Full Moon wo Sagashite (Searching for the Full Moon) Review

As you know I did a review on Kirarin Revolution about 5 months ago and mentioned I would watch Full Moon wo Sagashite. Well I finished watching Full Moon wo Sagashite also known as Searching for the Full Moon in English so I am going to review it. First Full Moon wo Sagashite started as a 7-volume 2002 manga written by Arina Tanemura. If she sounds familiar she also wrote Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne (Phantom Thief Jeanne) and many other manga. I think more of her manga should become anime. Anyway it was adapted into a 52-episode 2002 anime series by Studio Deen. Full Moon wo Sagashite is a music romantic comedy supernatural drama anime. Full Moon wo Sagashite is known for initially looking cute and innocent at first but is in fact one of the most emotional saddest music anime and one of the saddest anime ever. Now that being said, I loved Full Moon wo Sagashite and it exceeded my expectations. It's a great anime with pursuing your dreams/ambitions. Oh yeah, I will talk about the ending but I will try not to spoil it too much but just in case...

**************************!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!**************************

Summary
Two years ago Mitsuki Koyama's older friend, Eichi Sakurai, moved to America before she could confess her feelings to him. Though she cannot contact him, they made a promise to fulfill their respective dreams: Mitsuki wants to become a professional singer, adn Eichi an astronomer. She hopes that one day her music will reach him across the world with a brilliance like that of the full moon. There is just one catch: Mitsuki suffers from throat cancer, which makes her voice quiet and singing strenuous. Her grandmother, who has a hatred of music, insists that Mitsuki undergo surgery to remove the cancer, but she refuses due to the risk of losing her voice. One day, two shinigami-Meroko Yui and Takuto Kira-appear to tell her that she only has one year left to live. This sudden revelation spurs Mitsuki into action, and she decides that with Meroko and Takuto's help, she will become a professional singer in the time she has left. Full Moon wo Sagashite is the emotional story of Mitsuki and  her shinigami friends as they discover what it means to sing-and ultimately, what it means to live.

My Thoughts
Before I explain my thoughts I should point out that there are several differences between the manga and anime and the anime was changed at little bit to make it more "family-friendly", nevertheless it is an emotional story. Full Moon wo Sagashite was a fantastic series that combined supernatural, romance, and music together into one hell of an emotional ride that exceeded my expectations. The emotional level is probably comparable to that of Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noburo Sora (Which I reviewed previously), Kobato, and Your Lie in April. The last 13 episodes in the anime will pretty much put bullets through your heart. While sad it also gives you hope as well. The Japanese pop band Changin' My Life provides most the songs used and their lead singer Myco was the voice actress for Mitsuki Koyama in the anime and the music is just amazing. It really brings out the emotions and makes can make you really sad at times but gives you hope and optimism as well.

Shinigami are known as "death spirits" and usually they are seen as bad but Full Moon portrays them as being good and Takuto and Meroko both help Mitsuki out. Full Moon wo Sagashite covers the concepts of pursuing your dreams and never giving up. Mitsuki also comes to terms with her romantic feelings as well. Full Moon wo Sagashite is a sad emotional anime but has a happy/bittersweet ending. In fact the ending to Full Moon was pretty much the cherry on top. It seemed like the type of ending where you have to decide things for yourself, whether you think it was happy or not but does make you hopeful regardless. The quote at the end was "I'm going to keep shining, just like the moon.. I'll light the way." It was pretty much filled with emotions but also gave me hope as well, just like the anime, and was a great finale to a fantastic story. I even had to watch the ending again to just take it all in. The only cons to this anime is that there are a quite a few questions that are left unanswered and there are a few filler episodes at the beginning but overall they didn't ruin the anime for me. Also, what's sad is that Takuto and Meroko's voice actors, Yakkun Sakurazuka and Chieko Honda are both dead. In the anime Takuto dies from a motorcycle accident in his human life and Yakkun Sakurazuka died in a traffic accident.

My Conclusion
I would give Full Moon wo Sagashite 5/5 stars or a 10/10 score. This anime was a masterpiece filled with emotions. I would recommend Full Moon wo Sagashite for anyone who likes music or romance anime, or is looking for a sad emotional journey with a happy ending. Next I will watch and proably review another one of Arina Tanemura's works, a magical girl series called Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne (Phantom Thief Jeanne). Later I will be reviewing a similar magical girl series, Mermaid Melody. Yes I know both like Sailor Moon but there are differences between them.

