Ninjas and Relationships: A Review of Nabari no Ou

Relationships between humans are wonderful things.                                                                Its gives us a chance to be humble, caring, and develop.                                                           Being in a relationship with someone, whether it be a romantic relationship, a friendship, or a sibling or family relationship, is something I believe every human holds dear.                I mean, whose more important to you in the end? You or your dearest friends, sibling, spouse, or family member?                                                                                                                  If someone you held dear to your heart had a single wish or dream, would you risk everything for it? Even if you didn’t want them to do what they wished because you knew it would hurt you too much, would you still help them fulfill that wish?

Welcome to MAkagane’s anime review of Nabari no Ou, or in English, King of Nabari.

Our story surrounds a young apathetic and mischievous boy name Rokujou Miharu, who wants nothing more to live the rest of his days in the sleepy town of Banten.                                                                                                                                       However, life never goes the way we want it, and Miharu is soon dragged into matters of the Nabari world by his teacher Kumohira Tobari and classmate Aizawa Kouichi.                  They explain that Miharu has a powerful hijutsu called the Shinrabanshou inside of him, a power to control or do anything, and a ninja clan known as the Kairoshuu (or Grey Wolves) is willing to do anything to get their hands on the power that Miharu has inside of him.

Miharu unwillingly gets dragged into matters of Nabari world, until he meets Yoite.            Yoite, who is part of the Kairoshuu, comes to Miharu (more like takes Miharu as his prisoner), telling him that his wish needs to be fulfilled or those who stand by Miharu will be killed.                                                                                                                                                    Miharu agrees, even though it means that his friends will hate him.

Now, what is Yoite’s wish?                                                                                                                     It is to have never existed, each and every memory of him to fade from existence.                  Such a task cant be too hard for apathetic Miharu, correct? Well… (heh…you all wish…)

The characters of Nabari are all quite interesting.                                                                            We have apathetic Miharu, who believes that he doesnt deserve kindness. He’s also very mischievous, leading to most of the comedy in Nabari no Ou.                                                 Yoite is a kira-user, someone that uses his own life force to kill. He’s silent, willing to kill and take risks, and he is also very apathetic, wanting only nothing but his wish to come true. He’s also weak and dying, has constant nightmares of his past, and believes that he deserves no kindness.                                                                                                                           These two develop quite a bit throughout the series, but more on that later.                           Our other characters include Tobari, a man who suffers from his past (and his fear of vehicles), and wishes only for Miharu to not use the Shirabanshou.                                  Kouichi is a kind, wise, soft spoken character, who is willing to help Miharu. He is also a strong fighter and can be rather scary to watch at times….. (anyway….more on that later…)   Other cast include Shimizu Raimei, a young samurai who will do anything to protect Miharu, even though she doesnt understand what he is planning, Shimizu Raikou, Raimei’s older brother and a samurai, and a man who suffers greatly from secrets of his past.                                                                                                                                                          Meguro Gau is Raikou’s best friend, and he wishes to be there for Raikou whenever Raikou needs a hand.

Each of the characters and many more develop a lot and they all learn something very interesting at the end of the series. (I’m going to talk about that more later, because each of the characters need to be talked about individually.)

The animation for this series is rather nice and gives the series a peaceful feeling to it.          Action scenes are great to watch and are really well animated.  The art for Nabari no Ou is also very unique, with most of the characters being thin and stick-like. (Which is fine, because my art style is like that.) Each of the characters have their own style, and despite this being a show about ninjas…no one actually dresses like a ninja.

The soundtracks are well composed, and even though its not your Sawano Hiroyki or Yuki Kajura, its still very good. None of it is major over-the-top, and most of it is peaceful and calming, consisting of piano, harps, violins, and several other instruments.                              The opening theme song gives Nabari no Ou a shounen anime feeling, and gets you hyped for what is to come. (Because, you know, this show isnt heart wrenching or anything…)        The first ending of Nabari no Ou is very beautiful and I find it to be one of my favorite anime endings. The second song however…(it was good, but it makes the show seem like it was happy, and it wasn’t…) The dub is well done, with some of my favorite voice acting done by Joel McDonald (Yoite) and Brina Palencia (Miharu).  The sub is good as well and…(both Miharu and Yoite’s voices are done by girls….XD)

Nabari no Ou is my favorite anime. Why? I have several reasons. (WARNING: SPOILERS)

I said earlier that each of the characters needed to be talked about individually. This is because each of them have something to teach or something special that needs to be discussed about them.  So here I go. (In case you didn’t see earlier, SPOILERS AHEAD!!)

1. Kumohira Tobari (or Kumohira Durandal Tobari)                                                                                                                                           Tobari suffers from things in his past, being the only to remember Miharu’s parents death, an event that happened ten years prior to the events of Nabari no Ou.                                        Tobari is very loyal to his students, especially Miharu, and only does what is best for him, despite how Miharu feels. He only wants Miharu to be safe, to become the king of Nabari, but to never use the Shinrabanshou.                                                                                                At the end of the series, Tobari learns that trying to whats best for not only Miharu, but Kouichi and Raimei as well, is not his responsibility. The three are growing up, and have their own will, and even though what they do wont always be something that he agrees with, its their life, and they only want to do whats best for others.                                             He also learns that letting go of the past is whats best for him, and its about time he did so.

Hey look! Tons of pics of Kouichi! XD

2. Aizawa Kouichi                                                                                                                          Kouichi is a kind, soft-spoken, and rather wise 14 year old boy.  (Or is he 14? Hmm….)     However, he can be rather frightening to watch. Why?                                                                    Because he can kill a man, without feeling contradiction and make another man think that he himself killed that man, not Kouichi. He can also be rather merciless as well…                  Kouichi harbors a secret that burdens him. He is immortal, due to the Shinrabanshou 200 years before Miharu. He wishes he could die,  because he does not want to see those he holds dear die.                                                                                                                                          At the end of the series, Kouichi doesnt ask Miharu to use to Shinrabanshou to make him mortal. Why? Because Kouichi learns that he has forever to make a difference, and he doesnt have to watch the would around him die.                                                                         He feels indebted to the Aizawa clan for taking him in.                                                                He also learns that even though he is immortal, people care about what happens to him.     All of us as humans do not have all of time to make a difference like Kouichi can, but what if we lived that way? What if we lived like we had forever to not stand by and watch things change, but rather, used our forever that we possess, use our every day to do something, rather than watch the sun rise and the sun set?                                                                                 To live life doing something instead of nothing. Thats living life like you have forever.

And Raimei!! 😀

3. Shimizu Raimei                                                                                                                                         Raimei is tough, strong, and independent. She lives all on her own, or as she says, “without kith or kin”. In the beginning of the series, she is searching for her brother Raikou, saying that she is seeking to avenge her family that he slaughtered.                                                    She finds her brother, but unlike she was planning, she is defeated by her brother.                 She doesnt want to give up, believing her brother as a traitor for killing her family and joining the Kairoushuu.                                                                                                                           However, Gau tells her that she doesnt know the truth of what happened to her family and tells her all of what he knows.                                                                                                                Things between the two Shimizu’s become less tense, but at a price. (A price that I will explain later.)                                                                                                                                     Raimei through the series is willing to protect Miharu, no matter what.                                     Unlike Tobari, she is willing to let Miharu make his own choices, even though she doesnt know what Miharu is planning.                                                                                                          By the end of the series, she suffers greatly yet again, but she smiles through the sadness, being not the only one to suffer.                                                                                                          Shes not like most of the characters, strong physically. However, when it comes to her emotions, she is very strong. She is willing to do anything to help Miharu, no matter what happens to her.

