Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border:2 Ghost Whispers 攻殻機動隊 Border:2 Ghost Whispers (2013)

second movie into the Arise series, the plot remained complex. a clear understanding of how the universe works in the series was an essential to being able to enjoy the story. this installment focused more on political and its characters than the philosophical part of it. Kusanagi underwent an investigation to discover some secret. while most of the time she was on the mission alone, her team was finally assembled and introduced. while the installment was beautiful to look at, it came in short compare to the first movie - Ghost Pain (2013). there were plenty of slow movements for the fights, which could turn out to be an on or off for its viewers.

Hal (2013) ハル

the story took place in a world where robots were used in life and therapy. Hal and Kurumi lived a romantic life until a plane crash ended it. Hal woken up feeling dazed and confused, programmed through the robot with a new mindset to comfort. with some reluctant meetings, attempting to make Kurumi happy again, Hal found out various things Kurumi left behind as clues. they started to open up to one another, sharing their pain of losing their memories of once a happy life.

the film packed a whole lot of emotions and love into it, inclusive of both before and after the plane crash. while Kurumi locked herself in her room, she spent her time trying to fix a video camera that taped moments of her life with Hal. for the first half of the film, the plot was puzzling, leaving us as confused as Hal. with Kurumi's recordings, the details finally surfaced, came together forming an overwhelming conclusion. the film was visually entertaining, with plenty of sharp scenes to dive through.

Walkure Romanze (2013) ワルキューレロマンツェ

Mizuno was a student training to be a Begleiter at an academy. he came to this academy to become a Knight, after winning the champion in his own country. however, an injury during a tournament finals forced him to withdraw. so he decided to become a Begleiter to one of the maiden knights, helping her to win tournaments instead.

despite its harem aspect, the series was surprisingly enjoyable for a casual watch. the plot actually taught us about the honor of the Knight other than doing all the obvious fan service. while the characters were beautiful to watch, they tend to be pretty shallow in general, which was not unexpected for a genre like this. the only uniqueness of the series was its backdrop, circling these high class maiden on their journey of becoming a Knight. thanks to the unique setting, the episodes never did came off being dull, which was already impressive seeing the direction the series was going.

Gundam Build Fighters (2013) ガンダムビルドファイターズ

the story took place in the future, where GunPla Battles were competitions that Gundam plastic models fought against each other. Sei was the son of a model shop owner, who was talented at building GunPla. however, he was inexperienced in the GunPla Battles. one day, he encountered a mysterious boy named Reiji, who was an accomplished Gundam Fighter, someone who pilot the GunPla. together, they strove for the GunPla Battle world championships.

the series was the thirteenth Gundam franchise of Sunrise. unlike the previous series, which was more hardcore and mechanical, this series was more heartwarming and relaxing. Gundams from previous series could be found in this series as well, making it somewhat nostalgic. Sei and Reiji worked together to fight their way up to the top. while each opponent became stronger and harder to beat, it made their growth visible and intriguing. in the very end, we found ourselves feeling attached to these two characters. like all Gundam series, there were also plenty of actions for the mechas to show their uniqueness and to win our hearts.

Machine-Doll wa Kizutsukanai (2013) 機巧少女は傷つかない

the story took place in a world where technology were so advanced that scientists were able to develop sophisticated magic. Makinot was the combination of science and magic, where circuits were made from spells and put into objects, bringing them to life and even gaining a personality. it was first developed as a military weapon, now available throughout the world. Raishin was attending Royal Academy, accompanied by Yaya, his puppet weapon. he planned to become the top in his class, however his test scores were bad.

despite the seemingly confusing backdrop, the revenge plot was rather generic. the characters were likable but also held a certain characteristic that could make them distasteful to look at. Yaya was the main focus as she supported Raishin along the way. her excessive loyalty was impressive to watch, especially it was put to the test. but at the same time, her constant attempt to get into Raishin's pants, tend to get very annoying very soon. the series was quite entertaining in general. there were unfortunately, plenty of unanswered questions, hopefully signaling another season in progress.

