Anime Review: Kure-nai

Genre: Slice of life, Romance, Drama and has violent scenes.

This anime is about a high school shounen named Kurenai Shinkurou. His parents died during a terrorist attack and he was one of the few survivors who made it through the bombings. While being captured by the terrorists, he has lost all will to live and was waiting for his death depsite his friend who tries to help him. It was then when a mediator dashed in and saved his life. That was the turning point in his life.

After which, he followed the female mediator named Juuzawa Benika who took him in as her pupil and assigned him tasks as a mediator. In order to improve himself, he also train with the Houzuki family, who is known for being a family of killers from generations to generations. He also got a horn attached to his arm as a weapon and will release it when there is a need to.

On one occasion, he got himself a bodyguard job assigned by Benika to protect a 7 years old girl called Kuhouin Murasaki. Whilst on this job, he has taught Murasaki many things in life and also has learned many things from Murasaki. They lived a fulfilling life however, this lasted for a short while and soon the Kuhouin family knew their whereabouts. Kuhouin Riyuu, who is the elder son of the family ordered his subordinates to bring Murasaki back and defeated Shinkurou and Yayoi; who is also Benika pupil, depsite them being a good fighter. After losing terribly, Shinkurou went to the mansion to bring Murasaki home. After various tough fights and arguments, Murasaki has finally made up her mind to stay in the Kuhouin Household and fight their traditions. She was granted freedom and was accepted by the Head of Kuhouin, Kuhouin Renjou who is her biological father.

The Kuhouin family has a tradition passed down is that all daughters born into that famliy will be isolated and imprisoned in the inner sanctuary. They are not allowed to see the outside world and their existence is completely erased by the Kuhouin Family. Their role is to obey all rules and orders given and soon when they have reach an adult age, they will have to make love with the eldest son in the family and gave birth. Their sons will be taken away and gave it to the legal wife of the Kuhouin Family while their daughters will stay and suffer the very same fate as they have.

Murasaki's biological mother Souju, does not want her daughter to be caught up in this traditions and hence has ordered Benika to take her daughter away after she committed suicide. Benika feels that Shinkuro is the best candidate for this task and hence assigned him to it.

This anime may not be a very exciting one however, it teaches one to make decisions and to fight for your own happiness. It will not be a watse of time and is worthwhile watching.

Manga Review: Mars

Title of Manga: MARS
Genre: Josei, Adult, Mature, Drama
Status: Completed

Story:
MARS talked about the darkness in people and how some of them can overcome it and how some cannot. It has a little of romance, violence and tragedy that makes you keep wanting for more. It has a different vibe in the story that is able to leave an impression in your mind.

Synopsis of the story:
Kashino family runs a huge business, Oak Group, which is fairly well known in the business realm. They have 2 sons, Akihiko, the younger brother died in a car crush during car racing. The elder brother took over the Oak Group. (forgot what's the name of the elder brother, let's call him Kashino)

Akihiko was loved by many people including his father. Hence, from young their father has been bias for Akihiko and the elder brother was a left out. Akihiko has a lover but that woman was eventually married to the Kashino.

After Akihiko died, his lover gave birth to a twin brother. Elder brother is called Rei and the younger one is called Sei. Kashino, despite knowing that these children belongs to Akihiko, he still raised them as his own because he was not able to have children.

However, the mother didn't believe that the Kashino would love Akihiko's children and, she who has a terrible temper and loves her children so much that in the end she suffers from mental illness. She even attempt to kill Rei once and after that incident she was immediately sent to a mental hospital.

Not long after she's discharged, she committed suicide. At that time both Rei and Sei were still too young to understand what death is. Kashino was left in despair that both his brother, wife and father are no longer in this world and he himself wasn't too sure how to be a father of 2.

Under the recommendation of his friend, who is a psychiatrist, who is the doctor in charged of his wife, to send his children to a relative who lives in L.A for the time being until Kashino's emotions are stable.

When in L.A they were put under one of the relatives' care. Rei who has a violent temper is a total oppposite of Sei who loves art and is a good boy. Rei promised his mother that he will protect his younger brother who is often the subject of bully.

Things progressed in a negative manner when Rei attempt to kill one of the bullies who always pick on Sei. When they moved back to Japan, Sei commited suicide in front of Rei. Rei was in a shock and he lost all his memories and also, suffered from mental illness. Hence, Rei's memories as a child were vague and unclear.

