Speed Grapher

(Girls on Film)

Speed Grapher follows the exploits of former war photographer Tatsumi Saiga, who investigates a secret fetish club for the ultra-wealthy called the Roppongi Club. He tries to photograph the club's "goddess," a 15-year-old; exploited girl named Kagura, but is discovered. As he is about to be killed, Kagura kisses him, granting him the ability to destroy anything he photographs. Saiga soon discovers that Kagura's body fluids, like her saliva, can give people bizarre abilities relating to their secret desires, fetishes, and obsessions. Club members strive for the honor of becoming "gifted" via Kagura's power. Saiga soon becomes entangled in this secret underground society and the powerful and corrupt Tennōzu Group mega-corporation that operates it. He attempts to free Kagura, a move that puts the two of them on the run from the Tennōzu Group and blood-thirsty members of the club with bizarre and often horrifying special powers.
Saiga and Suitengu engage in a game of cat and mouse; Saiga and Kagura manage to evade capture several times before Suitengu himself attacks Saiga, severely injuring him, and takes Kagura captive. To take over Tennōzu Group, Suitengu murders its president, Shinsen Tennōzu, who also is Kagura's mother. Kagura inherits the group, so Suitengu marries her and takes legal control of it. Saiga, having recovered from his wounds, interrupts the wedding and rescues Kagura. Together, they attempt to leave Japan but are enticed back by the prospect of defeating Suitengu once and for all. The plan, however, ends up being a trap set up by Suitengu, who captures Kagura once again. Saiga and his policewoman friend Hibari Ginza make one final attack on Suitengu's stronghold—the main building of Tennōzu Group. In addition, a group of politicians from around the world fire missiles at Tokyo to kill Suitengu. Saiga and Suitengu battle, but Saiga is unable to defeat Suitengu before going blind from overusing his power. Suitengu spares Saiga's life, and, in a final act of defiance, destroys all the money he gathered before being killed by the missiles. The world collapses into a financial crisis, but Saiga and Kagura finally reunite, no longer under threat of attack.
I wouldn’t say this is the best anime but, I did enjoy it. Although the plot was just a bit weird with Kagura being able to grant people’s wishes and desires with her own bodily fluids…that’s just a bit disturbing. You do come to like the relationship that Saiga and Kagura share I wouldn’t say it is romantic love, more like a brother-sister type of relationship.

I happened to dislike many of the characters, especially Shinsen Tennozu; she was so cruel to Kagura. Suitengu reminded me of the poor-man’s Sepiroth except a little more stylish. Suitengu’s henchmen were annoying and all incredibly gay. Really? Who wears a patch over their nose? It does not make you look dangerous, just makes you sound more nasally.

The superpowers for Saiga were a bit ridiculous. I know he had a fetish for photography but, taking a picture of anything and making it explode? Just a little far-fetched, could’ve given him a little more than that.

Overall, the series wasn’t all that great, it’s perfect for a rainy day or when you have nothing better to do.

Oh and if you watch the original Japanese version, the opening song is “Girls on Film” by Duran Duran. It only appears on the original so, keep that in mind.

TRIGUN is the story of Vash the Stampede. A seemingly goofy clumsy amnesiac of a man who is wanted by bounty hunters for the destruction of the city of July. He's constanly on the run from bounty hunters leaving destroyed cities in his wake. (all caused by the bounty hunters, but he gets blamed for it.) But he's not the idiot he appears to be, he's a superb gunman with a pacisfist streak who hides behind his idiot persona to keep people from looking too deep.

He's being tracked by two Bernardelli Insurance agents named Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson who are trying to prevent him from causing anymore damage that their company has to pay out for. They follow him through everything and eventually figure out that it's not Vash causing the damage but the people chasing him. Their company ends up classifying him as the world's only Human Natural Disaster to prevent from having to pay out more money. Needless to say they end up quitting their jobs.

Vash also meets a man named Nicholas D. Wolfwood. He's a gunman and a Priest who travels the desert with a HUGE Cross strapped to his back. The relationship Vash has with this man is complicated. Even though Wolfwood is a Priest he has no qualms about killing. He believes that sometimes men have to become the devil themselves to save others, while Vash believes killing is wrong no matter what. Wolfwood's redemption plays a HUGE roll in the end of this series and comes at a very steep price.

At some point in this anime it takes on a dark tone as he begins to look for his brother, Knives who is sending his henchmen (The Gung-ho Guns) to torment him and cause as much death and choas as possible. The series ends with Vash and Knives facing off.....(i am not going to spoil it for you if you haven't seen it.)

The original Manga was done by the wonderful Yasuhiro Nightow. The manga was serialized in Tokuma Shoten's Shōnen Captain from the series debut in 1995 until the magazine's demise in 1997. The series continued in Shōnen Gahosha's Young King Ours magazine, under the title Trigun Maximum where it remained until finishing in 2007.

I have nothing bad to say about this series. I love everything about it. Post-Appocalyptic Westerns are always fun. It was one of the first series that I sat through that I enjoyed every episode. There is something to be said about a series of anything that makes you smile just thinking about it.