Little Busters!: Sekai no Saitou wa Ore ga Mamoru! (2013) リトルバスターズ！世界の斎藤は俺が守る！

the OVA was a special un-aired episode. it was split into two plots, the first was the establishment of a new battle ranking system for all the 10 Little Busters, the second involved the girls going to Kuragaya for life advice. in comparison with the its series, the OVA was different and refreshing. however, the comedy turned out to be some hit and some miss. it was fun seeing Riki went through the battle games, starting from the lower ranks, challenging the person directly above her to reach the top. eventually Kyousuke introduced the Mask the Saitou element, which increased the craziness.

Koitabi: True Tours Nanto (2013) 恋旅~True Tours Nanto

the six short episodes told the love story of three couples, set in Nanto, a town in the countryside. through the episodes, there were actually some worth explored places for tourists, which was very much the intent of this short series. among the three couples, part of the focus was on Youji and Chiaki. they had been together for 5 years, but Youji decided to transfer job. they struggled with their relationship and what will become of it.

Noragami (2013) ノラガミ

Hiyori was a middle school girl that had been bullied by her classmates. one day, she went to the restroom by herself to cry. scrawled on the bathroom wall was a phone number, indicating that by calling the number would help solve her problem. out of desperation, Hiyori called the number. soon she met with Yato, a homeless boy who announced himself a god. Yato had many bad attitude, but secretly held the power of god.

even though Yato was a god, he was also a starving artist. he was still trying to get recognized while becoming stronger along the way. the gods used lost souls as weapons, called Shinki or Regalia. Hiyori encountered Yato coincidentally, saving him from an oncoming bus. that very moment her soul was somehow tempered, giving her a tail, which was also her lifeline. Yukine was Yato's Shinki. he was an abused child, also a lost soul. despite having all the bad moments, Yato was unique in his own ways. he was smart and trying hard for people to believe in him. he was surprisingly, a god that was easily relatable.

Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle - Shukuteki! Rätsel-hen (2013) ファイ・ブレイン 〜神のパズル 宿敵！レイツェル編

Kaito was a puzzle loving high school student. he was selected as a candidate for Phi Brain. he and his friends, Nonoha found an unsolvable puzzle near their school and went ahead trying to solve it. however, the puzzle turned out to be a life threatening one created by a mysterious group POG (Puzzle of God). he would be joined by other Solvers to battle all over the world by solving the philosopher's puzzles.

the series had reached Season 3, while the first two seasons were said to have their own strength and weaknesses, the puzzles were intriguing as always. for this season, Kaito and his friends went on a journey to England, in order to restore Jin's memory. they were walking through the underground maze beneath the church, where Kaito and Rook first met Jin, and a mysterious girl appeared in front of them. Jin identified the girl as Raetsel and seemed to know her. before they were able to find out, Raetsel disappeared and brought Jin with her. to make matter worst, Raetsel activated the traps of the underground maze and started to come after Kaito and his friends. with a dark theme and intense scenes, the life threatening situation that they put themselves through was the most interesting and satisfying experience.

Daiya no A (2013) ダイヤのA[エース]

Eijun was a pitcher, who joined an elite school with Kazuya, a catcher. Eijun knew that he was far from being the best pitcher, however he didn't realize his potential nor understand his true talent, which really was what made him stood out among the team. he had a dream of becoming the best, the Ace of the team, a pitcher that would bring the team victory. together with the rest of the team, they strove for the championship.

while i was not a huge fan of sports series, thise one had almost everything in it, especially by being hilarious and surprisingly intense at times. Eijun's two-sided personality was sometimes frustrating to watch, but fortunately tolerable. he was comical at times, but serious and devoted when it came to the games. the unique way he pitched was in fact his true talent. the first half of the series moved rather slowly, even uninteresting. however for the last few episodes, when things finally got more intense than comical, it was where the highlight was.