And Raikou….(fun fact, he dyes his hair pink…XD

4. Shimizu Raikou                                                                                                                                           Raikou didn’t kill the Shimizu clan. However, he doesnt let anyone know that, until Gau asks. Raikou was caught in the middle of a fight between the Shimizu’s and he watched his family fall to ruins. Why did he keep the downfall of his family a secret?                                    Raikou believes that he must suffer the past alone. He also doesnt care how his sister feels about him, just as long as she is safe from the past.                                                                         Like I said before, Raimei soon finds out the past about the Shimizu clan, due to Gau telling her.                                                                                                                                                  In a attempt to silence Raimei, he takes up his katana a swings.                                                 Rather than wound Raimei, he wounds Gau.                                                                              Gau goes into a coma due to his wound and wont wake up. Because of this, Raikou feels that Gau wont awaken because he hates Raikou.                                                                        Raikou comes off as easy going, but inside, he is suffering, saying that he must suffer, because he absolutely doesnt want to lose Gau.                                                                            By the end of the series….umm… *goes and cries in a corner*                                                    What Raikou learns is that he doesnt have to hold the past alone, and that when there are people that stand with you through anything, you are not a lone and you do not have to suffer alone. Its a great lesson for anyone. No one should ever have to live their life alone, and should at least have on person to trust, to lean on.

Gau!!
Daww…he reminds me of my little brother… :3

5. Meguro Gau                                                                                                                                    Gau is the best friend of Raikou, and he is willing to die to help him.                                          Gau only wants the best for Raikou, even if Raikou doesnt think it as best.                                When Gau learns of Raikou’s past, he is told to keep it a secret. But being a good friend, he tells Raimei of the truth, hoping that the two Shimizu’s can be the way they should be, siblings. When Gau is in a coma, he explains that he looks for his mother, who were killed by men that Raikou soon after killed. He says that he was unable to find her, and was awakened by Yoite, who used the kira to wake him up.                                                                Gau tells Raikou that he wants to stay by his side, being the best friend that he can.               What Gau teaches in Nabari no Ou is that doing what is right, even when it hurts, is always the best thing to do. He constantly teaches this to watchers whether it be reuniting the Shimizu siblings, or helping Miharu and Yoite, even if it makes him a Kairoushuu rebel.

Yukimi…is just awesome!

6. Kazuhiko Yukimi                                                                                                                                                     I didn’t talk about Yukimi earlier, and if I didn’t in this review, then the review would be incomplete.                                                                                                                                         Yukimi is the guardian of Yoite, but doesnt act like it.                                                                You see, Yukimi is a brash, gun-wielding, can’t-beat-’em-join-’em sort of guy, and as long as Yoite doesnt get him into trouble, then everything is all good.                                             He is the exact opposite of Tobari, but at the same time, he isnt. Sure, he can kill if he needs to, but he cant kill children. He says that he hates children, but really, is that true?  Through the series, he shows that he cares for Yoite’s well being, and even risks his life for Yoite. He was the person that even gave Yoite his name.                                                             By the end of the series, Yukimi believes that he should not see Yoite again, feeling that to two meeting again would bring bad memories of what happened throughout the series.        Yukimi is a character that made even more unique than it already is.                                      He is brash and comes off as somewhat lazy, but he has a great relationship with his sister, and is like a father to Yoite. He does care, but he just doesnt want to show it.

Aww…Miharu needs to smile more…

7. Rokujou Miharu                                                                                                                                                 As I said before, Miharu is apathetic and mischievous, wanting nothing to do with the Nabari world. However, when Yoite comes to him, things change. Miharu changes.              The two start off as acquaintances, but Miharu, a boy who doesnt care about anything…begins to care for Yoite. He wants Yoite to be happy, never existing, but Miharu doesn’t want to forget Yoite.  Miharu says many times throughout the series that Yoite is just like himself, same in apathy and loneliness. Yoite has become someone that Miharu wants to protect, someone that he will do anything for, even if Miharu gets hurt.                     By the end of the series, Miharu’s apathy, caused by the death of his parents, dissapears.   Miharu is an interesting character for a shounen anime.                                                                He’s not like Naruto or any characters like him. Miharu is apathetic due to his parents’ death as I said before, but he also believes that he doesnt deserve kindness, and that kindness towards him is unnecessary.                                                                                                What Miharu learns is that there will always be people who will care about him, no matter what he does or says, and those people in his, life are true friends.

YOITE!!!
He needs to smile more….he has such a beautiful smile. XD

8.Yoite                                                                                                                                                       Yoite is a depressed, dark, cold, powerful, and reckless character.                                                He uses the kira, a power that uses his own life force to kill his enemies.                                    He doesnt believe that he is alive, and in the beginning of the series, says that he is not afraid of death. Midway through the series, he shows that he is afraid of death, despite being so close to death and even being nicknamed a burdensome angel of death.                                                                                                                                                  Yoite is my favorite character. Why?                                                                                                 Despite all of his strength and independence, Yoite is weak and his feelings are easily hurt.  Yoite is a beautiful mess of emotions. He’s like a sorrowful child, rather than a dark angel of death.                                                                                                                                                    He believes that there is no way to escape his abusive childhood, and that he can never come down the mountain of corpses he has created.                                                                      He doesnt want to exist, feeling that he is only a burden to those around him.                         He has only a limited amount of time for his existence to be erased, and throughout Nabari no Ou he is constantly trying to rush Miharu to erase him.                                                            Yoite develops quite a bit through the series, even if he didn’t know it.                                     Miharu becomes a good friend of his, even if he doesn’t know it.                                                  By the end of the series, Yoite learns that even though he has caused harm around him, even though many have reasons to hate him, he is not hated, especially by those who surround him. In the end, he doesnt get erased from existence, and he lives the rest of his days with Miharu and the others.

The characters of Nabari no Ou are the greatest part of the series, and their development is the most beautiful part.                                                                                                                           Though this is a shounen show about ninjas, its more about relationships and how beautiful and important they truly are.                                                                                                In fact, the villain of Nabari no Ou wanted to use the Shinrabanshou to erase human relationships, emotions, and history.                                                                                                   Nabari no Ou is about a boy being changed forever, throwing away his past life, and risking it all to help someone who becomes not just a friend, but a brother.                              Nabari no Ou is about saving and changing a life before it disappears, even if saving and changing that life hurts.                                                                                                                      Nabari no Ou broke my heart, and made me cry so many times, but it taught me a lot as well. Each of the episodes brought something new for me to learn, whether it be the heart wrenching Christmas episode or not even midway though the series.

