fun

Want a FOODGASM? Enter the Food Wars!

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A spoiler-free review of the spring 2015 anime “Food Wars! Shokugeki no Souma,” produced by J.C. Staff, based on the manga by Yuuto Tsukuda and contributor Yuki Morisaki.

I like to cook. Granted, I’m no master chef, nor do I really know what I am doing half of the time, but I find enjoyment in starting the rice cooker and chopping up some lettuce. Lather on some soy sauce and you’ve got yourself some tasty stuff. In fact, I’ll be right back . . .

*with mouth full of food* Now wheh wur we? Oh, wat’s wight. Food Wars!, baby! PREPARE YOUR ANUS FOR ALL THIS ‘FOOD PORN.’

Shokugeki no Soma centers on Yukihira Souma, a 15-year-old practically raised in his father’s local Japanese restaurant so that he’ll one day take over the family business. That’s no fuss for Souma because he loves cooking and dreams that nothing will ever change. But when his sly father suddenly closes down shop for a bit to play chef in America, Souma is challenged by his old man to attend Toutsuki Culinary Academy, which considering its incredibly slim 10% graduation rate, is basically hell itself! As Souma dives into delicious, daily tests and mouthwatering missions, he makes new friends and even more enemies, but will his father’s teachings be enough to pull him through the first semester? As long as he wins the Shokugeki!

So what is a Shokugeki? It’s a famous Toutsuki tradition that has withstood the test of time. Essentially, it’s a cooking duel initiated when two persons need to settle a dispute. They are judged by an unbiased panel and all the clashing chefs have to do is muster their culinary expertise to best their opponent AKA a game of whose food tastes better. This is where the anime gets its fire. The acclaimed battle-roulette shounen is fueled by these steamy competitions of trial-and-error and sheer willpower!

Aw yeah, here we go!

Aw yeah, here we go!

Shokugeki proves that resolution and “courage” are not enough to win one’s case, however, and that’s what makes this anime excel from other shounen with the same stunts. An incredible amount of cooking skill, familiarity in the kitchen, and knowledge of spices that I’ve honestly never even heard of are necessary to simply blend in with the crowd, let alone actually surprise one of the scary judges! I mean, it’s still a school, so I would hope that they are learning to grill my steaks properly.

Souma thinks he’s a wise guy, taking after his son-of-a-buck father. He’s pretty damn smug during his entrance speech, proclaiming that he doesn’t plan on losing to “some bunch that has never stood in front of clients” – That’ll earn you a rep no doubt, because now the entire student body wants to slit your throat! Cocky as he seems, Souma’s got one thing that none of the others have. Passion? Nope. Talent? Not that. A hot body? For this spiky redhead, hardly. Souma wants to support others, and when your egg omelet determines your fate, that’s a rare treat in a guy. Even though he’s a dumb fool, ‘he helps others find their feet so that they learn to stand up on their own’ (as one reviewer sorta put it), specifically speaking, the clumsy yet sweet Tadokoro Megumi.

The rest of the characters are pretty much store-bought stereotypes, but in the case of Shokugeki, that’s not a bad thing at all! There’s the tsundere “God Tongue” Erina Nakiri, the critical queen of Toutsuki who seriously needs a new nickname; Nikumi the “Meat Master,” a busty servant of Erina who trust me, knows her way around meat; Tadokoro Megumi, the already-mentioned endearing ‘freshmeat’ of the pack who, at first clings to Souma’s apron like a stain, builds her own uniqueness and learns to fight on her own turf like a pro; Lastly Takumi Aldini (the Italian stallion) who remains Souma’s poke-fun-of rival in this shounen.

Better start learning how to shine shoes because she’s several feet over our heads

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Aww, what’s wrong? You’re looking a bit flushed there, Mr. Aldini

I didn’t even get to mention the cool Polar Star Dormitory pals, but there are so many other exaggerated and outrageous cutouts that benefit this particular story genre. If you know shounen anime enough, then none of these characters are necessarily fresh. That doesn’t stop these chefs from being entertaining and downright amazing in their own right, though. Their uniqueness often adds an extra layer of hilarity!

Oh yeah, there’s this woman, too . . .

So the story is nothing new and the characters aren’t original, either. How’s the animation fair? SWEET MOTHER OF EGGS! J.C. Staff has taken food to a whole new level and MY GOD things are so juicy! Now why do people keep calling it “food porn?” It’s the way the characters revel, squirm, and orgasm on their own taste buds. Apparently one of the key animators worked with hentai, so that’s probably where the show gets its inherent sex drive. Besides being ridiculously over-the top, I found the sensual reactions to be another one of Shokugeki’s winning attributes. The exploding articles of clothing and intense moaning reveal what an A+ dish can truly do to your body – make it foodgasm. The science of good food is also thoroughly explored, so by entering with an engaged mind, you might learn a thing or two.

This one’s actually not a foodgasm. He just gets this way . . . sometimes . . .

