Otogi Juushi Akazukin is a children-aimed fantasy-series which can be fun for every age. It’s deeply rooted in the old European fairytales, with characters such as Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, the City-Musicians of Bremen, Rapunzel, Hansel, Gretel and the violinist of Hameln making cameo-appearances. The story is simple, an evil which had been sealed long ago broke free, and needs to be resealed again by our main character: Akazukin. Still, despite this fairly simple concept, I found myself mesmerized by this anime again and again.

For starters, it’s got some of the cutest character-design ever. The animation may range from flawed to good, the character-designs and imaginative background-art more than make up for it. The music also gives a perfect fairy-tale feeling to the whole atmosphere. Thumbs up.

Still, the parts where Otogi Juushi Akazukin shines the most are the characters and the storytelling. The series comes with a set of characters who complement each other perfectly. They start out as one-dimensional characters, but they soon gain lots of depth as the anime continues. Each with his or her own story. Overall, these characters were adorable, as they were featured in both serious, funny and cute moments.

Through the course of the anime, lots of different stories are shown. Even though some side-characters just serve the purpose of fleshing out some of the main characters, they worked out quite well. Still, the best stories were the ones who focused on the group of main characters. Especially after the second half kicks in, the show picks up steam, and some of the episodes were just amazing to watch. Each character got enough time to show his or her background, and near the end, there’s given enough time to close of their stories, some of these stories ending in the most amazing episodes. My personal favourite was the surprisingly sad Randagio-episode.

Any bad points? Well, the ending. Or episodes 36 and 37 to be exactly. After most of the stories have closed, and only the main storyline remains. Through the course of the series, this anime has done well at keeping its level of cheesiness just low enough for it not to be annoying, but these efforts all fail when it goes and uses some of the biggest clichés in the book. Thankfully, the final episode closes off the series well enough, but the fact remains that these episodes left a nasty thorn in an otherwise excellent series.

Excellent as it may be, I can see a lot of people disliking it. Especially people who believe children’s shows are too childish. There’s no denying that the series is childish at times, but for me, that was just part of its charms. If you’re not bothered by the fact that this is a children’s show, then it’s definitely worth it to give this a try, as the characters were just amazing.

Short Synopsis: The final episode focuses on the partings of the Fandavalians.
Good: Glad to see this anime ending with a good episode.
Bad: Hot springs?
Overall Enjoyment Value: 8/10

Ah, thank goodness. The final four episodes of Akazukin weren’t a complete waste after all. While the ending was nothing special, It did leave no unanswered questions, it was in no way rushed, and the overall-episode was quite heart-warming. It’s also nice to see people back in Erde. And of course, Souta’s talking to flowers remains cute.

The climax only had one annoying point: Souta coming back to say a final goodbye to Akazukin, after having stated not to do so. It’s not necessarily bad or anything, but I’ve seen this happen a bit too many times. Still, the other events more than made up for it. I especially loved Ibara’s kiss. Overall, it was great to see the different antics of the characters for one final time. My favourite was Randagio. He still didn’t notice that Cendrion has been sealed, and he was still trying to get Erde’s key for Cendrion. So cute. ^^ Oh, and let’s not forget the voice in which Baru told Hansel that he’s not a dog. XD

Well, it’s finally time to say goodbye to this wonderful anime. It’s been great fanboying about this. It’s definitely one of the better anime I’ve seen. Even when you do count episode 36 and 37. It’s sad to see that it’s finally over. Sayonara Akazukin, it’s been very fun.

And it’s the 1 year anniversary of the monthly summary. Because of this, it sounded like a good idea to try out a few more categories, while keeping the individual lists a bit smaller.

+ Top 5 Funniest anime +
#5: Kekkaishi

Kekkaishi proved to be not only heart-warming, but also incredibly funny with Yoshimori’s quirks. It’s really one of the few shounen-series with an actually interesting male lead. And that has to say something. Toshimori also was very cute in the episode he got dedicated to him.

#4: Power Puff Girls Z

Power Puff Girls Z probably remains the strangest anime on my current watch-list. While Blossom’s love was boring when compared to Bubbles’, the disco-fever-episode cracked me up.

#3: Master of Epic

It’s sad to see that Master of Epic is gone now. When it aired, it’s always been a very good source of MMORPG-parodies.

#2: Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

Yamato Nadeshiko keeps delving more and more into the absurd, but that’s probably why it keeps getting funnier and funnier. Especially the Valentine-episode was hilarious.