As a Christian, I found this series inspiring.                                                                                       We all have relationships that are important to us. We all have a close friend that we would do anything for. We even have a friend that we hope to change and to save.                              Some of us have friends that have any a matter of time until they leave this life, and we only have a matter of time to do whats right for them. Some of them may not know Christ, and only have a short time left.                                                                                                           As Christians, relationships should be something that we hold as important.                            Its only a matter of time until our time runs out, and we only have this life to make a difference. With all that said, why wait to make our relationships strong?                              John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”                                                                                                                                                     This verse reminds me very much of what Nabari no Ou’s characters learned and taught, and as a Christian, its a verse that I hold onto dearly.

Nabari no Ou is highly recommended, and I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I did.

(Rated PG-14. Manga, 16+. No fanservice, thank you Jesus! Mild language, Yukimi needs soap for his mouth. Blood violence, but the series doesn’t get super gory or dark.                 This series gets super sad though….. *goes and cries in a corner*)

More relatable anime and manga are Naruto (manga rated 13+, anime…Im not sure), since Nabari no Ou has to do with ninjas. I dont know of any other anime or manga I could recommend that is similar, however, if you like anime that’s sad, but good, I recommend Clannad (Anime, PG)

Nabari no Ou can be found on Hulu and Crunchyroll for legal streaming.

Okay, last pic.
I couldnt help but share this pic…Yoite is smiling!! Yoite is so kawaii when he smiles…XD

When Tradegy Strikes…: A Review of Big Hero 6

Hmm, well what would you know. A Japanese poster. Cool.

Imagine being at the peak of your life.

Everything is going great, and you are far ahead in life. Everything is going as planned and you’re happy. Your hard work has paid off and everything is falling into place.

But then, all of a sudden, something terrible happens. Something life shattering.

(Spoiler Warning: This review is one big spoiler so read on your own risk.)

Tragic loss forces a person to live in a new reality, one that is hard to accept.  Upon arriving at the Acceptance stage you have two choices– are you going to react to your loss by becoming bitter and vengeful or will you rise and seek to honor the memory of your lost loved one?

Hiro Hamada is an intelligent teen with a talent for inventing and who is already a high school graduate, despite only being the age of fourteen. Hiro is unsure of what he really wants to do with his life, and dabbles in the risky, seedy world of robot fighting. Hiro’s older brother Tadashi finds this plan to be a waste of Hiro’s intelligence and talents and decides to take Hiro on a little trip to his college lab. Tadashi introduces Hiro to some of his colleagues in the lab, shows him some of the cool inventions there and shows Hiro his invention, Baymax, a personal health care robot that can perform many medical procedures and diagnose diseases.

Hiro, amazed by all that Tadashi has shown him, decides that he wants to enroll in the college. Tadashi tells Hiro of the college’s annual exhibition and encourages him to invent something.

After a long time of thinking (and a short time of being held upside down by Tadashi– brothers, go figure), Hiro finally comes up with an invention– microrobots which are remotely controlled by a neural transmitter that can create anything from a building to a walkway in the sky; your imagination is the limit.

Everyone at the college is impressed with Hiro’s invention, including Professor Callaghan, the head of the lab program that Hiro wants to take part in. Hiro is accepted into the college, and he is filled with happiness and excitement for what is to come. Hiro finally knows how his talents are going to figure into his future and it is beyond awesome.

As Tadashi and Hiro are leaving, the college bursts into flames.

When Tadashi discovers that the professor is still in the building he goes in to rescue the professor despite Hiro’s pleas that he not go in the fire filled lab building.

This is when time stops.  Not literally, but as far Hiro is concerned this is when his time line breaks.  Forever forward there will be only before THIS and after THIS.

The building bursts into flames, a torrent of destruction and annihilation.  Tadashi doesn’t make it. Both he and the professor die in the fire.

Tadashi’s family and friends mourn his death, but none more than Hiro, who begins to shut himself away from those who try to comfort him. He becomes depressed and filled with sadness, and even though he is still encouraged to attend the college classes and join Tadashi’s friends in the lab, he no longer has the will to learn or create.. He becomes empty.

One day, while Hiro is hanging around in his room, he accidentally awakens Baymax. The robot immediately tries to tend any wounds that Hiro may have, and Hiro pushes the huggable robot away. During this process, Hiro finds one of his microrobots in the pocket of his jacket.

To Hiro’s surprise, the microrobot isn’t dormant, meaning that the other microrobots that Hiro had thought were destroyed in the fire, were still out there and being used by someone. That or the microrobot is broken, which is the theory that Hiro sticks with.

Nonetheless, Hiro and Baymax go out to search for the other microrobots (actually, Hiro tries to get Baymax out of the way by telling him to help the microrobot find the other ones, realizes that his suggestion wasn’t all that smart, chases Baymax down, and finds himself with Baymax at an old and abandoned warehouse, because, ya know, villains always hide out in old abandoned warehouses.  You’re not a real villain till you have an abandoned warehouse of your own.)

He finds out that the other microrobots are there, and that a strange man in a kabuki mask is using them to create something.

His brother’s friends soon get involved with the new discovery, and they decide to help Hiro with unmasking the man that has stolen his invention.

At this moment, the group decides to become the Big Hero 6, using their inventions as their superpowers to solve the mystery that has begun to face them.

Okay, I get that this isn’t an anime. It cuts it pretty close though. Not even joking.

There are several reasons that I wanted to review this movie.

For one thing, I have already mentioned that it cuts it pretty close to anime, story and all.

Then other reason is because I felt the need to review a movie that is going to get pretty big. Nowadays, new movies from Disney come out and people love them just because they’re Disney and they’re popular movies. That, or the art and animation is amazing and that’s enough for most people to overlook sloppy writing.(Admit it, the writers of Maleficent became really lazy in the end and decided to pull off another Frozen. Oh, and Frozen isn’t really something new either. Brave was before Frozen and basically said “I don’t need a man.” to the crowd watching. Also, the whole sister power thing is kind of cliched too…hate me all you want, these are my opinions and you don’t have to like them. XP)

I believe that everyone should have their own opinions on popular stories and movies instead of going with the flow. It’s called critical thinking, and I believe that this generation has lost it. In fact, this whole blog is about critical thinking, and I find it both my responsibility and privilege to do such writing on popular and less well known anime and manga.

Big Hero 6, though not anime, I have decided to review for the same reason I review anime and manga. Critical thinking.

So with all that said, now onto what I thought of the movie.

Big Hero 6 is far from your typical superhero, Marvel comic movie. (Cool fact, Big Hero 6 is loosely based off of a Marvel comic called, duh, Big Hero 6.)

This superhero movie doesn’t rest it’s entertainment factor on action, but rather the emotions and lessons that are portrayed in this movie. The story isn’t about getting the bad guy or saving the world because they have to, it’s more about standing through the loss of a loved one.

In the beginning of the movie, Hiro loses his brother Tadashi. It’s also told that his parents died when he was three, and in this movie it’s shown that he lives with his Aunt Cass.