Composer Tatsuya Kato is a genius, simply put. I especially loved the way he incorporated Western-inspired tracks to this show; the soundtrack only makes it more flavorful (awesome trumpet and strings)! Disappointment, rage, awkwardness, celebration, competition, grandeur – it’s all here, and expressed with such invigorating fervor. While watching, I wanted to stop and scream just how incredible this OST is, but then I’d be missing out on another bite of excitement.

Check out “01. Towards the Horizon of Cuisine,” “06. The Texture of a Decisive Battle,” “07. Go Study Both Sour and Sweet!,” “08. God Tongue,” “09. Disgusting!,” “18. The Heat of Confrontation,” and “25. The Secret Ingredient Named Victory” to get a lick of Souma’s world!

And all of these delightful features are carried by tasty openings and endings. My two favorites were the first two, opening “Kibou no Uta” by Ultra Tower and ending “Spice” by Tokyo Karankoron. Watching this anime each Saturday morning as a simulcast, this opening was such a great “good morning” call that I had to download it as an alarm. My sweet little “Spice” also charmed me early on, and I loved the dinner table scene at the end.

With incredible amounts of five-star food, unnecessarily high degrees of tension, and FAN SERVICE OUT THE WAZOO, Shokugeki constantly delivers fun and flavor! At the end of the day, it’s all about a boy who practices to surpass his father. So rather than blindly recommending this fantastic treat with two open thumbs up, I instead refer Food Wars! to those who want fun, but don’t want change.  The outrageous reactions to the food, the bouncy animation, the blazing competition – It’s all to delight in! But the story of the Shokugeki is much more than that; it was the incalculable trial and error – blood, sweat, and tears – over and over again that made this anime shine above the rest. “…repeating trial and error and failing many times…it’s that process which makes the dishes shine.”

While characters know hardships, the show never lowers its light to become a negative influence. Take it like a nice, home-cooked meal: The food is ever-changing, but the heart never falters. I also learned some neat kitchen tricks! If you’re looking for some grilled competition and true comedy, yet ecchi fan-service doesn’t bother you too much, then try dipping into Food Wars! You’ll find that it doesn’t need any extra salt. The flavor is just right.

“Don’t think of unnecessary things, just make a dish that suits you!” – Souma to Tadokoro

+ Yukihira Souma is a character that you’ll naturally want to cheer on, which is the goal for any shounen anime

+ Entertainment value is through the roof, so long as you don’t mind ecchi, umm, ‘plot’

+ Animation quality is absolutely incredible! The food will make your mouth drool and characters will make you giggle so hard you vomit

+ A soundtrack so fitting that it elevates the stakes on every front, yet knows when to be playful, witty, or heartwarming

Thanks for reading my review, and I hope you liked it! “Happy to serve!” You can let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment below and/or sautéing that like button! The café rates this anime with a gratifying 9/10, so if you’re interested in Food Wars!, the entire show can be viewed on Crunchyroll for FREE! Now you’ve got nothing to lose but your appetite! Until next time everyone, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Takuto’s Anime Cafe One-Year Anniversary!

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Wow, where to start? Umm, hi, my name is Takuto. I’m the host hear at the Anime Cafe. While I can’t serve actual food and drinks to you, I can bring you some savory anime reviews and worthwhile conversations. One year ago, I shyly put out the chalkboard stand and turned the “Welcome” sign facing the skies. Since then, I’ve accumulated . . .

115 posts,

about 1,451 curious visitors,

about 3,797 positive views,

about 703 gracious likes,

about 905 lovely comments,

and 98 faithful followers.

If you’ve ever liked one of my posts, followed me around, left a comment, read one of my little posts, and/or even stopped by just to see what’s up, Thank You. From the bottom of my heart. I honestly cannot think of a happier and more positive place to be in than in this very cafe – in the WordPress Aniblogger community. Thank you so much.

But I can’t stay serious for too long, you know me 😉 I’ve honestly had such a fantastic, memorable time with all of you. Whether you’ve been with me since the beginning, or we just started tagging each other >.< I hope I’ve impacted you in some sort of upbeat, smiley way, as you have on me! Please keep up the awesome support, as I will continue to boost all of you with my dull humor and fanciful comments (not really, but really) 🙂 I honestly love you guys too much, and I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed what I have been able to give you, albeit just some words on another random anime site! *raises tavern mug* Here’s to the passing year, and to the next incredible one to pass!!! *drinks heartily*

But I think I owe you all something else, too. It’s a cafe, yet not once have any of you been visually served. ENJOY~

I know it’s not nearly enough, but we’ll definitely have more celebrating in the future (like my 100 followers special, which is coming up really soon *cough cough, wink wink*) Thank you for the adventure, and until next time, this has, and always will be

– Takuto, your host

I Broke the System (Liebster Award Follow-up)

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So after I wrote up my last Liebster Nomination post by One Stop for all EnterTainmenT, I thought, huh, this felt a lot shorter than my first ever Liebster Nomination. Turns out it was shorter – a whole segment shorter, might I add. On HimAwARi’s award rules, it’s missing the “11 facts about you” part (either that or I copied it wrong), so today, I will be filling you all in with random stuff about me.

