Ef: Tale of Memories

Ef: Tale of Memories

Synopsis: Ef: Tale of Memories is a story about twins Kei and Chihiro Shindou. Kei, Chihiro and Hirono were childhood friends. Kei and Hirono eventually went to the same high school. Kei, unknowingly to Hirono, has had a crush on him since they were children. On Christmas Eve, on the way to Kei's place, Hirono meets Miyako Miyamura when she steals his bike in order to chase a purse thief. Because of the incident they begin to talk and spend more time together and eventually Miyako develops feelings for Hirono.  Kei finds out about their blossoming relationship and becomes jealous and thus begins a love triangle. 

Chihiro's story is a bit different. One day Renji Asou meets Chihiro at an abandoned train station. Although, she is shy at first they begin to get along pretty well and begin meeting at the same station everyday. Renji learns the truth behind Chihiro's memory diasbility and decides to help her fulfill her dream. Chihiro dreams of being able to write a novel and thus their adventure begins. In order to fulfill Chihiro's dream, they will both have to overcome the difficulties imposed by Chihiro's condition.

                                                                                                                                  

Alright, this week I've decided (with the help of a friend) to try something different. Instead of describing the characters, I will be sharing some of my thoughts on the story line itself. Hope you guys enjoy my take on 

Ef: A Tale of Memories.

This anime is definitely a visually pleasing anime, not because of the appearances of the characters but because of the visual affects the artists used. The transitions and switches between color schemes add to the emotions and situations each of the characters experience. It may not be clear at first but one of the themes in this anime is finding the color in the characters otherwise black and white world. I believe the artists were able to fully incorporate this theme with the visual effects they added.

As for the story line  because it is two incorporates two different stories you have to be attentive when watching. One of the stories revolves around Chihiro and the other revolves around Kei. They are twins but with completely different personalities and circumstances. On the one hand, Kei is a normal high-school freshman whereas Chihiro faces an immense handicap that prevents her from living a normal high school life.

Chihiro, due to an accident when she was 12, now suffers from a memory disorder. Her memories last only 13 hours that in itself is a ridiculous circumstance. I’m no doctor so I’m probably wrong but how can a memory last exactly 13 hours (crazy but it works) It adds more drama into Chihiro and Renji’s story.  

In reality, I liked their story the best. It’s a simple concept of a boy and girl overcoming an obstacle in order to be together.

On the other hand, Kei, Miyako and Hirono’s story was a little disappointing. First of all Kei and Miyako both have some serious issues. Kei becomes possessive of Hirono and Miyako becomes desperate for Hirono (not only that but it was in excess). I do however; appreciate how the authors let Kei and Hirono have their confession. It was beautiful and yet sad how they both knew that they would one day get married and have children but that dream would never come to be.

The ending sums up each characters relationship and shows how they are progressing with their lives with a montage. At the end, everyone seems to be happy and enjoying their lives to the fullest and they are all the best of friends (I'm not so sure this would actually happen in the real world but at least it gives the viewer a sense of closure).

                                                                                                                                   

Well that’s my take on A Tale of Memories!

 I hope you enjoy!

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/ef-tale-memories-english-dubbed-online-free

Dog Days

Dog Days

Synopsis: Izumi Shinku, a middle-school boy from Japan gets summoned to the land of Fronaldo. When he arrives at Fronaldo, he becomes aware of the situation at hand. The Republic of Biscotti is being attacked by the Lion Kingdom of Galette; his summoner, Princess Millhiore, then explains that by being summoned he is to become the hero of Biscotti. Now, the only problem is whether or not he will be able to learn the rules of battle in time to defeat his enemies? 

Characters: There are towns (2 to be precise and yes pun intended!) full of characters, so I will only be naming the characters I deem important. :)

Shinku Izumi (Hero): Is a 13 year old half-Japanese, half-British boy from Cornwall. He is very athletic and acrobatic and loves sports. He has a cheerful and straightforward personality and always goes at his own pace.

As the appointed hero, he is granted the Divine Sword of Biscotti, "Palladion". Palladion, despite being a sword, can assume different forms according to it's owners preference. Shinku can also fire destructive energy beams from the tip of Palladion as well.

The People of Fronaldo

Republic of Biscotti:

Millhiore Firianno Biscotti: Is the 13 year old Princess of Biscotti. She has a gentle and hardworking personality and despite being a young and inexperienced leader, she is loved by everyone in the nation. She, too, wields a Divine Sword. Her swords name is "Excelide" and it is the pair to Shinku's Palladion.

She chose to summon Shinku after watching him take part in the Iron Athletics on Earth, but was unaware that a summoned hero cannot return to his home world. 