Rei who loves motorcycle racing, starts to be more human like after meeting this girl, Kira Aso who eventually became his wife. Rei confessed his sins and feelings to Kira and she has helped him to cope and overcome his mental illness.

Aso Kira has a tragic past where she was rape by her step father and that leaves a scar in her. Her wound was so deep that she became an introvert. As for her, it was Rei who has helped her to step out from her comfort zone.

These couple has met many obstacles and people that has caused them pain. Such as Masao Kirishima who also suffered from a mental illness, a very serious mental illness that has resulted him to kill and injured many other people.

Slowly, step by step, they build up their bond between them and their future. From a delinquent teenager to a grown up man and how they have overcome difficulties with their friends' help. They who have beared the costs, have also taste the sweetness of the fruit of the outcome.

Anime Review: Higashi no Eden

Title of anime: Higashi no Eden
Alternate title: Eden of the East
Status: Completed
Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Mystery, Drama

Story:
There is this man who created a brilliant system with a corceive by the name if Juiz. Juiz is able to process any request from anyone.

This man chooses eleven young people whom he thinks worthy off to play a game that he invented. Each of them are given a cellphone that has a 10 billion yen credit. This cellphone will directly connect them to Juiz and it can also be use as an ordinary phone.

They have to follow the basic rules of the game and in an event if they failed to do so, they will be killed by a person called the supportor. This supportor can be either one of the eleven of not. He will not reveal.

The rules are:
1. In the event where you used up 10billion yen and did not accomplished the objective.
2. In the event where u did not use the credit within the deadline of the game and decide to withdraw.
3. This game will only have one winner and the rest will have to die

Hence, this players participated in this game knowing the rules. There is a specific time line to use the cash but there is no specific time line to finish the game. The supportor will decide the winner.

As it is only a short anime with 11 episodes, it is best that I do not reveal any more information and details on the anime. If not it will be as good as i dictate the entire anime plot and scenes to you.

If interested, please go and watch this anime. It is worthwhile.

Anime Review: Nodame Cantabile

First Season: Nodame Cantabile
Second Season: Nodame Cantabile Paris Hen
Statues: Completed
Genre: Musical, Drama, Shoujo, Comedy, Manga

Story:
Chiaki Shinichi is a talented young man who can play piano and a violin very well. Both his parents are well-known musicians in the music industry. His mother, Seiko is a world known pianist and his father Chiaki-san is also a well known violinist.

It may seem that he has a promising future either as a pianist or violinist, however his interests lies in being a conductor of an orchestra / ensemble. He tried to pursue his dream and went against his family's wishes and against his greatest fear of all times; flying on a plane and the sea.

He met this another young lady who is not so elegant nor brilliant, but has a very nice personality and plays the piano well. She is Noda Megumi and everyone calls her Nodame. Her piano has made Shinichi realised many wonderful things in life.

She has also helped him in the most slightest way in helping him to fulfill his dream being a conductor. Along the way, he has also slowly fallen in love with her. But Nodame has her own problems as well. She can play well on the piano, but she totally cannot understand music scores.

Nodame who has difficulties in struggling for her music, is also a slow and bothersome at times to Shinichi. The both of them who has a different character and different direction in their goals in life, who in the fell in love with each other bit by bit. How would their realation and music career will end up?

This anime has made me fall in love with classical music. When the ensemble plays, it really moves my heart. A heart warming anime that is definitely worthwhile watching. It makes you realised that you have a very artistic side of yourself. =)

Manga Review: Hana to Akuma

Title of Manga: Hana to Akuma
Genre: Shoujo, romance, comedy, supernatural & fantansy

Feelings:
Hana to Akuma translate to english is known as flower and devil. It talks about a devil who seems to be a candidate for the next Demon King, left the demon world and started living in the human world along with buttler.

On one snowy night, he picks up a human girl who has been abandoned in front of his gate and from then on, many things happen and that either strengthened or weakens their relationship. the demon, ViVi, who named the human child, Hana, has encounter countless accidents.

This manga is still ongoing, however, it may not be fantastic novel of any kind, it sure has a tingling feeling to it as you read more.

It keeps you at suspense and sometimes, you thought you knew what the plots are, it catches you by the slightest surprise.