And of course, this is not an excuse to ‘not write’ reviews . . . 🙂

1. Lines annoy me, but crowds make me cringe.

2. I just finished performing for a friend-of-my-mom’s wedding. My bro, sis, and myself played classical pieces as a quartet trio. It went well.

3. There’s nothing better than watching anime during a nice long rain . . . to bad it NEVER showers where I’m at.

4. Although Negima!? and Steins;Gate among a few others got me into anime, it was A Certain Scientific Railgun that gave my watching the momentum I needed to continue.

5. I am actually quite young, but I feel so, so old.

6. YouTube is equivalent to oxygen at this point, in that I consume it every day and honestly can’t live without it.

7. Have you ever online shopped, added a sh*t ton of items to your cart, glanced at the total, laughed, then exited out? That’s my life right there.

8. According to my ratchet anime list that, by the way, contains the all of the shows I have watched and the season I watched them in (because I think the season reflects the mood or something), I am watching anime number 99, Nagi-Asu. I plan on celebrating with my 100th, but I’m not sure how yet . . .

9. Though I haven’t done it enough to truly say, I have enjoyed my cosplay experience thus far. Something about putting on a costume and acting as your favorite character(s) pleases me. I mean, we should all try to have fun, right?

10. I will be watching the Madoka Magica: Rebellion dub today because I bought it on Blu-ray because I AM A DIEHARD FAN AND WILL PAY $40 FOR THIS FILM. 😀

11. Lately, I have been doing (or die trying) to fit in light morning exercises to, ahem, “stay in shape.” I looked fine before, if I do say so myself, but I think these ‘workouts’ have been slowly helping . . . yeah, helping me become exhausted.

That’s all for now! For my nominees, you can either add on these 11 facts to your posts and rules or just forget about them – sorry for the forgetfulness and for breaking the system, but in a way it wasn’t entirely my fault. I just knew that something was missing! Haha, till next time everyone.

– Takuto, your host

It’s Real Neat to Have Blogger Friends (Real Neat Blog Award)

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Hello all! Just when I was thinking of how dull my reviews can be at times, JekoJeko over at UEM! reminded me of my creativity in the form of a nomination – The Real Neat Blog Award! So regardless of the ceiling-high stack of reviews I still have to write, I will take this little break graciously. Thank you very much, JekoJeko.

UEM! brings forth tiny details hidden in anime and intricately weaves them with “unfettered and unnecessary opinions” to form truly thought-provoking posts. But whether it’s Christian beliefs, first impressions or great biased reviews, JekoJeko always manages to keep me wanting more content, and isn’t that the goal of a blogger? UEM! is a new key Aniblogger site in the community, and you should do yourself the favor by following them around (click here)!

JekoJeko asked seven questions as part of the award criteria, and here are my answers:

  1. Who or what got you to start watching your first anime?

I watched Ghibli movies, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Beyblade, and Yu-Gi-Oh all prior to my first anime, but I do not count them since at the time, I did not know they were anime, nor what anime even was.

Sadly, I didn’t have a buddy to get me into anime 😦 so I have been a lone wolf up until recently. What got me into anime was actually an incredibly embarrassing, cheek-burning question: What is hentai? After a totally appropriate Google search, I found Negima!? the Spring and Summer OVAs, and though they are nowhere close to actual hentai, the magic comedy and youth aspects made me crave more! I wrote a whole story about it here if you want more depth.

  1. What do you think is your most controversial opinion about anime/manga?

Honestly speaking, probably that The End of Evangelion is one of the most transformative and fresh breath-inducing films I’ve ever seen, and that the series is just as spectacular. It’s been one of the most controversial opinions to bomb the anime chat rooms and forums since 1997, but I think its messages of rebirth through death are inspiring (no, I’m not going to do anything crazy). I’m just saying, you can’t deny the weird vibes you get when Lilith Rei initiates the Human Instrumentality Project.

Also controversial, I think in order to start the Fate anime franchise you should start with Fate/Zero. There, I said it. Haters go hate.

  1. What song do you wish could be an anime opening or ending?

What a fun question! Let’s see, any Train songs like “Drive By” or “Mermaid” fit the bill for a fun show in my opinion. They’re upbeat and pretty catchy. I like it when folk, Irish, or classical music is reprised for anime to enhance the mood, so maybe something like that?

  1. Has a show ever impacted your beliefs or values in an important way?

Anything by Kyoto Animation has made me realize how delicate relationships and lives themselves are, and that life is so much more interesting with others. Additionally, works like Chu-2, Beyond the Boundary, and Free! showed me how literally beautiful and vast the world is. Every small vase on a windowsill; every miniscule patch of grass growing through the cracks of concrete; every scrunched little alley big enough for one only one car to pass through, so the other person pulls over, gets out and waves to the other like all’s right with the world, allowing them to pass first; every charming, wooden, traditional Japanese home as well as modern homes; All of it is present in KyoAni works, which taught me to be most of all humble.