Love, Chuunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me Review

A while ago I watched a popular romance anime known as Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! also known as  Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions in English. It started as a 4-volume light novel and then 6-episode ONA. There were two different 12-episode seasons the second one called Heart Throb. There are also 2 OVA episodes and another 6-episode ONA as well as a 96-minute film, Rikka Takanashi Revision. Most recently in 2018 Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions released another film known as Take on Me. I've been waiting for this movie to come out and was excited when I finally got to watch it. If you don't know about the Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! franchise, it is a romantic comedy drama slice of life school anime that revolves around the relationship of high school students Yuuta Togashi, a boy who used to suffer from Chunibyo (8th grade syndrome aka. delusions), and Rikka Takanashi, a girl who suffers from the Chunibyo, and their friends. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions is one of those anime that seems comedic, cute and funny at first but actually gets real deep, emotional and and even sad at times. I loved the final movie Take on Me as it as it was a nice enjoyable love story between Yuuta and Rikka and had a great ending.

Summary
Yuuta Togashi and Rikka Takanashi are in their final year of high school. During spring, Rikka's siter Touka declares that she will take Rikka to Italy with her, as her job as stabilized there and thinks they should migrate together as a family. Touka is also worried about Rikka not being competent enough to advance to universities in Japan. The gangs from their club suggested Yuuta. who doesn't want to separated, to elope with Rikka! A runaway drama begins!

My Thoughts
I watched the Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions series a while back and continued to keep up tot date on the series. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions is one of those anime that looks cute innocent and funny at first but as you continue to watch it gets pretty deep, emotional and sad. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions has great art and animations as it is a more recent anime. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions is one of the most enjoyable anime movies I've seen (there's a lot on my list though). There was a good amount of comedy and romance with happy and sad scenes with a great ending. Overall, I loved Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me and while I don't if there will be any future releases of this franchise, this is a great way to end the whole story.

Conclusion
I would give Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me 5/5 stars or a 10/10 score. Take on Me is a great anime that is full of emotions while also being cute and funny at the same time. I strongly recommend anyone who likes romance or romantic comedy to watch Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions and if you've watched the TV series then definitely watch the movie Take on Me.

Stellvia Review

I recently finished watching an anime called as Unchuu no Stellvia also known as Stellvia or Stellvia of the Universe in English. Stellvia is one of the few anime that didn't start as a manga but instead as a 26-episode anime series by Xebec studio in 2003. However there was a 2-volume manga written by Ryo Akitsuki in 2003 after the anime came out. Stellvia incorporates the genres of action, space, sci-fi, mecha, and romance. I liked Stellvia and I think it should get more attention.

Summary
During the year 2356 A.D. - 189 years after a distant supernova caused a global catastrophe that wiped out 99% of the wolrd population. To Keep track on all space activities, mankind has built colossal space stations called "fountains" all over the Solar System. After passing the Space Academy entrance exams, Shima Katase embarks to the Earth-based foundation Stellvia to fulfill her dream of seeing the galaxy and to prevent another interstellar catastrophe from destroying the earth.

My Thoughts
Stellvia is a rather interesting anime. While at first glance it may seem like your typical mecha space anime, its story and characters set it apart. The school portion of the anime reminded me of many different slice of life anime I have watched. Stellvia has some rather interesting characters with different personalities and agendas and play a huge role in the story. Stellvia also has a some coming-of-age themes to it as well. I guarantee everyone will find a character in this anime they can relate to. Overall, Stellvia is a hidden gem among anime mecha and space in particular. Oh yeah, Shima and Kouta are a pretty cute couple so feel free to ship them!

My Conclusion
I would give Stellvia 4.5/5 stars or a 9/10 score. While it may look like a childish typical mecha space anime, I enjoyed Stellvia. I recommend this hidden gem to anyone who is a fan of mecha and space anime. 

Saint Tail Review

As you probably guessed I am going to do another review. I recently watched Kaitou Saint Tail also known as Mysterious Thief Saint Tail or just Saint Tail for short. Saint Tail started as a 7-volume 1995 manga written by Megumi Tachikawa. Then it became a 1995 43-episode anime by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS Entertainment). Saint Tail is a magical girl romance anime with a Kaitou/Phantom Thief or Robin Hood type theme. There is an English dub for the first 15 episodes. I loved Saint Tail and I believe it does deserve some more attention and I strongly suggest anyone who likes magical girl anime to watch this. I will also try to talk about the ending without spoiling it too much but just in case...