A nice and heart warming manga. No harm reading during your free time.

Manga Review: AI WO UTAU YORI ORE NI OBORERO!

Title of Manga: AI WO UTAU YORI ORE NI OBORERO!
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romace, School life, Gender Bender, Shoujo
Status: Complete

Story:
There is an all girl's school called Saint no Bara, which means Saint Rose and an all boy's school called Dankaisan.

In Saint nobara, there is a girls band called Blaue Rosen who is admired by many students. Within them, there is a very charming prince looking guitarist, Mizuki. Everyone calls her Mizuki-sama. There is also another charming band member named Shun who is their vocalist.

However, due to some reasons, Shun was selected to go to New York to further her education and that leaves Blaue Rosen without a vocalist. At this moment, a person by the name of Akira appears and wants to be Blaue Rosen vocalist. Despite that. Mizuki would not accept any other vocalist except for Shun, but Akira's singing is way to attractive that Mizuki cannot ignore.

In the end, through a vocalist selection, Akira was selected to be Blaue Rosen's vocalist. With this, it sparks off a series of events that makes you laugh and have you feel a tingling feeling at times. This is all because Akira is in Dankaisen and is regarded as their princess.

Akira who is a princess in an all boy's school and Mizuki who is regarded as the prince in an all girl's school. This sure makes a very interesting combination.

This is an interesting manga series that is short, simple and sweet. It has only 29 chapters with 30 pages for each chapter.

I enjoyed reading it and I hope manga readers would enjoy it too. A change in the type of manga once in a while is a good thing. =)

Have a nice weekend.

Manga Review: The Bride of the Water God

Title of Manwha: The Bride of the Water God
Genre: Shoujo, romance, supernatural, historical
Status: Ongoing

Story:
This comic isthe first korean manhwa I've read and thought that it was really good.

The setting of the story goes all the way back to our chinese ancient history. Where gods and demons exist in different dimensions.

This story evolves around a relationship between a god and a human. Unlike from those we usually see on shows where gods and human cannot fall in love, here in this story it is not at all impossible.

It talks about this young beautiful girl by the name of Soah, from a poor family in a supisitious village. She was offered as a bride to the Water God, known as Habaek, as a price to pay to end their drought.

When she arrives at the Water Kingdom and met Habaek, to her surprise it is actually a young boy around the same age as her little sister.

Never did she expects that the man she only comes to meet at night, Mui, is the original form of Habaek, who is the young boy she only meets in the day.

However, Mui who is the Habaek has a dark secrets that he never revealed to anyone and it seems that all the other people Soah met in the Water Kingdom seems to be hidding something.

In a unkown environment with no one she could turn to for help, she has to strive her way through and to survive the ordeal and also, to answer her own desires as to who she really loves.

As for Habaek, he seems to have a past that keeps haunting him and the people serving him are all not exactly loyal to him.

Having said that, he used to love one human women by the name of Nakbin but was killed by her own brother. He always make a promise to her that as long as it is Nakbin, he will always come back to her.

But Nakbin who is supposed to be dead, has returned not too long after Habaek has taken in his bride, Soah.

Soah, who has been proposed to by Habaek was put in a test when Habaek was drugged by Nakbin, to make Habaek fall completely head over heals for Nakbin.

Will Soah be able to be together with Habaek?
Will Habaek be able to fight his fate and be with the girl whom he truly loves?
What is the Great Emperor scheming and who is Nakbin that has reappeared when she is supposed to be dead?

This story will make you want for more and there is always a twist in it that makes it interesting to read.

I enjoyed reading it and I read it twice. Amazing, isn't it?

Manga Review: Mademoiselle Butterfly

Manga: Mademoiselle Butterfly
Genre: Historical, Romance, Drama, Shoujo
Status: Completed. 9 chapters.

Story:
It talks about an apprentice Geisha back in the 1900s by the name of *Butterfly. She was sold when she was 9 years old because of poverty. However, the only lucky thing for her is that her neighbour who lives beside the Geisha house she works in, happens to be a young chap who always look after her.

He is from a rich family and his father is a well known paintist. His brother is a wealthy businessman, however due to some incident that happened in the past, he left house and became a tattooist. And so, every day Butterfly would visit him during her free time and requested for him to paint on her wrist. From here, that's how their love for each other develop.