  1. What’s the most exciting thing you’ve been a part of?

For most of my childhood, my siblings and were a band that performed Irish, fiddling, classical, and even pop music for organization banquets and meetings. In fact, we’ll play for a friend’s wedding in August. Though there have been rough times, it was at the very least thrilling in multiple ways, probably the highlight of excitement for my childhood. 🙂

Last year, high school, I formed a small orchestral group that performed at seasonal concerts and various ceremonies. We played pieces that I had written myself, which was an incredible honor to do so with my friends! I couldn’t thank people enough for the waves of positive feedback and standing ovations we have received! There were too many late nights of writing, though, so for now, we are on hold.

  1. Which show do you wish your life was more like?

“Honestly any show. Anything. I am so boring.”

I’ve always thought that life was boring, that I’m the kid in class waiting for the mass murderer to show up and blow up the entire school, to which I escape, meet a cool boy/girl, and we fight off the villain. That or the apocalypse. But then I started to realize, unless I’m the one receiving the mysterious powers or magical strengths, it would be a huge inconvenience and a horrible thing to wait through. I mean, my family and friends could die!

So now, like most everyone, I seek out the slice-of-life route. Perhaps Free! because I am in swimming, or even Kokoro Connect like Keatle had said in his nomination because of the close bonds with friends. I’ll live an enchanting yet ordinary high school life – ideal for anime . . .

But I’ll always be expecting something to happen, something to shake up the world.

Anything.

  1. What’s your biggest goal in life, and how do you plan to achieve it?

Ahh jeez, here’s the big question. What to do with my life? Well, I want to be successful and happy at the same time, but I do not know how to do that – yet. I haven’t settled on a career, but if it could involve anime in some way, that’d be great. I’m sorry I can’t answer this yet, but I’ll work hard and keep looking forward now!

Here are a few people that I’d like to pass the nomination on to, as I think you all have “Real Neat” blogs. I’d be thrilled if you accept the award!! (I’ve been trying to look for people who haven’t already been nominated that deserve it, and there’s a whole slew of you that are awesome :D)

In the Cubbyhole

Curious Stars

The Huge Anime Fan

Viewer’s Discretion is Advised

Shay-shay’s Anime Blog

Jamie Talks Anime

Chibi Majo

Entertainment Review Project

UNOTAKU

Let’s Talk Anime

mirrorpurple

FUJINSEI

Now for my seven questions I’d love to ask these amazing people:

  1. Are you absolutely content with your blog? Do you plan to add any new segments or features soon?
  2. Have you ever considered creating a YouTube channel?
  3. Do you find yourself reading more manga, playing more games, or watching more anime?
  4. What is the first anime that you recommend to a new person, considering that they are cool with any genre and episode length
  5. Do you prefer to buy anime limited or standard edition, if any?
  6. Borrowing this one from JekoJeko, which show do you wish your life was more like?
  7. What is one anime that you will defend to your death, if any, regardless of its understandable flaws?

Here are the rules for the Real Neat Blog Award. If you choose to accept, please leave a comment below with a link to your post so that I may read it!

  1. Put the award logo in your Blog
  2. Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you
  3. Thank the people who nominated you, linking their blogs
  4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, liking their blogs
  5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog)
  6. Ask the bloggers 7 new questions

That was tons of fun, but it’s over now :(. A thanks to JekoJeko one last time, because otherwise I’d still be swamped in the lost, unsaid words of future reviews! I hope you have enjoyed reading and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Cafe Talk #1: Movie Theater Madness!?

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Mina-san, konbanwa ~

Welcome to the first Cafe Talk, a new segment to my Anime Cafe where I pretty much chat about anything that I want to – hopefully interesting and engaging conversation, though! Unlike my reviews, I literally have no structure for this bit, so here we go! 😀

Every summer, my siblings and I like to get together and do lots of fun, youthful activities, whether it’s playing cards, games, drawing, etc. Two years ago, our little games were starting to get old, and it seemed like there was absolutely nothing else to do but browse the web – a rising pastime. Now, a year prior to this, I stumbled upon anime, and was slowly yet secretly watching some in my free time – my greatest private haven!

Without knowing how the others would react, I bravely proposed that “I have a couple of shows I think you guys would like, are you interested?” We’re all teens that had lived up Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Sailor Moon, so I thought, “What the hell, ya know?” What’s the worst that could happen?

I printed up a schedule, lined up the shows, started my first anime collection, printed posters of each show, “advertised,” and finally, the day came – the first showing of the 2013 Summer Movie Theater. How would they react? Was my secret hobby too much/not worthy of them? *Gulp, sweat beads*

They loved all of it. Every single show.

Since then, I have been showing them more and more anime through my seasonal theaters, summer being a slew of shows with fall and winter receiving one overly-hyped title each. As silly as it sounds, it was successful, ridiculously fun, and most of all, I stepped out of the looming shadow of my love for anime – I was accepted by others, sure, siblings, but for nobody knowing to now my whole family – whew!

Now marks the third summer movie theater, and though budget problems arise, I’ve managed to pull together a pretty solid set:

Act One – Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!, Yamada’s First Time, Log Horizon, and The Devil is a Part-Timer!

