Tsuritama
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T
Tasogare otome x Amnesia
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Tabisuru Nuigurumi
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Tari Tari
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Taisho Yakyu Musume
Alternative title:
Taisho Baseball Girls
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Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Alternate Titles: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Gurren Lagann, TTGL
Original Japanese Release Date: 2007
Episode Length/Run-time: 27 Episodes
Summary:
The world is oppressed by monsters ruled over by the Spiral King, Lordgenome. Humans are forced to live underground and any found disobeying will be killed. One day the meek Simon the digger comes across a drill key and a Gunman mecha while expanding his home city further below. With this and the gun-ho bravery of his friend and older brother figure Kamina they venture to the surface to defeat the spiral king. But they soon learn there’s more to the Spiral power that both the king and Simon harness and how it plays into the fate of humanity.
Review:
This anime is a fan favorite by a huge portion of the anime community. It’s hard to argue against the fact that it has become a near instant classic simply for the fandom which it has earned.
Gurren Lagann is a rare breed. The anime is the original source of the story. All light novels, mangas, games, and movies came after. A good way to describe the series is mecha for the masses. While it is a mech series with REALLY over the top robots (we’re talking movers of worlds here) it’s not so steeped in sci-fi that the average viewer can’t relate to it.
The series is divided into three main arcs. The first arc, where most of the main cast is introduced focuses on defeating the Spiral King. You meet the busty Yoko, the fabulous Leon, and the vicious enemy yet friend Viral. This arc focuses more on evolving the characters and having the viewer fall in love with them over progressing the main plot.
The second arc is where the real story begins to fall into play. (This is spoiler free, so I won’t tell you what happens to the Spiral King, you’ll just have to watch for yourself). You begin to learn there are more forces at work than previously suspected and the final piece of the main cast joins the crew, Nia, daughter of the Spiral King.
Then, IT happens. I won’t ruin what IT is, those of you who have watched the series already know. But it is one of the most heart-breaking tear-jerking moments in anime. Congrats though, you’re only about halfway done.
The final arc has a time-skip into the future. The characters are older and they face an evolved threat.
This anime is great at that 14 episode halfway point (with the whole IT) thing. The only criticism of the second half/final arc is that it gets a little too over the top. One thing keeps outdoing the next until you literally have mechs the size of planets. It’s not an awful setup, and there are much worse over the top anime out there. But for a serious viewer it can detract just slightly. The positive side is that its, for the most part, right at the end. So you’re likely so engrossed that you can forgive this aspect.
This anime is a fantastic watch for just about any anime fan because it tickles the palette in all the right places. Full of action, sexy men and women, relationships, fighting, sci-fi, a touch of fantasy, great characters and more there’s little wonder of why it’s so well loved. Form a critical standpoint it does stray a bit, knocking it down from a five, but that hardly ruins the experience for the average viewer.
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Tekkon Kinkreet
Alternate Titles: 鉄コン筋クリート
Original Japanese Release Date: 2006
Episode Length/Run-time: 111 minutes
Summary:
Black and White are two orphans who live like street urchins protecting their home as they see fit from various people and “bad guys” like Yakuza. Where Black has physical strength White has the emotional strength which he can depend on. One day new entrepreneurs show up saying they’re going to destroy Treasure Town for a new amusement park. It falls on the shoulders of Black and White to save their home.
Review:
Like Tekkon Kinkreet, or hate it, it’s an interesting piece of anime history. This was the first time an American director (Michael Arias) has gone to Japan and directed an animated feature entirely within Japan. This means the entire process of drafting, funding and production was done entirely within the Japanese system.
Based off a three volume manga the title is a play on words for “Steel and Concrete.” Upon watching the show the setting “treasure town” lives up to this name and creates a world that is both engaging, dimensional, and interesting while still having a desolate feeling of isolation and removal. It is an ideal animated depiction of urban decay.
The story at it’s core is about human connection, necessity, and abandonment and how much the two children need each other to fill these basic needs. The problem with the anime lies in it’s execution. Points which could’ve been particularly poignant to the viewer fall flat because it’s like a speed trip through this urban wonderland. At important parts of the movie it felt like the director was more focused at showing the viewer what he could do with the animation rather than letting the characters speak for themselves and allowing the viewer to sit with them.
Overall, it’s an above-average film. But knowing what I’ve heard of the manga (even though I’ve not read it myself) it sounds like that may be better if you’re more interested in story than a whirlwind of pretty pictures.
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Trigun
Alternate Titles: None
Original Japanese Release Date: 1998
Episode Length/Run-time: 26 ( 30 mins ea. )
Summary:
Vash the Stampede is an on-the-run gunman with a 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head. Needless to say, this makes it hard for him to get around without being shot at or chased. Every town he goes to gets destroyed by his pursuers. He gets followed by 2 insurance agents, Meryl and Milly, in order to try and keep any further damages from occurring. Vash at first sight appears to be a loving, blood hating, donut loving, friendly pacifist, however his past seems to show otherwise.