Though Hiro may not remember the death of his parents and it may not affect him much (or so he thinks), the death of his brother does and it shows that he doesn’t know how to go through grief alone, even if he thinks that he does. Tadashi’s friends understand that Hiro has never been through what he is going through, and they stick by Hiro’s side even when he pushes them away. They’re also older, and they decide to pour into their friend’s little brother, which was something I really liked about this movie because we older kids have a responsibility to look after and invest in those who are younger.  A lot of teens miss out on the blessing of mentoring younger kids in their lives because they are so distracted by the world and wrapped up in their own drama but let me tell you this: you can’t take your little sibs for granted.  Trust me on this one.  Anyway…

This story’s main theme is not just about people being there for you when tragedy strikes.

It’s also about opening up to the people that surround you. In the movie, Hiro is always hiding his true emotions and is trying to stay strong. Everyone, especially Baymax, tries to comfort him. Through time, we see Hiro begin to open up to the support of his new friends.

You see, when tragedy strikes we can either make the choice that Hiro made at the onset of his grief and push everyone away, allowing anger to harden the heart, or we can open up to those who stay by our side and lean on them as we seek to live a life worthy of the love we have for our lost one.

This story illustrates two very different reactions to loss and that’s one part of the movie that really spoke to my heart.

Another reason I love this film so much is the rather unique ensamble of characters. I mean, not super unique for those who watch everything geek, perhaps, but for a Disney or superhero movie, it’s pretty unique. First have all, there’s Hiro, the intelligent young boy with a crazy awesome talent. Then we have Baymax, the kind and peaceful robot that was created to save lives.

Other characters play a major part in the tale are Tadashi’s friends who become Hiro’s friends.

The sweet almost Fluttershy-like Honey Lemon, who is filled with a kind, optimistic attitude and is a genius chemist. Then Go Go Tomago, an athletic young lady who looks like a cold character, but is really nice when it comes down to it. Two others are Wasabi, the somewhat serious character who is bit more chicken than the rest though he would say that his caution is due to his need for ‘ a plan’, and Fred (or Fredzilla), the apparent loser (who is not a loser, be prepared to be surprised by him)  who basically sums up how an otaku would act in an anime or manga or how anyone nerdy would react in his situation. (And if you’re a Marvel fan, pay close attention to Fred’s family portrait or else you’ll miss that trademark cameo.)

Now the reasons that they are unique for this type have story is the fact that they are all what society would call “nerds”. They’re smart, understanding, and honestly not of the typical hero stereotype. Most superhero movies nowadays have superheros that are brave, good-looking, and mega strong. In Big Hero 6, however, our characters aren’t skilled in fighting and aren’t particularly strong either. (Except perhaps Baymax, but even then, Baymax doesn’t want to hurt people. He wants to help them.) In fact, their powers are drawn from the innovations they have been working on in their lab. Their super powers are their intelligence and imagination, aided by a carbon fiber 3D printer, of course.

Big Hero 6 demonstrates that no matter who you are, you can be a hero. It also teaches that not all powers come from super strength or super human powers. Your imagination can be a powerful weapon and a solid support system makes great armor.

Now before I move on, I would like to talk about about two more characters.

One is Tadashi, Hiro’s big brother. In the beginning of the movie when Hiro begins to give up on trying to invent something for the exhibition at the college, Tadashi comes to Hiro and tells him that he’s not giving up on Hiro and that he’s not going to let Hiro give up either.

Another part I’m going to point out is when Tadashi decides to go into the burning building to save the professor. He knows that he might not make it out alive, but Tadashi throws that thought aside and sacrifices his life to try to save the professor. To me, all this stuck out about his character and it reminded me of a certain person who did the same for us.

You see, Jesus doesn’t give up on us. We may feel useless and filled with nothing, but He sees beyond what we can and sees us as people that can do great things. We just need to let Him work in us. Also, Jesus sacrificed his life even though He knew that many would reject Him and that he was going to die on then cross. Just like how Tadashi could have ignored the fire and remained alive, Jesus could have called angels to save Him or fled. But He didn’t. Instead, He choose to die even though it seemed like it is in vain. (Which it is not! Our Lord died for everyone, whether you be from a sin-filled past or you be from a godly background. We are all equally lost in the eyes of God and that is why He sent His son down to save. It is why Jesus died for all of us.) He chose to open a way for us to be with Him forever.

Another character is I enjoyed is Baymax. Baymax is the character that receives most of the rejection from Hiro in the beginning. Despite all of this, Baymax sticks with our hero (no pun intended. Hiro doesn’t mean hero in Japanese.) and tries his best to heal Hiro not only when it’s needed physically needed, but emotionally as well. The Lord is the same way. We may reject or hate him with all of our strength, but He will never hate you. His is always with you, even when it doesn’t feel like it. All you need to do is let Him in.

Okay, so I just wrote quite a bit on the characters, but I still have a bit more to talk about.

(Hmm, so I guess it was a good idea to play hookey to go see this movie with my mom… I kid, I kid. I’m homeschooled, it’s a privilege. And it’s not playing hooky when your teacher is there…it’s a field trip, so there!  Also, I had to do Algebra later that day, so I really wasn’t skipping school.)

Anyway, at one point in the story the character Fred says that the team’s first story as heroes together is a “revenge story”. This is somewhat true, but does it really become that?

It all depends. You see, it turns out that a certain character isn’t dead, and Tadashi died in vain. (Because the bad guy isn’t who you thought it would be…)

Hiro becomes angered by this and uses Baymax to try and kill the man in the kabuki mask.

In the end, we find out that the villain was also seeking revenge and had become bitter towards the person he held responsible for then loss of someone in his life.

This is where Hiro learned that revenge is no good and that he won’t get back what he lost. To me, I think he also learned that if he had kept himself closed up, he would have become like the man who had faced loss but chosen bitterness..

In the end, Hiro doesn’t choose revenge, but rather somewhat forgives him and even does something for the villain that he probably didn’t deserve.

Overall, Big Hero 6 isn’t about about heroism or saving then world. It’s about an unlikely cast of characters standing with Hiro not just physically, but emotionally as well. It’s a story of what family really is. Family isn’t something that can only be between blood relations. Family can be between anyone, no matter how big the differences are as long as they point you in a godly direction in life.

It’s a good example of the Church actually. The Church is one big family filled with completely different and diverse people. The Church is filled with messy people with messy pasts. No one is perfect. The Church stands with, not only it’s members, but also with those who aren’t.

Big Hero 6 is also about opening up to those who want to help you. When tragedy strikes, the ones who stay with you through the storms of your life and encourage you to make wise choices are real friends and real family and that they’re on your side.

When you open up, you find that no one your side is against you and that you are not alone. That overall, we are all fighting then same fight, even if the situations are different.

We’re all in it together.  When you close yourself off, you can become bitter and cold towards those you are harboring grudges against (whether it be against the Lord or against a human.) or you can let it go and forgive your enemy (or surrender to the Sovereignty of God).

Big Hero 6 stole my heart. I came to see the movie with no expectations , but I left the theater amazed with what I found inside the movie. To me, this movie is one of the best children’s movies of the year, and one of the greatest Disney movies to ever come out.