Act Two – Psycho-Pass, Rebuild of Evangelion 1.11 & 2.22, A Certain Magical Index II (with Endymion movie), and Puella Magi Madoka Magica (with Rebellion movie)

The Raildex universe is always featured towards the finale of our theaters, as it just feels like a great way to end the summer. But otherwise, what do you think? Is that a good lineup or what!?

Did you ever bond with your siblings like this? Yeah, we’re dorks with our business-like format and all, but hey, we have a great time! How did you “come out” as an anime fan? Was it just a small hobby of yours or did you come out with a bang like I did? Also, what do you think of Cafe Talk? Comment below – I love hearing from you guys! Tickets are on sale now :P, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Adventures at Naka-Kon 2015 – My First Anime Convention!

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For those who didn’t know, during March 13-15, I traveled to Overland Park, KS for Naka-Kon 2015. One month later, I am finally going to talk about it (whoops, gomennasai)! I had only heard rumors and watched videos about going to anime conventions – and now I was actually going to one! It felt like a crazy dream! Please enjoy my trip story ~

After purchasing passes, it was a long five-month wait of cosplay decision-making and Ebay searching, but I made out with a  Tennouzu First High School Uniform, otherwise known as Shu Ouma’s uniform from Guilty Crown. I chose Shu because to me, he is a relatable guy and one of my favorite anime characters.

Naka-Kon greeted us with rainbow hair, mobs of people, and the subtle hint of body odor, but I’ll never forget the many smiling faces. Everyone was so chill – it was awesome! I was standing in a room full of true friends, and I didn’t even have to know the names of anyone. We all loved anime and games, and that’s all that mattered.

The Sharaton Hotel Staff were also cool people. We thought our passes were day passes only, but the people at the front desk said they were for the whole weekend, and that we could stay another night if we needed to. We did. Also, they kept handing out free snacks to con-goers, and these weren’t just like “one cookie per person” scenarios – they were $1.00-sized free handouts that never ended. Like everyone else, my sister grabbed 6 packages of cookies and kept them until we were hungry mwahhahh!

My favorite event from the con was the first one we went to which, bright and early, was a Micah Solusod panel. I actually got to talk to Touma freakin’ Kamijou!! Taking questions from the few people that were there (cause it was very, very early), I bravely raised my hand and asked him “What is your favorite season in the Raildex franchise?” He not only answered [correctly] Railgun S, but he even specified his favorite scene [one of mine as well] which was the fight between Accelerator and Misaka with Touma. I’ll never forget his kind words.

Now, being the prepared person that I am, I googled what voice actors and guests would be there for signings so that I could grab my merch. Micah Solusod signed my LE A Certain Magical Index while my brother snagged the DVD case inside just so that he could have something signed, too. Nice 🙂 Micah was awesome – one of my new favorite VAs – and has encouraged me to watch the infamous Soul Eater, of which I am currently 36 episodes into.

Index final

After him, I got to meet with Matthew Mercer who signed the mini-poster that came with the Fate/Zero Complete 1st Season DVD as Kiritsugu Emiya. This guy was so chill compared to Micah, who was a little antsy guy walking all around! He was super nice and talked with me for a bit. When we came back later so that my brother could have his new wall scroll signed, I asked what he would say as Levi to Eren, and he wrote it down for me. (That’s just our little secret, tho :3)

Matthew

(a little subject/verb agreement problem there, but when you’re Saber’s master and an ace with the guns, I won’t complain :D)

Next was a special man. Greg Ayres voices Negi from Negima!? – the first anime I had ever seen back in 2012. His roles like Taichi Yaegashi from Kokoro Connect and Shion from No.6 are for some reason very inspirational to me. He was shocked to see my old Negima! Complete Series Collection, and we talked for a bit about the character Negi and a few of his new roles, including Makoto Isshiki from Chu-2! He’s a legend in my book, and I was most glad I could meet him!

Negi Final

My last signing was a bit of a pain. You see, in all three lines we waited for about 30 minutes to guarantee spots in the front – which we got. The signs were misleading, and everyone from the supposed Patrick Seitz line was in the wrong place. When we moved over to the right line, we were dead last, with only a few stragglers who joined later. 2-3 hours later after bonding with everyone in my part of the line, I got to meet the John Titor from Steins;Gate, one of my all-time favorite anime. Though our chat was brief, the line of friendship was rewarding, and I actually feel like had leveled-up or something! LOL

SG FINAL

Last thing to mention was the dealer’s room and the artist alley, which was mixed together and overflowing with anime goodness! There was literally so much stuff that I wanted – that I had searched for on YouTube, Ebay and Amazon – that were now within my grasp: Nendoroids, Figmas, manga, DVDs and Blu-Rays . . . Unfortunately, I only had $70.00 saved up, which don’t get me wrong, is still a great amount of spending money, but like anything more money would have been better. Here’s what I walked away with:

GGOAldnoah FINALPINS FINAL

The striking Sword Art Online “Gun Gale Online” print, the beautiful ALDNOAH.ZERO print, and the cute Akatsuki, Shiroe, and Hange pins were done up by Cindy C. (cindiq.deviantart.com). I purchased these because I enjoyed the bright color palettes used, the neat backgrounds, and most of all the style the faces were drawn in. I originally only bought the Akatsuki pin, but the girl remembered me from the previous day and let me pick up the other two for a discount. Nice!