Review:
The plot revolves around the failed attempts at interplanetary colonization, which lands mankind on a desert planet filled with bandits that want to steal your food and water. Little to no law exists, and there is miles of land between the barely habitable areas. As the story progresses, Vash is accompanied by two insurance agents, and as he moves about, his true colors begin to show as he is forced into various kinds of trouble.
Vash is a true pacifist. However, since hes so good with his 6 shooters, and since all the towns he visits happen to blow up, people tend to misjudge and fear him. The characters are well done, varying from the gunslinging preacher Wolfwood to the cheerful insurance agent Milly Thompson. Every supporting character have their own motives, which is both fun and interesting.
I’d say the best thing about Trigun is that its a madhouse of random fun and action, comedy, and sci-fi; its almost like an amusement ride. Hell, theres even a bit of romance in it.
Trigun not only is fun but it also looks nice. The animation is good, along with the music. And it has one hell of a guitar intro song! Everyone should really see Trigun, not only because its such a well known anime, but also because its pretty hilarious.
Tears to Tiara
Alternate Titles: ティアーズ・トゥ・ティアラ
Original Japanese Release Date: April 5th, 2009
Episode Length/Run-time: 26
Summary:
The Divine Empire is conquering lands from far and wide and in an attempt to prevent this from happening, the Goidelic people are planning to sacrifice the priestess Riannon in an effect to revive the demon king Arawn who they believe can help fight again the Empire. Well Arawn gets revived but Riannon doesn’t need to be sacrificed after all. Arawn begins his revolt against the emprie with the help of Riannon, her brother Arthur and many other skilled fighters.
Review:
This is a classic example of an RPG type series. You have a medieval setting, with castles, swords, knights and magic. Oh yea, did I mention elves and all of your cliche character types? You have the tiny childlike character that uses a huge hammer, the swordsman, the knight, the mage, the healer, etc…It’s great fun.
The aesthetics of the series are quite good. The opening and closing themes are awesome. “Free and Dream” is a great song. I actually have that one on a jogging play list. The animation of the show is pretty decent. It’s good enough to support the action packed battle scenes. Also, the character designs are very nice. I really did enjoy them quite a lot.
There was one thing that I really didn’t care for about the show and that was the pacing. For the most part the series is just a lot of battles and traveling from place to place. The actual story of the show doesn’t reveal itself until the last half dozen or so episodes. That being said, the conclusion has quite an epic feel. There is a huge battle at the end that makes it worth the wait.
All in all this is a pretty average anime. It feels a bit like other anime that have appeared throughout the years. I can think a bit of Record of Lodoss War except this show is obviously a lot newer and has a lot more action. I suppose its because of the RPG feel that I think that. It’s a decent show. If you are a fan of magic and sword battles, check it out.
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Tokyo Magnitude: 8.0
Alternate Titles: 東京マグニチュード8.0
Original Japanese Release Date: July 9th, 2009
Episode Length/Run-time: 11 Episodes
Summary:
It was a normal day until Tokyo was struck by a devastating 8.0 earthquake. The destruction is extreme and in the rubble and brother and sister make their way home.
Review:
Mirai and Yuuki were off having a nice weekend in Tokyo when an earthquake of rare power hits Tokyo, leaving the city in large part destroyed. These two children are the focal point of the anime as we experience the aftermath of the quake through their eyes. It’s a shame they aren’t very interesting characters. Most of the time they’re either crying or complaining about something (though I probably would be too if the world was destroyed). I suppose they are strong children considering what they’re going through.
The appeal of this anime is in its novel approach. There may not be a single other anime that is about an earthquake. The execution if the show was quite good. The creators hired consultants to actually tell them which structures would and would not remain standing after an 8.0 earthquake and therefore, the anime depicts what is supposedly realistic picture of what Tokyo would have actually looked like. The animation and art is good as well and so overall, the appearance of the series is very good.
The problem with the show is that its horribly slow. Unfortunately, earthquakes last a matter of seconds and therefore, the action of the series, which occurs in the first couple episodes, ends with the earthquake. It’s not like a volcano, firestorm, hurricane, or any other natural disaster that can last hours or days. Since the earthquake takes place in the beginning of the series, the remainder came off, at least in my opinion, as rather boring. It’s really unfortunate because the shows concept is really good, but you can only look at debris so many times before it just ceases to be interesting.
The last 10 episodes of the series follow Mirai and Yuuki as they walk home, literally, through the destruction. They encounter different things along the way, such as a make shift hospital, but it really doesn’t spice the show up enough from being boring. The end did have a nice plot twist in it but unfortunately it wasn’t a very surprising one. I imagine that many viewers will have this one figured out long before they actually see the twist happen. That being said, the show doesn’t suck, but I wouldn’t recommend it. If you like survival type themes, I’d recommend other shows like Mujin Wakusei Survive or something as they are more interesting and certainly have better pacing.
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