However, things did not goes as smoothly as they have planned. Because of the war, the young tattooist has to leave her behind to go to the front line. He leaves her in the care of his older brother and father, and at that time when he leaves, she is already carrying his child, a twin.

After many years, the war did not end and they could only communicate via mail, until one faithful day he stops sending her letter for a year and the next thing she know, she receives the notification that he died during the war.

Left alone with her 2 children who are 4 years old, the father and the brother. She has almost given up her life and did not want to live anymore. At the time, it was her 2 children who gave her the courage to move on in life and to be stronger as a mother of 2, to protect her children just like how he protected her in the past.

*note that a Geisha does not uses her real name but their "Geisha" name. So in this case, Butterfly is that young lady's Geisha name.

This story gives a different feeling unlike other romance manga/manhwa that I have read so far. Only for this manga, I have decided to skip some parts of the story. Whatever that was written in here is not the full story and it does not end with the last paragraph.

If this interests you, you may want to try reading. It is a short series and a fulfilling one.

Manga Review:Hadashi de Bara wo Fume

Manga: Hadashi de Bara wo Fume
Genre: Historical, Romance, Shoujo
Status: Ongoing

Story:
It's about a poor girl whose parents has passed away long ago. Her only kin is her older brother whose job is a host and her family members are abandon kids whom her brother picked up from the streets.

One faithful encouter with a rich man has lead her to have a wealthy lifestyle. However, she must give up everything that she has now. Her family and her love. She has to marry a man she cannot fall in love and has to abide the rules of the high society.

It's a story where politics play a subtle part and also how this girl has set her determination to pass thru all obstacles ahead. Being played aound in the palm of the young rich man and his butler. How is she going to come out of it? will she be able to gain anything valuable and priceless?

This story may not be as exciting as the other mangas, but if you're bored and has nothing to do. This manga may be one of the best you can find to kill them and keep you entertained.

Manga Review: Tsuki no Shippo

Manga: Tsuki no Shippo
Genre: Historical, Romance, Martial arts, Drama, Shoujo, Comedy, Adventure
Status: Completed. 105 Chapters.

Story:
Usagi is a child from a famous ninja village and her grandpa and great-grandpa were well known shinobi as well. However, she doesn't seem to inherit their genes and could not even be qualified as a shinobi. Despite that, she is a herbalist. Someone who is good at mixing medicine.

Her first mission was to go to Iga, another village and marry the leader of the village to bear his child. The amiable man is Hanzou. Hanzou is like a perfect man. He has the looks, the skills and the leadership. Everything a woman desire, he has. BUT, he has a problem. He does not want to marry.

It's a story that involves these 2 characters as the main characters of the story. This manga has a good plot when comes to politics play since ninjas are often send to missions such as gathering information, smoking each other and fight each other.

It also involves with a little tragedy because of a war between the villages. And how does the war make a change in every character's life. It complies with Usagi's journy in becoming a herbalist, a shinobi as well as Hanzou's wife. The people she met along the way and the people she lost in battles.

It has happy, sad and frustrating moments when reading this manga.

Manga Review: Koi, Hirari

Manga: Koi, Hirari
Genre: Romance, Shoujo, School life, Drama
Status: Completed. 12 Chapters

General Feel:
If you have read backstage prince before, this manga similiar to that. However, this has more heart-warming scenes that tickles your heart. A little unique from Backstage Prince something worthwhile reading.

Story:
It says about this young girl, Misaki Sumire, met her first love during her first winter back in her mother's hometown. It was New Year's eve when she met this young man, Kasuki, who happens to be a very famous traditional japanese dancer from a very famous dancing school.

That unexpected meeting has brought these 2 young people together and because of the difference in family background, they have made obstacles after obstacles. With a strong rivalry, Kasuki's younger brother, Haruka, it adds on to the diffculties this pair young lover is facing.

With all the commotion, public pressure, fiancees, rivalry and the main aspect of this story, which is the heart. How much would either parties willing to sacrifice so that the other party need not suffer. What trials they have to go through to achieve approval and blessings from everyone.

Please read them if you have the time.
If you like backstage prince, you would like this too. I've learnt something from this manga. About the treatment to someone who is precious to you. Well, I kinda feel that it's quite true to a certain extend.