Steins GateNGNL

This Steins;Gate and No Game No Life “Human Potential” prints were designed by Cheng (Lily) Li (lilythescorpio.deviantart.com). I decided to buy these because I really like the soft pastel texture, the creative design, and the bright colors. They both compliment their respective show quite well.

SAO ScrollPMMM Scroll

I picked up these two wall scrolls because a) I’ve always wanted one and b) I love the art. They’re just the main posters you could find through an image search, but I think the fabric material and the giant size blend better in my room. Gosh, Aincrad looks soo cool and the Madoka Magica scroll is just a spectacle to behold! They both remind me of the incredible journeys I had with each anime.

Saori

Last but certainly not least is this the famous otaku Saori “Bajeena” from Oreimo, one of my favorite characters from the series. She was only $5.00 and looks great on my anime shelf. I especially love the fact that behind her swirl glasses, you can see her blue-green eyes. Subtle yet well-worth-it effect!

Of course I took many, many, many pictures with different cosplayers who were amazing! One guy cosplaying as Shiroe from Log Horizon let me take a picture with him and let me sign a real scroll, signifying that I was a part of the “Log Horizon Guild!” Just knowing that I among the few other names were part of his guild . . . that was one of the best moments!

Going to Naka-Kon 2015 with my family not only opened me up to the anime community but also to the world. I got to briefly meet with so many interesting people – I only wish that I had never left!! But boy was I tired by the end. Comment below what your first convention experience was like, because the one word to describe mine was “unforgettable.” Thanks so much for reading and thank you to all who made Naka-Kon such a great, fun time! Until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

No Game No Life Review

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I have this system that allows me to recommend anime even if they have this “read the manga” bull-sh*t ending. After all, it’s usually the ride that counts for me. No Game No Life is a quizzical anime adaptation based on Yuu Kamiya’s light novel series, and its lack of an animated ending hurts the series the more I think about it.

Bro and sis Sora and Shiro are gifted NEETs who form the notorious “blank” across the gaming world. Together they are an unstoppable force: pulling all-nighters, eating junk food, and learning all of the ins and outs of various games just to achieve victory – but they never cheat. They both find the real world to be harsh and even crappy, donning it as just another game. When challenged to a complex game of chess supposedly designed by God himself, Tet emerges upon their triumph, and the two are warped to another world.

In this world, God has outlawed war and violence, so instead of physical brawls, everything is decided by games. Want all the money from a bank? Beat its owner. What about living in a castle? Simply defeat the king – and that is exactly what “blank” does. With the humans or “Imanity” chased to the board’s edge by other races, is it up to Sora and Shiro to save the Imanity and conquer the gaming world – but in real life this time.

No Game No Life’s basic premise can be carried out in many ways, yet “beat the boss, next floor” format doesn’t flow in this anime, and that can be appreciated – to a certain degree. While you know Sora and Shiro will win all of exciting and intriguing games (cause if they lose there wouldn’t be a show), it’s the ride to that final draw that make 12-episode anime worth it. The games are wacky and chalked full of weird rules, however, that makes them so much fun to watch!

On the other hand, the slight lack of explanation in each challenge often results in seemingly impossible feats. The games can be confusing and drawn out to two episodes at a time. As such this show is a binge watch – you’ll lose track if you try to space your viewings out.

Sora overwhelmingly takes the lead as the perverted-older-brother-mad-hatter type of character. He’s clever and brainy, desiring to win a library for knowledge of the world that he and his adorable sister were thrown into. Logging it in their phone, Sora immediately makes it his top priority to challenge the God of this world. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Kirito from SAO, Arata from TRINITY SEVEN) performs with such strong lust in his voice acting that makes for quirky dialogue. He certainly plays the role well!

For a female lead, Shiro is not that interesting. She’s cute, quiet, and relies on her onii-san. There is a much more intellectual side to her, unlike her brother, that makes for quick-witted comebacks and in contrast respectful monologues. While Shiro gets a couple of great episodes to herself – literally by herself – there isn’t really much else to say.

The only other mention is Stephanie Dora, an emotional young Imanity girl who is the daughter of the recently dead king. She is stubborn, whiny, and expressive, yet has an intelligent side regarding the Imanity. Because she flips from being a genius to a dimwitted casual – just to make Shiro and Sora seem smarter, might I add – she was poorly treated by the writer(s). Stephanie is easily likable, but only when she has her dignity intact.

NGNL’s animation by Madhouse is rather . . . how’s to say, bright? The effective use of reds, blues and other vibrant colors as outlines instead of the usual black adds to more eye-appeal. Everything else is also energetic in color; these upbeat hues help to bring the world of games alive! It’s fun J and not like your average anime!

