Anime ABC’s V is for Versailles no Bara

The Past Often Informs The Future

To date, Versailles no Bara or The Rose of Versailles, is the oldest anime I have watched to completion. Airing in the Fall season of 1979, this historical drama follows the history of the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette. It’s an almost surreal experience to watch a show and see just how much it has informed modern works, that and to see how anime has evolved with time. All of this holds especially true with a highly respected work such as The Rose of Versailles.

Jon’s Creator Showcase – Second Anniversary Edition & Best of the Decade

Welcome to The Party!

This is the first showcase of the year as well as the decade, and if this is any indication of what’s to come, then we are in for one fantastic year for this program! Today we are celebrating the second anniversary of Jon’s Creator Showcase along with 50 other wonderful individuals who decided to participate this month. Along with the usual posts, you’ll also be seeing some “best of the decade” submissions from several folks. With that, let’s dive in!

Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk – A Strong Finish

Certainly Worth the Watch!

Picking up right where Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk left off, the second season of the anime opens with one powerful episode. That said though, before I get into any of that, and why you should definitely watch this, be aware that there will be spoilers for season 1 in here. If all you were looking for was assurance that the whole series is worth your time, I can confidently say it is. Now, on to the review proper.

Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk – A Surprising Delight

Probably the Best Video Game Adaptation Turned Anime I’ve Seen

Awhile back while searching for another anime I happened upon a show called “Tower of Druaga“. This title was one I was quick to disregard, except two things struck me about it when I looked it up. The first being that this was somehow based on a 1984 Namco game and the fact that this was a Gonzo production. If you don’t know already, I have a philosophy that all Gonzo shows are at least interesting, even if they aren’t good, but sometimes they really delight. So the big question is, did Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk deliver?

Rec – Supporting Each Other

Life Sometimes Takes Unexpected Turns

The other day I was listening to Digi talk about his favorite OP’s on YouTube when he reminded me that Rec existed as an anime. I was in the mood to watch a romance show, and at only 9 episodes, each really only ~12 minutes apiece, I decided to give it a watch. It’s a Shaft production and I had some expectations for something interesting, so, was it?

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom – A Near Perfect Adaptation

The Best Bee Train Show I’ve Seen

Maybe you haven’t heard of Bee Train as a studio, but they have less than a stellar reputation. You probably have heard of Gen Urobuchi, known for such series as Psycho-Pass and Madoka Magica. So what happens when these two get together to adapt one of Urobuchi’s early visual novels? Well, you get Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom, a dramatic tale of two assassins filled to the brim with twists and turns.

Liar Game (Season 1 & 2) – Outplayed with Kindness

Kanzaki Nao is Stupidly Honest

Finding herself caught up in the titular Liar Game, Kanzaki Nao doesn’t seem to stand a chance. She’s extremely honest and takes everyone at their word. However, she soon realizes that in order to escape this twisted game she’ll need help. Enter Akiyama, a con man who has just been released from jail. Together they teem up to take down the organization behind the game and save everyone caught up in the mess in the process.

Boogiepop Never Laughs – Better Than the 2000’s Version?

It’s Complicated…

When it comes to Boogiepop, my relationship with the franchise is a more complicated one. Very rarely do I have any real knowledge of the source material, and in turn, does that impact my watching. Further more, it is even more rare for me to have seen multiple adaptations of said work. This is the case with Boogiepop Never Laughs which has lead to an obvious question, so what is even worth engaging with here?

Anime ABC’s Q is(n’t) for Cowboy Bebop

A Little Context

For those of you out of the loop, Anime ABC’s is a series where I review an anime for each letter of the alphabet in order. Typically these are longer-form essays where I try something unique/different each time. This round should be Q, but instead I hosted a redemption round since there just aren’t a ton of Q anime. The winner of that vote was the famed Cowboy Bebop. Now that you know what’s going on, let’s dive right into the review.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime – Having the Time of my Slife

*Hums Title to Tune of “(I’ve Had) The Time of my Life”*

Originally I tried to transform the lyrics into some semblance of a review, but that ended up being quite the undertaking! Instead, you’ll have to settle for a regular ol’ review of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, or just Slime, for short. There was a lot of enthusiasm for this one at the start of Fall 2018 but was it able to hold onto that momentum through Winter 2019 across its 24 episodes?