************************!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!************************

Summary
Meimi Haneoka, 14, is a normal girl during the daytime, but during the night, she assumes the "position" of Saint Tail, a modern-day Robin Hood who steals from thieves and gives items back to their original owners. She is aided by her friend, Seira Mimori, a nun-in-training, and she is chased by her classmate (and soon-to-be love interest), Daiki Asuka (Asuka Jr.).

My Thoughts
I found Saint Tail to be very enjoyable and while it seems like a typical magical love story anime, it has its own qualities to make it unique. Because this anime came out in 1995 the graphics aren't exactly up to date but I still enjoyed them as much as I do with more recent anime. The character development is great as it shows the progression of each character and the blossoming romance between Meimi and Asuka. What really makes this Saint Tail enjoyable is the love story between Meimi and Asuka. It is noticable that they harbor feelings for one another and no obstacle stands in their way, kind of similar to the Cardcaptor Sakura love story between Sakura and Syaoran. The ending to this anime is great and fulfills its potential. Overall, Saint Tail is a great classic magical girl romance anime that has the same lighthearted cuteness of other magical girl but unique.

My Conclusion
I would give Saint Tail 5/5 stars or a 10/10 score. I highly recommend this classic to any other magical girl or romance lovers. Another very similar magical girl anime I plan on watching and reviewing is Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne (Phantom Thief Jeanne), another magical girl romance with a similar Robin Hood style theme. I will also review Wedding Peach and Cardcaptor Sakura, two other similar magical girl romance anime.

Code-E Review

I recently finished watching Code-E so I will review it. Code-E started as Code-Ex, a two volume 2007 manga written by Ichiro Sakaki then it was made into a 12-episode 2007 anime series and released by Studio Deen. Additionally there is a sequel known as Mission-E and another 2008 light novel. Code-E is a science fiction romantic comedy anime. I liked Code-E for being a fun short anime series.

Summary
Chinami Ebihara is a girl with a strange ability to generate electromagnetic waves when her emotions run high. However since this "ability" affects anything electrical, it resulted in her having to transfer from school to school when she was younger. Now 18 years old, Chinami transfers to a new school, she once again affects the electronic devices in the school, but this time, when another student, Kotaro Kannagi, sees her do this, he becomes obsessed in studying her "TYPE-E" ability.

My Thoughts
I found this Code-E somewhat enjoyable with the way you see the world through Chinami's eyes. Code-E also bears similarities to another anime I reviewed called Red Data Girl (RDG). It is also kind of similar to My Story as my characters have secret powers too. The characters are pretty decent and like most anime you see their true nature of the course of the series. There is an overall good mix of sci-fi, slice of life, comedy and romance in the show.

My Conclusion
I would give Code-E 4/5 stars or an 8/10 score. It was a rather enjoyable short sci-fi, slice of life, and romantic comedy anime

Tokyo Mew Mew (Mew Mew Power) Review

I recently finished watching Tokyo Mew Mew also known as Mew Mew Power in the English dub so I am going to review it as you guessed. Okay it's kind of weird that a 22 year old man like myself is reviewing this but whatever. (I'm anonymous to most of you reading this). Anyway Tokyo Mew Mew started as a 7-volume manga written by Reiko Yoshida and then made into a 52-episode 2002 anime series by Studio Pierrot. Additionally, there are two games and a second 2003 2-volume manga by Mia Ikumi. Tokyo Mew Mew also has a dubbed version which kind of sucks because they change the story around a little, so I watched this anime in subs. Tokyo Mew Mew is a magical girl romance anime and is considered a must see for anyone who watches the magical girl genre. Tokyo Mew Mew bears similarities to other magical girl anime such as Sailor Moon, Mermaid Melody, and Wedding Peach. I personally liked Tokyo Mew Mew for it's cute and interesting style as well as having a few subplots with the main story.

Summary
Ichigo Momomiya (Zoey in English dub) was a normal girl, worried mostly about her crush, Masaya Aoyama (Mark in English dub). However, just as she was able to date him, she was struck by a mysterious beam and everything changed. She is now part of the Mew Project, genetically fused with an endangered species of cat. With her new powers and companions, she must protect the earth from invading aliens.