What will become of the two as the season progresses? ;)

Eclair Martinozzi: Is the 14 year old female Knight of Biscotti as well as the captain of the Imperial Guards unit. She has been training as a knight since childhood, and is proficient in dual-sword wielding. On top of dual-sword fighting, she has the ability to unleash shock waves from her blade.

She holds a great admiration for Millhiore and respects her entirely, therefore when Shinku appears and goes against all that she holds dear, she constantly clashes with him. She is the complete opposite of Shinku but yet she is also very tsundere towards him.

(Maybe it's love!)

Ricotta Elmar: Is the Chief Researcher of the National Research School of Biscotti. She is an extremely intelligent individual who is friendly at the same time. 

She is hard working and is always intrigued by machinery that she does not know about. When something peeks her interest she tries to analyze it, even going as far as taking it apart. 

While Shinku's stay in Biscotti, she tries to find a way for him to return home.

Galette Lion Dominion

Leonmichelli Galette des Rois: Is the 16 year old leader and Princess of Galette. She is a brave warrior and uses heavy armor and weapons in battle. She is the owner of the Demonic Battleaxe "Grand Vert" and the Divine Sword "Ex Machina". 

During their childhood, Leonmichelli and Millhiore were very close friends until Leonmichelli learns of Millhiore's tragic destiny and begins to avoid her. 

Witnessing  Millhiore and Shinku's death (through star-gazing powers) in the near future, she desperately tries to avoid it at all costs, hence the alarming rate in which she initiates war with Biscotti.

Sequel

Dog Days': Three months after Shinku's journey to Fronaldo, he gets summoned once again, this time bringing his best friend Rebecca and his cousin/athlete rival Nanami with him. 

A new threat against Galette and Biscotti has appeared! Who could it be? Will the countries of Fronaldo be able to overcome a three-way war? And will the heroes of each country be able to adapt to their new roles?

Characters:

Heroes

Rebecca Anderson: Is Shinku's classmate and close friend. They are so close that she is the one who understands him the most and usually feels lonely when he is not around. 

(What would you say about a love triangle?)

She has a love for fashion, games, manga, and fantasy-themed novels.

When in Flonyard, she is scouted by Couvert to join the Principality of Pastillage as their hero. Upon accepting Couvert's offer, she receives the Divine Sword of Pastillage, "Mercurius". 

In Becky's hands, Mercurius, transforms into a broom-like rocket which she can use to fly. It can also become an energy rifle. Along with Mercurius, she is also given a deck of cards imbued with various types of offensive magic.

Nanami Takatsuki: Is Shinku's older cousin and an acquaintance of Becky's. She is summoned to Fronaldo by Leonmichelli to serve as a heroine under her in Season Two. 

She wields the Divine Sword "Ex Machina". It, too, can assume any form but Nanami's preference is that of a staff. She can also create ice skates from Ex Machina, allowing her to glide on and manipulate water.

Principality of Pastillage

Couvert Eschenbach Pastillage: She is the First Princess of Pastillage and is still in training as her country's next ruler. 

Upon meeting Becky, Couvert recognizes her as a kindred spirit. The fact that she is looking up to and wanting to be on par with Shinku and Nanami despite not being as athletic as them, reminds Couvert of herself towards Leonmichelli and Millhiore. Because of their similar paths Couvert successfully invites Becky to be her heroine. 

Couvert posses the Heavenly Spear "Coumars". Contrary to its name, Coumars is actually a gun, which Couvert uses as a one-handed Crystal-tech gun while flying on a magic carpet.


In all reality, at first I just picked this anime because I had nothing else to watch. I thought the premise of it was going to be childish but I decided to watch it anyways. In the end, I liked it. Its your classic tale of a country in need of a hero during their time of war but with a twist.

*SPOILERS*

In both seasons of Dog Days Shinku and Milhi express feelings of love for each other; however, the nature of their feelings is not made clear. 
(Whomp Whomp!)

In Season Two, Rebecca also confesses her love to Shinku and he also replies that he loves her but yet again it is not made clear whether its the love of a friend or of a partner. :{

Even Eclair and Shinku get some action in Season Two. Eclair, by accident, ends up kissing Shinku in one of their many battles!

What will happen to this love triangle? 

There's only one way to find out! ;)


Enjoy!

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/dog-days-online

Demon King Daimao

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

Demon King Daimao

Synopsis: Akuto Sai aims to be part of his country's highest order of magicians but on the day he is admitted into the Constant Magical Academy, his aptitude test predicts that his future occupation will be as the Devil King!

Thus begins the crazy adventures including and not limited to resentment by the studious female class head, being desired by a girl with mysterious powers, and being guarded by a female android.

Characters:

Akuto Sai: Transfers to the Constant Magic Academy in hopes to one day benefit society but his dreams are shattered when Yagatarasu, the school's ocular spirit, announces that he will become the Demon King. Despite Yagatarasu's prediction, he tries to do the right thing whenever a situation arises.

