that. 

P.S. I will be writing First Look entries for Servant x Service, Dog and Scissors, Genshiken, Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi, Uchouten Kazoku, and Blood Lad but it would be delayed for a few days due in part to real life circumstance. 

First Look: Free!

Year: 2013 | Written by: Masahiro Yokotani | Directed by Hiroko Utsumi

Studio: Kyoto Animation & Animation Do

Sparkles of shirtless able bodied bishounen's here and there. I am flabbergasted that there could be so much man-service for just one episode leaving me speechless. So hail to the fujoshi! However, it would be dismissive to say yaoi because this is created by a parent friendly studio to begin with. So don't even think about the possibility of BL for this show because it's not going to swing that way.

The first episode is more or less average -- not as great but not that bad either. The animation quality and the overall visuals - this being KyoAni is of course spectacular - but not at par with Hyouka. However, the concept (and these man candy's) pulls you straight in like a magnet. Due to the overwhelming fanservice I have to watch it three times to really get into the program without drooling and giggling. Now I'm stuck with that ED sequence and song. There is also an obvious gender bender thing going on with the characters names. And the stereotype is pretty much set. Haruka being the tsundere type, Nagisa with his big Moe eyes, Makoto as the softie, Rin as the badass a-hole, and Rei as the studious megane. 

Is it just me or am I seeing a female dominated season this Spring? Not for empowerment in my opinion but for the benefit of those male otaku's. While men are feasting over moe overload, us women only have Free! to revel on, and it's getting some unfair criticism from narrow minded people. For once, give us a break and let the women have a good time. We want our sexy males and it doesn't need to be translated as BL, okay. It wouldn't hurt if the writers could inject some women love interest to our Iwatobi studs as well. I don't know if that's possible but here's to hoping that we'll get some lovey dovey girl-boy factor in one or two episodes. 

Final Notes: Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge

Year: April 4, 2013 - June 27, 2013 | Directed by: Yūji Yamaguchi

Episodes: 13 | Written by: Tatsuhiko Urahata | Based on the manga by Tatsuhiko Hikagi

Studio: Studio Gokumi | Roundup Rating: A-

This is the type of series that gets more better as it becomes much weirder. I don't think that Crime Edge suits the traditional anime route -- it's in its nature to be shocking and unnerving, and that's what sets it apart from the rest. Where its comfort zone lies is the uninitiated viewers discomfort. And I have no trouble with the blood, killing and the nibbling, well maybe except for the fluids. I rejoice and my attention is all focused when scenes are always out of the box. Maybe it sounds sick but I like pushing my mental threshold from time to time.

The animation is top notch, although it is more in the cutesy side, but the coloring/cinematography is so elaborately gorgeous that it balances out the strange and the kawaii. The summer season doesn't have a lot of quality anime to boast, so it is a relief that Crime Edge comes in perfectly as a sleeper hit with a rather unique storyline that could easily haunt our imaginations. I honestly want a second season after its rather vague conclusion. But I guess at the moment that would be out of the question since BD/DVD sales have always been a determining factor and so far Crime Edge is performing poorly at the market. It is such a shame that series like these are getting frowned over by the Japanese viewers in favor of lolicon's and siscon's of otaku fandom. If you want to watch something worthy of your time go ahead and pick up this series you'll definitely enjoy it from start to finish.