My Thoughts
I really liked Tokyo Mew Mew, which will be one of many guilty pleasure anime that I will be reviewing (Again I am a 22 year old man). While it may seem like a Sailor Moon copy at first it does begin to carve out its own identity which makes it unique. The different characters are unique in their own way adding to the enjoyment of the show. Ichigo, the leader, Mint, Lettuce, Purin, Zakuro along with the boss Ryou and love interest Masaya make the show pretty enjoyable and interesting. The mysterious heroic Blue Knight along with the villains like Quiche (Kisshu) add some pretty good excitement to this show. It is kind of similar to My Story in a the way that the characters are part animal, have animal abilities, and can transform back and forth. However my story is more serious and nowhere near as cute or girly. Overall, it was a enjoyable good show and while it shares similarities to other magical girl anime it's pretty unique in its own way.

Couples/Shippings
Okay now as long as we have anime there will probably be lots of couples (aka ships) that people will create from these shows. Ichigo is usually paired with Masaya, Quiche (Kisshu), or sometimes Ryou. Honestly I don't understand why she's paired with Quiche or why people don't like her with Masaya. I kind of understand why some people would put her with Ryou but in my opinion she belongs with Masaya. I mean Quiche's relationship with her is more like being a stalker than an actual lover whereas Ryou usually just messes with her but isn't really interested in her romantically. I think Ichigo belongs with Masaya because they have mutual feelings and both make great sacrifices for one another. Like most all couples, Ichigo and Masaya face obstacles in their relationship which makes them a stronger couple. It's an adorable relationship between a clumsy sweet Ichigo and the popular Masaya. I really wish that there were more couple/relationship stories between a shy boy and popular girl though. (I'm kind of a shy boy myself). So if you feel the same, feel free to ship them if your opinion is different, that's fine.

My Conclusion

I would give Tokyo Mew Mew 4.5/5 stars. It's a cute, enjoyable, and exciting anime that is a must watch for everyone who likes the magical girl genre. This is also a great child friendly anime too so any young kids can watch this as well. I plan on watching and reviewing some similar magical girl anime such as Mermaid Melody, Cardcaptor Sakura, Wedding Peach, Nanatsuiro Drops and more... So stay tuned!

Just Because! Review

Just Because! is a recent romance anime that came in 2017 and became somewhat popular. I just finished watching it so I am going to review it! Just Because started as a 2017 serial novel written by Hajime Kamoshida. Just one month later it's 12-anime started, released by Pine Jam. Just Because! is a drama romance slice of life anime. I enjoyed Just Because! and it was fairly well received too.

Summary
As the school year begins drawing to a close, the third-year high school students move toward the next milestone of their lives: graduation. Mio Natsume, a girl burdened with lingering feelings, Hazuki Morikawa, a member of the concert band but distant from others, and Haruto Souma, an athlete obsessed with baseball are among them. Meanwhile, second-year student Ena Komiya seeks to revive the photography club to its former glory, refusing to let the organization be disbanded. Though this group lacks a strong connection with one another. their lives suddenly cross paths with the arrival of a third-year transfer student.
While a transfer so close to graduation is unusual for most, it is business as usual for Eita Izumi. Due to his father's work, he has never been able to stay in one place for very long. But as luck would have it, their most recent relocation has returned Eita to his hometown for his final semester of high school. For better or worse, it also sparks the rekindling of old relationships left behind in the past.
With graduation already causing its own share of anxieties, Eita's sudden arrival brings these students' carefree days to an abrupt end. Long-forgotten memories, deeply buried emotions, and inspiring new passions-everything is brought to light in their bittersweet final semester.

My Thoughts
Just Because is a rather pleasant, relaxing, and enjoyable anime. While you don't get a roller coaster of emotions like in Clannad, Kanon, Anohana, or Air you do get the same type of warm feelings. Just Because! has some pretty good art but that is expected from a recent 2017 anime. Just Because! takes you through the process of actually falling in love and trying to figure out your feelings for others. Just Because! also focuses on the difficulties when high school (In my case College) is coming to a close and you are trying to decide what to do with your life.

My Conclusion
I would give Just Because! 4.5/5 stars or a 9/10. While it's not a mountain of emotions it is charming and touchy feely in its own way and is a very enjoyable series. I suggest anyone who's into romance anime to watch Just Because! I'm looking forward to watching and reviewing a similar romance anime Tsuki Ga Kirei which is another romance anime that also came out in 2017.