Sound-wise, I wasn’t too impressed. There are a few “Aha!” tracks for the intense gaming climaxes, but the more emotional bits are supported, yet without memorability. I can recall the epic challenges that Sora and Shiro surpass, but I can’t remember any of the characters spewing out their passion, and part of that is because the actual-game-sounding music just wasn’t on-par with the anime. Besides “Predawn,” it’s not bad by any means, but could have been more.

The show gives off this foreboding vibe, as if Tet foreshadowing the darkness behind the gaming world is where the series would end, however, we never get down to the heart of things. That disappointed me most. A perfect reflection of my thoughts are in the opening, “This game” by Konomi Suzuki. The piano introduces us to a mysterious and devious land, yet past this rich piano solo, the song turns into your average anime opening, revealing its sense of playful trickery.

I have troubles recommending No Game No Life particularly because it just ends with another game. Upon release of a second season, which is most likely, then I will 100% recommend this anime to anyone, despite the mild nudity. The characters can drag the anime down a little bit with their ecchi playing, but when the boobs are put away, No Game No Life functions as a great piece of entertainment, and I enjoyed its cleverness thoroughly.

“’Checkmate’ doesn’t mean you’ve simply cornered the enemy king. It’s a declaration that the enemy king is yours. That’s why I said it the first time I met you. ‘Checkmate.’” – Sora

The anime has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks, so we can expect a dub release sometime soon hopefully. Thanks so much for reading my review over this fun gaming anime! If you had similar thoughts, hit that like button and follow me for more material like this. Until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Yamada’s First Time (B Gata H Kei) Review

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“B Gata” meaning “Type: B” and “H Kei” meaning “Style: H.” Make of that how you will.

Everyone has sexual tendencies, but is it natural for a virgin teen girl to want to bang 100 guys her first year in high school? Well, Yamada is 15 years old, and this is her goal. She’s beautiful, popular, athletic, smart, and even musically talented – so why the sudden urge? We quickly discover that she has no sexual experience whatsoever when she corners a boy in the library and flashes him. But hey, as the saying goes, “The journey of a hundred miles starts with a single step.”

Like so many, I judged this show just hearing the title. After actually watching it, however, I was in love by episode one. This plot is definitely a hit-or-miss for some, considering its mature themes, but the show goes beyond that. While Yamada’s First Time lacks the actual sex, it teaches a valuable lesson about rushing into things, and how you might want to rethink things through before you do something regrettable. This anime is a one-of-a-kind gem that shines best when it strays from its goal.

Yamada is an interesting character, that’s for sure. She’s slutty, perverted to the max and simply a disaster. But despite her intriguing plot involvement, she is a really enjoyable character. Yamada can be the “go get em’” girl all she wants, but deep down she is only a teenager – she’s still growing and learning. Her lust to lose her V-card results in her chasing down the most unremarkable boy in her class, Kosuda, and she begins to realize that she might have feelings for him.

Kosuda (“cherry boy”) is doomed to her by the first episode – that innocent boy in the library, but he sure doesn’t think that! Kosuda is bland, boring and honestly looks like a background character. He represents the average boy in many ways, but stands out because he gets so freakin’ nervous about most everything related to Yamada. In that, he’s quite hilarious to watch.

While it’s fun following these two chase after each other, you realize that by the end of this short anime, Kosuda is all Yamada’s gonna get. The anime loves teasing its viewers with X-rated hot stuff, but then quickly pulls up its pants before anything unfolds. After watching so many ridiculous scenes with the two, you really want them to have sex – you do and you know it!

Accompanying the lead couple is Yamada’s enduring girlfriend Takeshita who advises her through her journey, Yamada’s Eros Deity, the brash and sexual embodiment of her darkest desires that promotes her banging boys, Kosuda’s quiet childhood friend Miyano who crushes on him the entire series, the perfectionist transfer student and rival of Yamada, Kanejo, and so many more. What can I say? Yamada’s First Time has an ensemble cast that manages to entertain and keep you laughing.

There’s not much to say regarding the animation. It lacks much detail in background scenery, but it gets the job done. You can tell the animators put extra work into making Kanejo and Yamada appear cuter than the others, as it shows when the two face off in various activities.

The OST is spicy and dramatic, fitting the tone and adding to the overall flavor of the series! Argumentative scenes are well supported while the softer romantic scenes strike the heart. I especially enjoyed the opening and ending, “Oshiete A to Z” and “Hadashi no Princess,” both by Yukari Tamura. The opening is just so catchy and tons of fun! J It reminded me of other S.A.V.E. titles like Strike Witches or Negima!?.