It's most definitely in my top 10 favorite. A series that any person who claims to love or hate anime needs to watch and if you haven't then SHAME ON YOU.

Spice and Wolf
(Economics made fun!)



Spice and Wolf's story revolves around Kraft Lawrence, a twenty-five-year-old traveling merchant who peddles various goods from town to town to make a living in a stylized historical setting with European influences. His main goal in life is to gather enough money to start his own shop, and he already has been traveling for seven years while gaining experience in the trade. One night when stopped at the town of Pasloe, he finds in his wagon a pagan wolf-deity girl named Holo who is over 600 years old. She appears to be a fifteen-year-old girl, except for a wolf's tail and ears. She introduces herself as the town's goddess of harvest, who has kept it blessed with good harvests of wheat for many years. Despite her responsibility to watch over the town, she wants to go back to her homeland in the north called Yoitsu; she believes the people have already forsaken her and that she has kept her promise to maintain the good harvests. Holo wants also to travel to see how the world has changed while she has remained in one place for years. She manages to bargain her way out of the village by making a deal with Lawrence to take her with him. As they travel, her wisdom helps increase his profits, but at the same time, her true nature draws unwanted attention from the church.

Now, you are probably saying to yourself, “This anime is going to be no good. It talks about the economy and I already get enough of that in my economics class.” Yeah, I thought the same thing too however, the only thing that drew me in was that a wolf changed into a girl and vice

versa. Yeah, I’m into that stuff…SHUDDUP.

This anime starts off pretty fast with Holo teaming up with Lawerence and cooperating with each other just to survive. Ah, the power of teamwork. However, the anime does slow down quite a bit in the middle. You might want to yank it out at this point in time and go into your local video store and trade it in for some other anime but, I implore you…DON’T! It gets better plus, more Holo nudity for you perverts. I mean I know some people who have mixed feelings about it but, it’s worth watching at least one time.

A second season has already aired but, I do not believe it’s come to the states yet. There’s even a manga and light novel (with a revealing cover…kekeke).

Plus, you could probably learn a thing or two for that upcoming Economics test.

Macross Frontier
(The power of music saves us all)


The new show celebrates the 25th anniversary of the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross TV series (1982–1983), and is chronologically subsequent to Macross 7 (1994–1996). This third TV series introduces Earth's latest main variable fighter, the VF-25 Messiah (メサイア) and a new ship called the Macross Frontier. The show retains the signature space opera theme consistent with all series set in the Macross universe (which intertwine musical numbers with fast-paced variable fighter combat).

On the Macross timeline, the story is set in the year 2059, 47 years after the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross, 19 years after Macross Plus and 14 years after the story of Macross 7. The series features the 25th New Macross-class Colonial Fleet, dubbed the Macross Frontier, en route to the galactic center. This heavily populated interstellar fleet (consisting of numerous civilian vessels and their military escorts) contains a makeup of both human occupants and their Zentradi allies. As such, many of the Macross Frontier's companion vessels appear to merge more metallic Human designs with organic Zentradi aesthetics. Macross Frontier's plot explores a combination of action/political intrigue/space drama more than previous Macross series have done in the past.

As the series begins, during a mission to an unexplored asteroid belt a reconnaissance New U.N. Spacy (N.U.N.S.) VF-171 is destroyed by extremely powerful and fast insectoid biomechanical alien mecha known as the "Vajra" (バジュラ), which immediately begin their attack on the rest of the fleet. Unable to stop the new enemy threat, the N.U.N.S. Colonial Defense Forces authorizes the deployment of a Private Military Provider organization called S.M.S. (Strategic Military Services) which utilizes the new VF-25 Messiah variable fighter to combat the alien menace.

OMGILOVETHISSERIESSOMUCHTHATITMAKESMEWANTTOSCREAMANDSHOUTANDSTEALEVERYONESLEFTSHOE. This is the most incredible anime I have seen since my Sailor Moon days. I mean, I felt like I was 12 years old again. I was a rabid fan girl! This show has everything and it appeals to both male and female audiences.

Unfortunately, this show never made it to the US, nor will it. Since it’s airing in 2008, there has since been one movie (The False Diva) and there is a 2nd movie in progress (title has not yet been released). The first movie is a prequel/alternate reality to the anime and the 2nd movie happens to be a sequel and sticks to the originality of the anime. I loved all the characters, especially Sheryl Nome whom I connected with on so many different levels. You watch through the show, the characters also progress to build a new future for themselves. I loved the entire soundtrack! The music was great and catchy.

I bet you guys seriously didn’t know that I am a serious Robotech/Macross fan? I may be young but, I know all about that old school anime and I know what’s good.
Since watching Macross Frontier, nothing has held my interest like it did. All these new anime that have been airing have become quite tasteless and seem to be more focused on young school girls…OH WAIT.

Furthermore, this is an awesome series! I highly recommend it because I mean what could be cooler than hot chicks singing their hearts out to you and mechs?

(I would like to apologize for not updating on a regular basis like I had hoped. I am having to deal with some issues in my own personal life and it takes priority over all my hobbies. Again, I do apologize and hope that all of you continue to read our blogs!)