With almost breathtaking animation (okay, it was breathtaking…it was really amazing.), enjoyable film score, a refreshing cast of characters,  a superhero story that doesn’t lean on action and violence, and a story that was intricately woven with emotions that made me smile, laugh, and even cry (yes, I cried, twice actually…XD) I highly recommend Big Hero 6 with the hopes that you all find what I did in this story and that you finish it saying that you are “satisfied with your care.” because the most important thing that this film reminds me of is that no matter how hard things are, no matter what tragedies I witness, I want to have a tender, humble heart that can honestly say to the Lord, in then midst of anything, that “I am satisfied with Your care” because THAT’s faith.

(Big Hero is rated PG for action violence that can relate to the amount of action found in the Kung-Fu Panda movies. It’s action is a lot like The Avengers, only its for children. There is some talk about Hiro’s mood swings that Baymax says is due to puberty, though. Other than that, name calling is mild {“knucklehead” is one of the worlds used.}.)

 

 

 

 

 

First Look: Kaleido Star (Kareido Suta)

Dreams are beautiful things.

They are a reflection of what we desire and what we want to be. Dreams form the way to a future for those who chase them. Dreams form the way to what we want to do forever and how we want to show our love to the world.                                                                                       But chasing dreams and accomplishing them isnt easy. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes people break you down.

The story of Kaleido Star begins with the young Naegino Sora, a talented girl with great acrobatic skills, who travels from Japan to America with hopes to become an acrobat for the Kaleido Stage, a world famous circus that has enchanted Sora since she was but a little girl. However, plans don’t go out well for Sora in the beginning of the first episode.                She gets lost on her way to the Stage, is stalked by a strange man (he’s not trying to be creepy and he’s very important, so keep him in mind.), and her bags are stolen by a thief that she chases down. After the grand chase (that lets you see how awesome of an acrobat she could be. ;D), she is escorted by a kind policeman to Kaleido Stage, only to find out that she missed the auditions. She is told by her role model, Layla Hamilton, to return to Japan.   She almost does too. That is, until an accident occurs and one of the acrobats are injured. Sora is then chosen by none other than the man who was stalking her earlier to take place for the injured acrobat.

Yep, the dude’s important. Turns out the guy didn’t mean look like a stalker, but he had overheard her asking for directions to Kaleido Stage for directions. And the stalking part…well…he’s the manager of Kaleido Stage too… (awkward start for Sora, huh?)

With no surprise to anyone, she is scared at first, but is cheered on by the crowd and makes it through her first unofficial performance without too much embarrassment.        Sora has made her impression on the manager (whose name is Kalos Eido.), and she is accepted into Kaleido Stage training! While she may be happy and thankful for her chance, not everyone is and even though Kalos and a few other people believe that she will be great, not everyone does. She is constantly picked on and messed with by the other trainees of Kaleido Star, and even Layla, her own role model, acts cruel and rather harsh towards her.   Will Sora give up? Will she give into the pressure of leaving Kaleido Stage?    Only though finishing the series can I tell. (I’m only eight minutes through the second episode… -_-)

Though not much is known about our heroine, Sora shows that she is strong and capable of standing against those who bully her.

The other characters (like I have mentioned before.) are either on her side, against her, or neither and since I’m only an episode and a quarter through the series, I don’t know much  about them. Some character I would like to mention however, are Ken Robbin, a guy who tells Sora in the first episode that once he wanted to be part of Kaleido Stage but was unable to because of a weak heart. He becomes friends with Sora instantly and encourages her to stay strong through the bullying. Another is Layla Hamilton, a character that I know I’m going to have a hard time hating. She seems cruel and harsh towards Sora, but not in the same way as everyone else. While the other characters that bully Sora are fully of jealousy and smite just because, Layla seems to have different intentions to her attitude towards Sora. Don’t get me wrong, she’s still acts like the other jerks. It’s just that its seems that she is trying to see if Sora is worthy of being part of the Stage. Like her jealousy if for some type of reason other than being selfish. I don’t know, its just my thoughts.          I just can’t get myself to hate her yet. (YET…)

Now, before I move one, I’d like to talk a bit more about Sora.

Ive already mentioned that she is strong and able to stand through the bullying, but she’s is more than just that. In the beginning of the second episode, we learn that she is diligent and  hard-working and not quick to giving up. She’s also positive and filled with energy and kindness. Overall, she is a perfect role-model for not only the directed audience and other watchers.

The animation is good, but a bit meh at times, (which is to be expected by the animation studio that animates the show, Studio Gonzo.) The animation shines the most during scenes that focus more on the characters or the scenery and is brilliantly done during scenes when the acrobats preform. The background music isn’t distracting and is fitting for the series so far. The dub is done really well also. (I’ve actually met one of the voice actors from this anime too, and she does a really good job in her role so far.)                              The opening is upbeat and cute and the same thing can be said about the ending.

Overall, this series so far is about a determined girl with a dream that she will chase no matter what, letting all the negativity and bullying disappear as she walks towards her destination and dream.

When you think about it, isn’t that how we as Christians should act?

Being a Christian isn’t easy, and on our walks will be filled with bullying and hatred. We Christians have dreams that we want to chase as well and if you’re like me, you want to use your dream to show the world what God has given to us and what Jesus has done for us. That makes following our dreams even harder because of all of the persecution that is given to us by the world. However, we can choose to stand up against all odds like Sora is or back down like cowards. This goes out to not only Christians, but to everyone. Don’t let the world stop you from chasing your dreams. Also, don’t let yourself get blinded by your dreams. Sometimes you may want to do something with your life that God doesnt want you to do. Remember, everything can be living a dream, whether you’re a stay-at-home mom trying to get by or you’re a man working his hardest and giving his best. Whether your a teenage boy trying to get good grades at school and be a good role model or you’re a teenager girl trying to be there for her friends and be pure. Or maybe you’re like me, a teen with a dreams to become a manga artist that weaves stories for the Lord. Maybe you have crazier dreams than I do. Whatever your life is, even if its not your choice of lifestyle, if the one’s you love are happy, then you’re living a dream. (I may of went a bit off topic here….oh well, I was on fire and nothing’s ever going to stop me from burning!)

So far I really do enjoy Kaleido Star and so does my little sister, who was been wanting to watch it since forever or so. This is a series I will be continuing and all I expect from it is the sights of Sora achieving her dreams and shining her best on the Kaleido Stage.

 

(Rated PG. Nothing objectionable so far and this is a children show after all.  It was even of Cartoon Network once upon a time when Cartoon Network was awesome. The only thing that threw me off a bit was the creepy Princess Tutu like doll that Sora meets in the first episode. Overall, the doll is harmless. Creepy though. No language and some of the characters wear half-shirts, but nothing showy and nowhere near like what Ariel the little mermaid wears. The bullies are mean, but no super harmful things are said. Realistically, the bullies are really pathetic.)

More anime and manga that can relate to this series is the manga series Kitchen Princess (Rated 13+), a nice series that has a main that goes through the same situations as Sora. (Its a really clean series, but I do warn you that this manga will make you cry. I did. Still need to finish it though.) Princess Tutu (Rated PG, but if I was in charge of rating it, I would of said PG-13…) is another series I recommend because both Kaleido Star and Princess Tutu have a story that take theme in the preforming arts. (I’ve seen Princess Tutu twice, and its one of those shows that have a girly name but are hardly girly…*cough cough* Puella Magi Madoka Magica! It’s also one of those strange shows with a plot that will amaze you…but this is a Kaleido Star anime review, not a Princess Tutu anime review.) The last series that can relate is Shugo Chara! (Manga rated 13+, anime rated PG.), a cutesy-looking series that deals a lot with chasing your dreams. (I’ve read the manga twice and its a good series. It does has some questionable stuff in it that pops up rarely and is dealt with nicely and quickly.)