#1: Gintama

I agree with everyone else here: episode 20 was just classic. Apart from that, I just loved the witty humour that came from Gintama during this month.

+ Top 3 anime with 1 episode released +
#3: Hitohira

Hitohira: cute, some great characters, and some duller ones. Still the greater ones make this a potentially good series. Now let’s hope the rest of the series delivers.

#2: Freedom

An OVA that shines in its climaxes. The second instalment also was very interesting to see, and despite the main character who looks in every way like a shounen-hero, I actually liked him and his search for the girl, who happens to be from Earth.

#1: Strange Dawn

I’m not kidding when I say that I LOVE this series. In only two episodes, it accomplished what usual series only could dream of. It broke so many clichés, the characters are awesome. So far, it’s been a true masterpiece. I really hope for the rest of this series to arrive soon, as it deserves to be more known than it is now.

+ Top 10: +
#10: Kekkaishi

It seems that Kekkaishi went into another one of its hiatuses again, as after episode 19, I couldn’t find any more episodes of this. Still, the episodes that were released were some good stuff. I especially liked the Toshimori-episode. I’m not sure why, but the slice-of-life elements in a shounen-series like this are really worth watching.

#9: Jigoku Shoujo

Jigoku Shoujo has nearly finished, and it does show this with some very interesting episodes. While these episodes didn’t surpass my previous favourites like I hoped, there were some very strong ones among them. Now let’s hope it’ll finish off well.

#8: Master of Epic

Master of Epic avoided the pitfall of many comedy-anime: suddenly falling into cheesy drama for the final episodes. Instead, it just came with the regular funny sketches, and ended things off with a bang. ^^;

#7: Death Note

While the Yotsuba-arc got on my nerves a bit too much, episode 24 was one to remember. Especially that evil smirk of Light.

#6: Saiunkoku Monogatari

The Sakujun-arc ended magnificently. March has been as strong for Saiunkoku Monogatari as usual.

#5: Les Miserables - Shoujo Cosette

In march, the focus of Les Miserables was about equal for Jean and Cosette. Especially Cosette was better than ever.

#4: Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

Bakumatsu has been extremely solid for its final few episodes. Okay, nothing amazing happened, but there were almost no weak or silent moments, which is something I appreciated. Combine this with some very interesting direction and I’m hooked.

#3: Tenpou Ibun Ayakashi Ayashi

You know, this would have been a very fine show to blog about. Unfortunately, I’m realizing this a bit late. The different arcs delve surprisingly deep into the different characters and their backgrounds, and because of the huge research the creators of this anime conducted, they’re able to provide a number of very interesting and intelligent cases. I’m definitely hoping that this show will set some kind of new standard for others, but it first needs to get a bit more acknowledgement for that. Definitely a neglected series which doesn’t deserve it.

#2: Red Garden

Red Garden showcased some beautiful final episodes. Especially the climax was heart-wrenching. So far, it showed that its deep character studies definitely worked.

#1: Chevalier

Seriously. The first half of this series was interesting, but the Russia-arc dragged horribly. But then episode sixteen blew me away. If I were to believe Wao, then episode eighteen is going to be even better. If this continues for the entire series, then we’ve got ourselves a gem here. It’s the same with Ayakashi Ayashi: it’s a shame I didn’t blog this when it first aired. It would have been perfect for that.

+ Biggest surprise +
Saiunkoku Monogatari

A strong contender with Chevalier here, but the plot twist of episode 35 was just too amazing. There are these kinds of moments that make watching an anime all worth it, and that was definitely one of them.

+ Disappointment of the month +
Otogi Juushi Akazukin

With shows as Code Geass, I already knew that they were bad. But Otogi Juushi Akazukin went from the most amazing episodes to some horribly cheesy ones. It’s just too bad. It’s been an outstanding series till the horrible episodes 36 and 37.

+ Newly Announced Anime +
Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho

Summary: Kaname Okimura, a student of Prefectoral Umineko Shougyou High (”Umisho” for short), joined the school’s swimming club in order to learn how to swim, but the club is filled with weirdoes, let alone teach him swimming. Then, a sunny, happy-go-lucky girl named Amuro Ninagawa who was transferred from Okinawa joined the club. Her extraordinary underwater speed and unorthodox swimming style (plus her personal habit of nude swimming — a powerful magnet to teenage boys) surprised every club member, especially Okimura, because she reminds him a mermaid-like creature he saw only once in his early childhood. - (taken from ANN)
Thoughts: Okay, when the promo-art covers a nude girl right in the centre of it, you know that this one’s going to be bad.