Akuto has an incredible amount of power that sometimes gets out of control. His immense power is so highly volatile that it usually results in catastrophic explosions. He is also capable of controlling and manipulating mana.

Junko Hattori: As well as being the Class Representative, Junko is also a disciple of the god Suhara and a member of the Iga Ninja Clan. She is very devoted to her samurai-like traditions and has a strong sense of justice.

When she discovers Akuto's destiny, she decides that it is in the best interest of society to destroy him. She usually misinterprets his attempts at good deeds and intentions as evil wrongdoings. She, however, begins to develop strong feelings for Akuto after realizing his intentions.

Her power is mostly based around the sword that she carries with her at all times.

Kena Soga: Is one of Akuto's classmates in Classroom 1-A. She can make herself invisible to the point of having her mana cloaked, although this only applies to her body; her accessories and clothing however remain visible. She is a highly capable student but is frequently absent from class and often acts on nonsensical thoughts. 

She refers to Akuto as "Aa-chan" and is not ashamed to express her affections for him.

Korone: Is a Surveillance Agent sent by the government to observe Akuto 24/7. She is a Liradan (a race of andriods). She has the ability to read other people's emotions, and can detect an individual's presence based on mana emitted by that person's body. 

She is usually emotionless;however, she does display human characteristics on occasion. It seems that she has feelings for Akuto, displaying a visible emotion of sadness when she gets scolded by Akuto after being order to seduce him.

Hiroshi Miwa: Is Akuto's self-described minion. He believes that Akuto is evil and often misinterprets his intentions. His desire to be Akuto's servant began with a speech that Akuto gave to his class, although the same speech scared the other students. 

Although he is a boy of small stature, Yatagarasu predicted that he would become a hero in the future. Because of this, he is able to acquire the AI unit D13 and uses it to transform into the legendary hero known as BRAVE. As Brave, he has access to numerous weapons such as lasers, energy blades, and plasma guns.

Fujiko Eto: Is the head of the girl's dorms at Constant Academy and plans to use Akuto's demons powers once he becomes Demon King for her own purposes. Despite her evil intentions of wanting to become Demon Queen, she becomes very attracted to Akuto and realizes she is in love (or maybe it's lust!).

Her magical powers are mostly based around chemicals and potions, which she throws like grenades. She also develops the ability to control some of the demon beasts presented in the anime.

**Just a head's up on this one: It is a harem story so you will get a lot of panty shots and sexual innuendos; however, if you can get past all the harem aspects of this anime the story-line is pretty comical. 

A boy destined for evil, fights to change his fate with the help of his friends and classmates. Will he be able to over come multiple misunderstanding and circumstances in order to make a difference or will he eventually succumb to his title as the Demon King? 


Enjoy!

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/ichiban-ushiro-no-daimaou-online

Danshi Kōkōsei no Nichijō

Danshi Kōkōsei no Nichijō

Daily Lives of High School Boys

Synopsis: This is a story about Tadakuni, Hidenori, and Yoshitake, students at the all-boys academy, Sanada North High School. It is a tale about their daily lives as high school boys. Forget sports and love, this anime shows the randomness of friendship, working part-time, and the imagination of high school boys. It mixes true-to-life situations with comedic and over the top reactions by these three individuals.

Characters:

Tadakuni: Is the straight man of the trio. He is usually involved in Hidenori and Yoshitake's ideas despite his disapproval. Although he is the main focus of the anime, he usually gets the least roles out of the three of them. 

Hidenori Tabata: He is the glasses-wearing character of the trio. He is the one who is usually behind the crazy schemes. 

Yoshitake Tanaka: He is the dyed hair character of the group. He usually goes along with Hidenori's scheme much to Tadakuni's dismay. 

This anime had me laughing so hard that my stomach would actually hurt. It had me thinking that boys actually think like this and cause this much trouble (although, I hope I'm wrong!). 

The episodes are shaped by mini-episodes which makes it all the more fun because you get more of their crazy schemes in on episode. It's definitely more comedic than romantic but there are some rom-com elements to the show. 

If you are just looking for laughs I would definitely recommend this one!

Enjoy!

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/danshi-koukousei-no-nichijou-online

Dance in the Vampire Bund

Dance in the Vampire Bund

Synopsis: In the midst of Japan, Mina Tepes, the Princess of an ancient covenant and ruler of all vampires, is living in hiding. She uses her wealth to pay off Japan's entire national debt and is given the right to create a district off Japan's coast which will become a future haven for vampires worldwide. While she attempts to bring her race's existence to light, some politicians, terrorists and rival factions plot to assassinate her before she has a chance to get Japan's and international recognition for the Vampire Bund. 