Kaleido Star can be found on Hulu or Crunchyroll for legal streaming.

 

WAWAWA!!: A Review of Durarara!! (DRRR!!) —First Arc—

Have you ever wanted to live a live that was extraordinary, rather than ordinary? A life of adventure and excitement? A life where you life is in danger every single day? If so, then you can relate very much to Mikado Ryuugamine, a young boy who dreams of such a life.

Welcome to the review of Durarara!! (sometimes shortened to DRRR!!), where Ikebukuro’s most eccentric cast of characters meet together in a mystery filled with excitement, energy, and even romance.

Durarara!! begins with our hero moving to Ikebukuro, Tokyo, a big city in Japan. He meets up with his childhood friend Masaomi Kida, whom he hadnt seen since he was young. That night, the two boys go out into the streets of Ikebukuro. Kida warns Mikado of the people he doesnt want to cross, such as the inhumanly strong and violent Heiwajima Shizuo, the sly and cunning Orihara Izaya, and the mysterious gang that is know as “Dollars”.

Strange town eh? Just wait for what comes next.

For our main sees the legendary “Black Rider”, who rides around Ikebukuro on a black motorcycle and is rumored to have no head.  (Legend of Sleepy Hallow?)

It turns out that the “Black Rider” is an Irish dullahan named Celty Sturluson and she is on a search for her missing head. (For those who dont know much folklore, a dullahan is a fairy of sorts. The name dullahan means “without a head” in Irish. Hmm, what you can learn from manga and anime will never cease to amaze me.) Meanwhile, people have been going missing, including Harima Mika, a stalker girl with tons of energy. (She’s important.) Oh, and then there’s Yagiri Pharmaceuticals, which seems to have a connection with the disappearances.

So in count we have a boy who dreams of adventure, his eccentric friend, a man with the strength of ten men (maybe even more?), a mysterious man who is probably on no ones side, a stalker girl, and a headless rider. Did I forget to mention the strange doctor with questionable credentials, the extreme otakus who take anime obsession to a whole new level, and a boy with a possessive older sister? (This cast…) Yep. This plot has everything.

The mystery (or mysteries…) of this strange tale so far is one that is hard to accomplish. With such a big cast, it can be hard to wrap up our first mystery (The Mystery of the Missing Stalker Girl and the Several Other Disappearances), but DRRR!! wraps it up perfectly. Heck, its almost to perfect. However, the story isnt finished, with some questions that still need answers. (The story is split in to several arcs, for example, The Saika Arc or The Yellow Scarves Arc. Its kind of confusing if you’re reading the manga since they all have different names… -_-)

The characters are unique and are fun to watch and the main character is very likeable.(Something rare to find these days, you know, since harem manga keeps on coming out and making manga sucky…*stares at Highschool DxD and Monster Musume with a Hitokiri Battousai-like eyes.*) I can’t say much about the characters, for that I have already done a bit and it wold take forever. (Trust me though, they are very unique and would most likely scare the crap out of people who dont like weird people.) Not much is known about the characters and their reasons for the way they act, but that’s totally alright. (Its only the first arc anyways.)

The plot is unique so far and is quite entertaining. The art is nicely drawn and the characters’ designs fit well with them.

Now, anything that I can pull from the manga so far and relate to my Christian walk?

Not really. However, there is a lesson behind this story so far. Love is strange. Really strange. O-O

Overall, I am really enjoying DRRR!!, and I am excited for what will happen next to Mikado-kun as he faces what else comes towards him as he lives an adventurous life in the crazy Ikebukuro!

(Rated 16+. This manga has fanservice and a bit of nudity {when characters take showers}, but it’s rare and when it does pop up in the manga is isnt graphic {meaning that you know the character is naked, but no parts are shown.}. DRRR!!, however, can be dark and it does talk quite a bit about death. Also, those otaku are creepy at times… Blood is rarely shown and language is mild but frequent. Should be okay for older teens.)

More anime and manga that can relate to Durarara!! is Baccano!, a light novel series written by Narita Ryohgo (the same person who wrote DRRR!!). Baccano! is also a manga and anime series. {I do not know what the series is rated. Most likely 16+ as well.} Another series that can relate is K Project. {Manga ??? Anime 13+, 14+. I have’nt seen K Project yet, but from what I’ve heard from people, its quite similar.}      Durarara!! can be found at Barnes and Noble and on RightStuf for buying. The anime adaptation of DRRR!! ( Which is rated 14+.) can be found of Crunchyroll for free and legal streaming.

First Look: Black Cat (Burakku Kyatto)

Last week on my post on Rurouni Kenshin, I mentioned that an anime that can relate to the series of Rurouni Kenshin was Black Cat. I also mentioned that I had seen the first three episodes. Well, after writing that I decided to do another “First Look”, but this time on the anime Black Cat. I will be writing on the first three episodes and how I feel about the show so far. To those who have already seen the anime and are reading this post, if I got anything wrong, please forgive me.

I watched the episodes almost two weeks ago at my local library’s anime club meeting. Also, I’m only giving the outline of the episodes I watched, not a detailed essay for each of them. Please excuse me if I don’t talk about everything that goes on throughout each of the episodes.

Black Cat starts off by introducing Sven Vollfied, a bounty hunter or “Sweeper” who lives by a strict code of chivalry and is barely getting by. (That is, if he makes anything at all. All this kinda says something about his bounty hunting skills…)

The first episode is split between two characters. In the first few seconds, we learn a bit about an assassin named Train Heartnett, an “Eraser” for Chronos (which is apparently some nefarious entity?).   The other character we learn about is Sven, the “Sweeper” (bounty hunter) mentioned above.

During this episode Sven must capture the thuggish governor-to-be and bring him back alive for questioning. He soon finds out that the governor-to-be is about to be murdered. Sven tries to warn the governor, but the governor doesn’t listen and he is assassinated that same night.  Did I mention Sven is not very good at what he does?

You see, the Eraser isn’t just some random assassin, he is known to get the job done quickly and in fact, he’s one of the most feared and well known hit men. This Eraser is none other than Train, who is also known as Kuroneko (That means black cat in Japanese.).  Confused yet?  Yeah? Good; it just gets better.

The episode ends with Train sitting on a roof alone with a glass of milk for a stray cat, when all of a sudden, a girl begins to sing in the moonlight.  Wait.  What?  Is this an anime or an art film?  Actually, that kind of nonsequiter is pretty normal for anime and this scene is a frequent one in this particular story; he really has a thing about sitting on roofs at night and feeding random cats.  It might sound odd, but go outside tonight.  Alone. In the dark.  And just look at the stars.  The night sky is beautiful.  I know because I’ve done this for the past two nights; my mom is a hippie who believes that children should be free range.  So if going outside at night and feeding stray cats sounds odd to you, then it might just be the case that it’s been too long since you’ve gone stargazing (or straygazing as the case may be).