Yamada’s First Time is by no means a full-blown hentai, but rather a more playful ecchi. The show teases its viewers and services the fans. It’s a guilty pleasure that I enjoyed probably way more than I should have >.< Because of its mature content, the anime is not for everyone. But my god do I recommend it – absolutely. Yamada’s First Time is a precious and lovable anime. “Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.” – Kobi Yamada

While I don’t currently own a copy, Yamada’s First Time in FUNimation’s S.A.V.E format is on my Amazon.com cart! For less than $15.00, it’s a must buy! Also, Brittney Karbowski’s role as Yamada is really good ~

Thanks for reading as always and be sure to check out other reviews for more recommendations. If you had similar thoughts or were inspired to watch this anime, then go ahead and hit that like button or drop a comment below! I welcome all new customers (followers) to the anime café and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

 

 

 

Sword Art Online II (Caliber) Review

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Following the much dragged-out Phantom Bullet arc is the Caliber side story arc. This will be my brief thoughts about these few high-spirited episodes.

Kirito and Leafa discovered the legendary Holy Sword Excalibur a year ago, but could not acquire it due to guardians blocking the path. Well recently, towards the dawn of New Year’s Eve, Suguha discovers that the “Caliber” quest has been unlocked to the public. Kirito immediately bands with his friends Asuna, Klein, Lisbeth, Silica, Sinon, and his sister’s avatar Leafa to conquer the castle Thrymheim in Jotunheimir and claim the most powerful weapon in ALO before the year is up!

The whole GGO experience lacked the traditional SAO feeling of ‘playing’ in a game, considering the high stakes. Now, Sword Art Online II brings back the basic concepts of gameplay to add a very crafty and cool mechanical undertone. Many people do not like ALfheim Online, and for obvious reasons I can understand why, but this arc doesn’t dig up those brash emotions and opinions for the Fairy Dance arc; this here, fellow cafe-goers, is traditional RPG, and with its playful references to game terminology envisioned in unique, colorful and appealing animation. This change of pace is absolutely necessary to Kawahara’s planned plot progression and character development, whether we like it or not. Besides, it’s just the characters doin’ what they do best and love!

It’s always wonderful to see the older characters, but I have to spotlight Sinon and Asuna in particular. Upon entering this new fantasy world, Sinon dons the Cait Sith cat attire, complete with cute little ears, and becomes flying fan service! She’s not all fluff, though, as she uses a magic bow to target enemies from far away. This subtle yet crucial decision is very befitting for her sniper-like character.

And Asuna, dayum! She is given the front lines for parts of the fight against King Thrym, pulling out hidden rapier for combat, and might I say that Asuna battles with the swift furiousness of a true KOB commander once again; however, it’s not quite enough to make up for her time served as “Titania.”

So if ALO is a Norse-based world, then why the hell Excalibur of English legend?! The World Tree design in SAO is by far favorite, and the consistent “-heim” worlds add to the Norse feel, but I don’t know why they chose Excalibur; is there no other legendary weapon from Norse Mythology?

*spoilers ahead* Now this side story was pretty mediocre, so what made me change my view was the way Sinon let it end, or rather, didn’t let it end. Thrymheim begins to collapse, and ultimately Kirito is forced to leave the heavy Excalibur behind. Sinon, disagrees, and whips out her bow, calculates distance, takes aim and fires a retrieval arrow at the holy sword, hoisting it back up by a magical rope then giving it Kirito as a token of remembrance in her honor. This on-the-spot action was just so freakin cool, as it made the whole arc worth it. Seriously, Sinon is waifu material :3

Last thing to mention was the new opening, “courage” by Tomatsu Haruka, Yuuki Asuna’s voice actress. It is matched in its fast beat with crisp, brightly colored visuals of Alfheim and the characters. It’s a really respite-filled and cheery song, so give it a listen!

Thanks for reading! Check out my Sword Art Online II (Phantom Bullet) Review for more thoughts on SAO’s fun and adventurous sequel. You can watch the entire anime for free at Crunchyroll. Till next time,

– Takuto, your host

Halloween and End of October Update

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Hi and welcome to the cafe! This month was filled with anime for me! To start, I finished watching The Devil is a Part-Timer, Attack on Titan‘s English dub, selector infected WIXOSS, and continued with SAO II, Log Horizon 2, Fs/n UBW, In Search of the Lost Future. I also picked up on Trinity Seven. Wow, for me, that is a lot!

On Halloween, I literally told myself that I was going to stay up all night to marathon a new anime. Did that happen, well, no, but I got pretty damn close LOL! For that grand night, I chose selector infected WIXOSS as my companion, and boy was that kinda creepy. Originally I was gonna watch Tokyo Ghoul because it was so well-received and because duh, it’s Halloween, but I chickened out. What did I think of Wixoss? I’ll do a review here soon on it. I also watched FUNimation’s dub of Attack on Titan. God I freaking love that show! The dub was very similar to that of The Future Diary‘s, in that while the main character(s) could have been better, all of the remaining cast was amazing! I do give them props, though, as they kept that driving intensity/insanity that AoT is famous for.

To top off the night, I heard that I might be going to Naka-kon in the spring, so yeah! It’ll be my first convention and I’m totally stoked! What did you do for Halloween? Anything special? Friends? Anime or gaming? Let me know in the comments below! Fall has arrived in my town, so nice weather has returned. Maybe I’ll spend some time outside, too!

– Takuto, your host