Characters: 

Mina Tepes: Is the current ruler of the Vampire World and comes off as aggressive, cocky and naughty however, she is vulnerable and very lonely. She cares very much for the welfare of her people and does everything in her power to protect and preserve her species.

Her name derives from Vlad the Impaler (Dracula). Her surname, Tepes, is the Romanian word for Imapler. Her given name, Mina is shared by Mina Murray, the woman that Dracula sought to have as his new bride in the original novel.

Mina's true form is an adult version of herself with bat wings. Her true form is able to give birth while her child form cannot. She keeps this form a secret form the Three Nobles for if the Three Nobles were to find out her secret  they could force her into marrying one of them and into bearing a child with the excuse that it's to preserve the Pure Royal Bloodline.

Akira Kaburagi Regendorf: Is a young werewolf who is also the son of Wolfgang but is unaware at the beginning of the anime. He lost all of his memory a year prior to the beginning of the anime due to extreme psychological trauma.

He is a kind person and is determined to protect Mina, with whom he is in love. In fact, his fealty and love for Mina is what saved him from a cruel death due at the cause of his memory loss.

Yuki Saegusa: Yuki is the narrator of the story and is a human student who attends the school funded by Mina. She is Mina's and Akira's classmate as well as a member of the Student Council. 

At first, she is scared by vampires, but grows to accept them after spending time with Mina. Through this they appear to gain a very close friendship especially after teaming up in a cooking class.

Dance in the Vampire Bund is of the darkest anime I've seen. It's darker in a sense of the portrayal and the back story of Mina and her bloodline. Overall, I enjoyed this anime once I got past the gore (P.S. it's not super gory just more than I usually see).

Underneath the dark pasts and circumstances is a story of high school students learning to cope and overcome what the world has given them. The female protagonist has a strict family while the male protagonist has a past but together with the help of a friend where able to be together. 

I would say give it a try (watch the first couple of episodes) and see if the artistic style and story line are to your liking. 

Enjoy!

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/dance-vampire-bund-online

V-DAY!

I just want to wish all of y'all a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with love and friendships.

<3

P.S. Stay tuned for today's post! :)

Cross Game

Cross Game

Synopsis: Baseball enthusiast, Koh Kitamura, lives next door to the Tsukishima family, who just happen to own a batting cage and the Clover cafe. The Tsukishima family has three daughters, the 2nd daughter, Wakaba, is Koh girlfriend and the 3rd daughter and baseball prodigy, Aoba, can't stand him. Wakaba dreams of seeing Koh pitching at the legendary Koshien Stadium, which holds the national high school championship finals. However, tragedy strikes, and its up to Koh, with the help of Aoba and his other teammates, to make Wakaba's dream come true.

Characters: 

Ko Kitamura: Is the male protagonist of this anime. The anime starts with him in the 5th grade and follows him through Seishu High School. Despite being very young, him and Wakaba are very close and their families treat them as if they were a couple. 

Ko is described to very competitive, much like Aoba. Their likeness in character is what leads to their constant squabbling. Ko, however, is inspired by Aoba's pitching form and decides to take the steps to become a pitcher himself. Ko takes to heart what Aoba has to say and values her opinion more than others. He even secretly adopts Aoba's training regimen into his routine in order to become like her. Although, they do not see eye to eye they share a deep bond through their love for Wakaba. 

With his change-up pitches, control and incredible fastball, he instantly becomes the ace pitcher at Seishu High School, as well as a strong hitter.

Aoba Tsukishima: Is the female protagonist of this anime. She is a year younger than Ko and Wakaba. She is seen as a tomboy, one who loves baseball very much by others. She has been  playing catch with her father and has thus been groomed into a strong pitcher. 

Unfortunately being a girl prevents Aoba from playing in official inter-school games; however, in practice games she plays center field and replaces Ko as a pitcher. Many of the younger players are inspired by how much effort she puts into baseball and coaching them, and they work hard so as to not disappoint her. 

Due to her closeness to Wakaba during Part One, Aoba showed some jealous characteristics toward Wakaba's and Ko's relationship. She would constantly reiterate her dislike of Ko; however, when he became the ace pitcher of Seishu  she slowly comes to admit his qualities as a player and becomes less reluctant to offer advice and even teaches him new breaking pitches. Towards the end she admits she has faith in Ko's ability to fulfill Wakaba's last dream, in which he pitches at Koshien.

I'm not one much for sports but I found this anime quite invigorating as chessey as it sounds. I loved the portrayal of Aoba's and Ko's growing relationship and how not only they but the Seishu baseball team faced many hardships but were able to overcome them in order to make it to Koshien. It literally had me on the edge of my chair every time they played a tournament. I would definitely recommend this one! :)

Enjoy!

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/cross-game-english-dubbed-online-free