And now back to our review in progress:

The second episode begins with Train meeting the girl, (remember?  the one who was singing while Train was crouching on rooftop, feeding cats?) The girl’s name is Minatsuki Saya. During this time, she tells him that she is a Sweeper which you may recall means bounty hunter. She also tells him tells him that Sweepers and Erasers aren’t all that different, and those words stick with him. During this episode, we follow Sven (the not-so-great sweeper/bounty hunter) yet again as he looks for a new mission. It’s during this time that a woman comes in asking him to help her get her little sister back. The episode ends with Train holding a gun to the little girl’s head.

The third episode picks up where we left it. Train is pointing his gun at the unafraid and almost emotionless little girl, but he doesn’t shoot. Instead, he leaves. So does Sven and the woman, leaving behind the little girl. Sven later finds out to no surprise that the woman isn’t actually the sister of the little girl. She is Rinslet Walker, a thief-for-hire. But to his surprise, he finds out that the little girl is a genetically engineered and cloned bio-weapon that is able to use nanotechnology to transform her body into any type of weapon. She can also heal any injury. (Lucky…) Rinslet also tell Sven that a big cash reward is to be given to the person who brings Eve in. Meanwhile, Eve escapes her captors like they’re nothing. During this time, Sven is out and he notices her sitting the park alone. But instead of taking Eve back, he walks up to her cautiously, hoping that he doesn’t get killed. He begins to interact with Eve on accident (?), noticing that she is more than just a weapon. She is also a little girl that is curious of the outside world. The episode ends with Eve going back with her captors without a fight.

So, what do I think of this anime so far?

Well, the characters are fun to watch, despite the fact they haven’t done much of anything yet (I’m only on the fourth episode.). Train seems to be stuck thinking on the things that Saya says to him though. But that doesn’t change how I feel about the characters so far. Sven Vollfied is one of the most loveable goofballs that I have ever seen in anime. Not only does he make me laugh and smile, but the fact that he lives by a strict code of chivalry makes me very happy, because honestly, we need more characters in anime like that. Train Heartnett (who is twenty-three… I thought he was nineteen… -_-) is a character that seems to be somewhat lost in his own thoughts, unsure of what is good or evil. Saya is a bit strange. Cool, but strange. (Seriously, in the first two episodes she chugs down bottles of milk like its nothing.) She is a crazy and energy-filled girl who is sweet and a bit aloof, but definitely loveable in my eyes. Rinslet is pretty much as crazy as Saya, and seems like the type of character that is only doing things for money. Still, I like her so far as well. Eve is somewhat emotionless, but she is interesting because of her curious attitude and I am anxious to see where her character goes.

The animation for this anime is done to my surprise by Studio Gonzo and was done quite nicely. The action scenes are fun to watch, and though other scenes animated at times can plain and not as well done as the action scenes, they are still pretty good. I also like the art style and each of the character’s designs make them stick out and fit with them very well.

The soundtrack and background music is not exactly something that stands out to me, but it’s not bad. The opening however, is now one of my favorites. Its sounds great and makes the anime seem a bit more upbeat and fast paced than the show actually is. It got me excited for each of the episodes I watched.  Its also nicely animated too. As for the ending…umm, lets just say that it’s unique. Very unique.

Now, some may be wondering why I said that Black Cat related to Rurouni Kenshin in my last review. The reason is because both Black Cat and Rurouni Kenshin have a story plot with an assassin (or once an assassin) character in it, but both start off differently. Rurouni Kenshin starts off with you knowing Himura Kenshin, a different person from the feared Hitokiri Battousai he once was. Black Cat however, begins the story with you knowing Black Cat rather than Train Heartnett. I was going back and forth a bit on whether I should put this in my review, but decided to because of the way I started this review. Also, for those who are reading this, Train stops being an assassin. (Its not a spoiler, check out other anime reviews. )

Overall, I really like Black Cat. I haven’t noticed anything that I can actually take from the story and apply to my Christian life yet, (not saying that I am looking towards anime to strengthen my Christian life.)  but I have a feeling that Saya is a character that will make a big impact on this story and what I am looking for. Though the show is moving rather slowly right now, I know that it is going to pick up the pace and soon start moving into the show that it is trying to be. I leave this review with hopes that this anime becomes not only enjoyable and memorable, but with the hopes of finding something that I can relate to my Christian life. (I also hope to actually finish the series as well…but that’s my hope and I’m sure that I am the only one hoping this.)

(Rated 13+. This show does have action violence, but blood is rarely seen and from what I have heard from other people, Black Cat won’t become something filled with gore. There is mild language from time to time, and there is very light fanservice, and from what I’ve heard it’s not frequent or heavy on it throughout the story.)

More anime or manga that can relate are Rurouni Kenshin (Manga rated 16+, anime rated 13+.) and Trigun (Manga rated 13+ {I think…}, anime rated 14+. (People have told me that Trigun relate to Black Cat. I have not seen Trigun, but it is one my list of anime to read or watch.) Black Cat can be found Hulu (as well as Rurouni Kenshin and Trigun! 😀) and the Funimation website for legal streaming.

First Look: Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

A few days ago was a special day for me. It was my sixteenth birthday.

I don’t believe in a “Sweet Sixteen” celebration, but many have told me that turning the age of sixteen is a special age. So with hearing that, I decided that I would do anime and manga reviews at this age. I also decided that I would do something else to celebrate. I decided to read Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan by Watsuki Nobuhiro.(otherwise known as Rurouni Kenshin: A Meiji Swordsman Romance. The series is mostly known as Rurouni Kenshin though.)

My parents got me the first omnibus for my birthday, and it is honestly my favorite series that I have ever began to read. Now, why do I love it so much so far? First, I will give you readers a summary.

150 years ago (or so the series begins), a man known as Hitokiri Battousai fought for the Ishin Shinshi with his katana as an assassin, feared by many. But then one day, he disappeared. The story picks up in the eleventh year of the Meiji era, when one day a young girl named Kamiya Kaoru meets Himura Kenshin, an wandering rurouni (wandering swordsman or samurai. You choose.), who is accused by her of being Hitorkiri Battousai, whom is misusing the name of the dojo that she was given by her father. But the man Himura Kenshin is hardly close in character to the Hitokiri Battousai. He’s a kind and caring man, who is wise and honestly, in looks the age of sixteen or so. She immediately forgets his accusations and thinks of him as just another rurouni. But she soon finds out that her accusation was correct and that he really is Hitokiri Battousai, and that he is a far different person of what he was known for. She also finds out that he is twenty-eight years of age. (Manga and anime… \O^O/)

Now onto why I love this series so far. For one thing, its plot. Though it seems somewhat simple, it really was hard to explain because I feel that there is so much to it. Its not like Naruto or Bleach, where its pretty easy to explain the plot (I started reading Naruto last year, but haven’t had the time to read more of it and Bleach is on my “to read” list, but I know the plots because of otaku friends.). Maybe its that as I write this post, I think of the characters and how much of an actual influence they have on the plot. Not saying the main character’s of other shounen manga aren’t important. They are, its just not on the same level (in my opinion) as that of Rurouni Kenshin’s. I mean, it’s basically a story about one man and his years as an ex-assassin, but with the other characters with stories to tell and battles and challenges like ones that you would find in a shounen manga. It also has a good balance between comedy and serious moments.