Gingitsune (2013) ぎんぎつね

Gintaro was a fox spirit that protected a small temple since the old times. Makoto's family had the ability to see the god's agent, but the ability was only limited to one living relative at one time. after her mother passed away, Makoto inherited the ability and started seeking Gintaro. with the help of Gintaro, they started helping the people in their community and became great friends.

the series was not one of the most stunning series that stood out. but without trying to achieve any new grounds and simply wanting to be lighthearted, the series had succeeded with flying colors. Gintaro was original a lazy and obnoxious fox spirit after all these years. getting to know Makoto had been the turning point in his long lived life. with the help of the reluctant Gintaro, Makoto had the chance to help the people around her. while it was seemingly cherry on the outside, Makoto had a difficult childhood, especially after the death of her mother. her special ability only further alienated her, making her an introvert and socially awkward. the growth we saw in her throughout the episodes were the most rewarding along with the growth that also took place in Gintaro. it was such a beautiful series with a story so straightforward that it was surprisingly easy to watch.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari (2013) 劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ 叛逆の物語

the third movie was the last movie in the Madoka trilogy. unlike the first two movies, which were recaps; the third movie was a sequel, which was strictly unconnected to the series. the story followed Homura after the events of the first two movies, moving in a direction we never saw coming. after crying a puddle of tears, though frustrated, it was still understandable that it was already the best ending we could ever hope for, because there really was no other way for the situation to work itself out better than it already had. it however, had continue leaving behind cliffhangers that hopefully signify any form of sequel. finishing the film left us feeling down yet satisfied. it was brilliant and really outdone itself, worth every minute of its airtime.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 2: Eien no Monogatari (2012) 劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ 永遠の物語

the second movie was another recap for the last 4-episodes of the series. comparing to the first movie: Hajimari no Monogatari (2012), the second movie was even more impressive. it left an impression so huge that it easily overtook the prior. the reason being while the series had only 80 minutes for its 4-episodes, the movie had 120 minutes to tell the same story. this alone helped pace the story so much more better in return. more screen time were given to Madoka and Homura in this movie, which was excellent since the duo had the best teamwork among its characters. while Homura was rarely in the spotlight for the series, the movie tend to spend more time on her, making us like her even more. again compared to the series, the movie really outdone itself, making it so much more alluring to the already impressive series.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 1: Hajimari no Monogatari (2012) 劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ 始まりの物語

the first movie in the Madoka trilogy was a recap for the first 8-episodes of the series. however, it was still unfair to use the word recap since although the movie contained the same events, everything else was simply further enhanced. those who haven't watch the series would feel even more overwhelmed, compared to the already satisfying experience that we had with its originals. the pacing was increased since having 12 episodes squeezed into a 120 minutes movie was impossible without speeding up everything. the speed however, also improved its drama, giving even more personality to its characters. the darker themed used upon the cherry bright character remained impressive like its series, easily reached our expectations while overwhelming our visual experiences. it was impossible to not compare the movie to its series, but since we were already biased, loving and basking in every minute of the series, it was also impossible not to love the movie equally much.

Meganebu! (2013) メガネブ!

the story followed the daily lives of five high school boys who shared the same feature of wearing glasses. they were also members of the Glasses Club, sharing their passion for eyewear, even towards the ultimate goal of making a functional x-ray glasses. Akira was the leader of the club. Yukiya was the most intelligent member, also Akira's childhood friend. Takumi was an airheaded member. Mitsuki was invited by Akira to join the club, thus held deep admiration towards Akira. Hayato was the only member who wore fake glasses.

despite the seemingly straightforward plot, the series was hilarious and absolutely exaggerated. the main focus was on their creation, which more than often ended up with an explosion. at the same time, the club tried so hard to increase their budget, which also ended equally in failure. to make the story a little more in depth was the involvement of the Student Council, who was pulling shady stunts behind, making sure that the Glasses Club would be disband in the near future. even though the series looked less interesting than our average plot, it was equally entertaining once we got started with the episodes. it may not be the best, but it was definitely unique enough for a laughter or two.

Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Ars Nova (2013) 蒼き鋼のアルペジオ ‐アルス・ノヴァ‐

the Fleet of Fog consisted of numeral highly advanced vessels and super weapons suddenly appeared all over the world one day. it took over the water, with every attempt to reclaim back the waters that humanity crushed. Chihaya was a student who was approached by Iona, a girl who claimed that she was a member of the Fog. together they took over a submarine from the Fog, renaming it I-401 and went against the Fog.

the idea was most impressive for the Fleet of the Fog, for it consisted of AIs that had logical reasoning and giving orders to its members. these AIs were later given such depth that it felt like they too, were characters like every other men in the series. the battle scenes were intense if not detailed, something worth appreciating. there probably weren't enough time to provide a back drop for the storyline, especially having the Fog appearing out of nowhere, was simply not enough to satisfy. Chihaya in the centre, was like a strategist, commanding without military knowledge but only by assessing the situation on hands. while we were hoping to see something developing between Chihaya and Iona, we were unfortunately, disappointed that she was very much just another loyal subordinate.

Non Non Biyori (2013) のんのんびより

Hotaru was an elementary school student, who just moved with her parents from Tokyo to the countryside. attending a new school, she tried to adapt into the new environment, where there were only 5 students in the same class, but ranged from elementary to middle school. Komari was the eldest and very self conscious towards her unusually small size. Hotaru on the other hand, was unusually matured for a fifth grader. Natsumi was Komari's younger sister, who was always too lazy for anything.

the story was simple and straightforward, if not lighthearted. it followed the daily lives of four girls of various ages, who lived in the village, attending the same class. the happenings were random events that took place throughout their daily lives, most of them realistic and believable. despite the randomness, there were plenty of involvements from its characters, making them grew on us. the humor was lighthearted, even heartwarming at times.

Tokyo Ravens (2013) 東京レイヴンズ

Harutora was born in the Onmyoji family, but didn't have the ability to see the spirit energy. therefore, he was the lucky few the could enjoy peaceful lives, with his friends from school. one day, his childhood friend Natsume appeared, who was also the heir to the head family, and she had the ability to help him see spirit energy.

taking its sweet time, the series built such depths for its characters that it was difficult to ask for these days. there were really no actual main plot. after Harutora gained the ability to see spirit energy, they started fighting against them. for a romance comedy, Harutora was frustrating to look at as he seemed almost immune to everything. fortunately, the story was not overdone and little twists and turns here and there made it refreshing and interesting to watch.

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (2013) ブレイブルー オルターメモリー

the story started out taking place in the last day of year 2199, where people gathered on the street, counting down for the end of a year and towards the start of a new year. during the celebration, it was said that Ragna the Grim Reaper, a rebel with the highest bounty, had appeared on the street. he was the culprit behind the destruction of the system controlling the world. to collect the bounty, hunters and fighters started to come forward for the hunt.

the series was most probably made for the fans of the video game. to understand the series, a basic knowledge of the game was most certainly required. the story involved plenty of time loops that only a few characters were aware of. with only 12 episodes to tell the story, the history and relationship between the characters were mostly put aside, how the world function in this game environment was also skipped. the series was most successful in making its characters stood out, creating a chance for those who played the game to love the character even more.

Samurai Flamenco (2013) サムライフラメンコ

Hazama was a man who dream of being a superhero. he had no superpowers but was determined to protect. Goto was a police who found out about Hazama's superhero identity. the duo soon became great friends, creating a bond that fought off the enemy. they went through hardships together, in search of the true meaning of justice.

the series was quite different compared to what we usually had today, nor was it about the ordinary and average superheroes. it tried very hard to convince us that it was unnecessary to have superpowers to save others, just the heart to do so. on the second half of the series however, a character with superpowers was introduced. it started off being quite confusing, but a few more episode later, it became acceptable and the series continued being interesting to watch. most of the time, the series was straightforward and fun to watch. it was easily relatable, especially the little crimes that people tend to do on a daily basis, like littering. we were pleasantly surprise to find a superhero series that doesn't involved invading aliens or sort. in overall it was just so refreshing and unique.