Another reason I enjoy this series so far is that of the characters so far. Himura Kenshin is a caring and caring man, with wisdom and patience to share. (He also says “oro?” a lot, meaning “what?” or “huh?” in English.) Kamiya Kaoru that comes off as the “weak” character, but she really is strong. At the age of only seventeen, she is trying to find students to teach at her dojo and pretty much lives on her own. (Well, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko live with her…but you know what I mean.) The other two characters of importance are Sagara Sanosuke and Myoujin Yahiko. Sanosuke is a young man who was a fight merchant (a person who fights for just the fun of it.) until he is defeated by Kenshin and begins to live at Kaoru’s dojo. Yahiko, a boy who was a pickpocket for some yakuza, is a hot tempered kid who wants to become as strong as Kenshin. He’s also one (or rather, first) of Kaoru’s students. Oh, and the there’s Takani Megumi, woman who was once a doctor’s assistant, and is more than a passing character in the plot.

The characters haven’t started lots of development yet, and that may be one of my small bothers with the story so far, but I know that they will develop well if the plot keeps on going on its path. Another reason for loving the characters as much as I do despite the fact the aren’t quite developing yet, is because all the characters are very good at delivering serious moments or comedic moments in the story.

The neatly drawn art is beautiful and action scenes are wonderfully drawn, with hardly any tone used. Its not as detailed as art nowadays and the style of Rurouni Kenshin would be considered as “old”, but its character (especially the “bad guys”) designs fit perfectly with each of the characters in the story. I am a sucker for older manga art, so I instantly fell in love with its charming and beautiful style.

Overall, I am in love with this series and enjoy very the pleasure of reading this series and waiting for whats to come. But why did I wait to read this manga until I was sixteen, you may wonder?

The manga is violent, but not as violent as other manga such as Mirai Nikki or Elven Lied. (I have not read any of those, but like an otaku my age should, I read reviews.) Other than that, there weren’t a whole lot of other reasons. The use of foul language is rare, and the dialogue of the whole story is quite good. (Another reason I love this series so far.) There is tobacco and alcohol usage, with the first arc having to do with stopping a drug dealer, but none of our characters that we are following through this story smoke or drink. (Boom, yet another reason I love this story!) I haven’t come up against any inappropriate content, and from what I’ve heard and the from way this story is going, I don’t expect to see any.

Now, do I have hopes and questions for this series and have I found anything that we as Christians can take from the manga so far? Yes, I have.

My questions are ones that I am sure that other people reading Rurouni Kenshin have. Will I enjoy the characters more than I do now? What challenges will they face in the future? My biggest question is if Kenshin’s days as Hitokiri Battousai are truly over. Will people or events come and challenge him, making him stand between the two lives? What will the other characters when such a situation strikes? (I also wonder if the anime is as good as the manga, but yeah…that’s normal.)  All these questions and many more are those that I ask myself, and I’m assured that there will be more on the way as I read this series.

The things I can take so far from the Rurouni Kenshin manga as a Christian, is the attitude and character Kenshin has. As I have said before, he is patient and wise, and he could easily consider himself a higher or stronger being than the people that surround him, but he doesn’t. Instead, he is humble. And instead of using his sword to look strong and feel tough, he uses it to protect those who can’t. He believes in using what he has to protect others, despite the fact that death is a possible situation. I believe that we can take the character of Himura Kenshin and apply it to our lives. (I could go on about Kenshin’s character, but I shall a further detailing in my full review of the Rurouni Kenshin manga.) We as Christians have Christ on our side and we have the power to use our words to protect and restore those who are lost, instead of using it for hatred and smite. Instead of boasting in our eternal lives that we have in Christ, how about we be humble like God called us to be? Like Kenshin, we as Christians are strong and we have a choice to protect or destroy. In this day and age, Christians are ridiculed and persecuted, but like Kenshin, we can choose to live for others. Though death is a possible situation, we can throw away our ego and live life for others and speak life to others. That’s what life is for after all.

I leave this first look with hope and expectations in the future for this series, awaiting what I can take from Rurouni Kenshin in the future, hoping that the beginning of this already beautiful story becomes even more filled with beauty and that the characters become characters that I can look up to and apply their lessons that they teach into my life as a Christian.

(Rated 16+ .Like I had said before, Rurouni Kenshin is pretty violent, but it is not a horror series in any way. I had also mentioned that the first arc does have something to do with stopping a drug dealer, but none of the characters we follow through this series drink or smoke. Language is mild.)

Anime and manga that I have heard can relate this series are InuYasha (Manga rated 16+, anime rated 13+. From what I’ve heard from some people, the anime is preferred over the manga…) and Black Cat (Manga rated 16+, anime 13+. I’ve actually seen the first three episodes, so I can say that it can relate from watching it. Ha. I feel awesome now.)

Series, movies, or manga having to do with this series are the Rurouni Kenshin anime adaptation, Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen (movie), Rurouni Kenshin: Seisou Hen (movie), the live-action movies Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (2012), and Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Taika-hen (2014) There is also the reinvention of the manga done by Watsuki himself, and like all the other adaptations of Rurouni Kenshin, I have not read or watched them. I have only read reviews on them. (heh.)

I recommend investing in the omnibus versions of Rurouni Kenshin. It not only has commentary from Watsuki Nobuhiro-sensei, but it also has short stories of what Rurouni Kenshin could have been, beautiful colored artwork, and bit about where the character designs came from.

Why I am choosing to do “animanga” reviews.

Hello!

I am known as Megumi Akagane (on the internet), and I am a sixteen year old Christian otaku, meaning that I am very much into anime, manga, and pretty much anything having to do with the two.

Anime and manga is an art style that is unlike any other, with a grace and imagination that American art (In my opinion. don’t get me wrong, American art’s good too.) could never beat. Its a way of storytelling that makes the popular writers in America make a run for their money. Anime and manga is one of the main reasons that people in America like me don’t watch a lot of American shows or read popular American books. (Well, I liked the Hunger Games series and I’m really enjoying The Giver…but that’s pretty much it.)

But I’m a Christian, and a good anime or manga series isn’t always easy to find  if you are a Christian. Anime and manga doesn’t derive from godly roots, and many times there are series that will destroy and tear down your faith. But that’s not to say that anime and manga overall is an ungodly thing. Or a bad thing either.

Like I said earlier, anime and manga is a way of storytelling and people can learn (or have learned) many things from the genre. That’s why I decided to do anime and manga reviews.

I believe that despite the fact that anime and manga doesn’t come from a godly culture, Christians can still learn valuable lessons that we can apply to our daily lives . Another reason that I have decided to do anime and manga reviews is so I can be an anime reviewer that other Christian otakus can find and see if an anime or manga series that is on their “watch or read” list is one that they should pick up or not.

So now that you all know my reason for choosing the “animanga” reviewing blog life, I hope that all you readers like and enjoy the reviews I will do in the future!