Bokusatsu Tenchi Dokuro-Chan

Summary: Sakura, our main character, has an angel living with him. The only problem: she likes beating others to death and revive them afterwards.
Thoughts: The problem with the first season was that the first episode was hilarious, only for the ret of the episodes to suck hugely. Are the creators really planning to continue this?

Puchi Eva EVANGELION@SCHOOL

Summary: A new project, Puchi Eva EVANGELION@SCHOOL has been announced. This SD series will initially launch in the form of figurines, designed by Hamamoto Ryuusuke and packaged by Yotsuba Stuidios, but the project is expected to accommodate conventional anime media as well. - (taken from Eggplant)
Thoughts:Okay, this is just scary. Are these people really planning to milk the evangelion-cash-cow even more? Don’t get me wrong, I loved Evangelion, but I’d wish the creators would focus their attention at something that would equal and possibly even surpass the series.

Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de

Summary: H-game it may be, but female fans may also enjoy the premise: in the game, the player’s character is a butler who must serve a demanding wealthy heiress. The Kuonji family is a very old and very rich one with three daughters, each of whom has her own wait staff. It’s a Kuonji family tradition for the wait staff to swear absolute loyalty to their masters, so when teenage runaway Ren Uesugi and his sister Mihato are desperate for the job (and the money), they agree to make the pledge.
Thoughts: Your usual harem-premise. Yawn.

Zombie Loan

Summary: When a human is marked to die, a faint grey line that is invisible to most appears around their neck. As time passes, that ring becomes darker and darker, until it is eventually black, and that person dies. Kita Michiru has an unusual gift, she posses “Shinigami eyes,” which allow her to see these rings. When Michiru notices that two of the boys in her Class, Akatsuki Chika and Tachibana Shito not only have rings, but that they’re jet black, they reveal to her that the were supposed to die in a tragic accident six months ago. With the help of the Zombie Loan loan office, they were given a second chance at life, should they be able to pay for their debt by doing the work of Shinigami and killing malicious zombies. They petition Michiru to assist them in their efforts, and she finds her everyday life changing dramatically.
Thoughts: So far, I’m not impressed. This looks just like the 20 other anime in which a cute girl teams up with a bunch of guys so that they can slay monsters for no apparent reason.

Clannad

Summary: Tomoya Okazaki is a third year high school student who dislikes his life. Everything seems to be unchanging for his school life until he meets Nagisa, and Tomoya finds that his life is about to change. Tomoya’s mother died when he was young, leaving him to be raised by his father alone. After the accident, Tomoya’s father turned to alcohol and gambling, and they used to argue all the time. However, one day in a fight, his father slammed him against the wall, dislocating Tomoya’s shoulder. Ever since then, his father started treating Tomoya nicely, but distantly, as if Tomoya and he were strangers instead of family. This hurt Tomoya more than constantly fighting, and the awkwardness of returning home led to Tomoya’s constant desire to stay out all night. In addition, due to the injury, Tomoya couldn’t play in the basketball club anymore and quit his school activities. In this way, his delinquent life began. - (taken from Wikipedia)
Thoughts: Okay, so this isn’t a hentai-game adaptation, it’s just a visual novel. Still, it does remain a harem. Is there a reason for all major side characters to be female, while the only male has to be the main character, apart from pleasing the moe-loving otaku? Of course not. Still, I have to hand it to this anime for featuring the first harem-lead with a bit of a background-story, which actually doesn’t centre around the girls he’s about to meet. Still, after watching the trailer, I’m afraid to say that the character-designs still look ugly.

Dragonaut -The Resonance-

Summary: ?
Thoughts: Ah, Gonzo’s next victim. They seem to be going for another original story, as I couldn’t find anything about where they based it on. So far, we know that it’s going to be a science-fiction series. This worries me a bit, though. “Gonzo” and “standard” don’t go well together.

Doujin Work

Summary: Doujinwork is a story about the main character’s exposure and adventure into the world of doujinshi. We follow Osana Najimi, a high schooler tempted into becoming a doujin artist after seeing how much her friend can make at a convention. A sucker at drawing, Najimi soon learns that the road inside the doujin world is not paved with roses as she expected, but, as she attends more conventions and meets more people, manages to find a group of very interesting friends. - (taken from Cardcaptor’s blog)
Thoughts: Ah, an anime about a group of doujin artists. It seems we’re talking about a comedy-series here. While it’s always tricky to see how a comedy-series will turn out in the end, I like the setting for it. I’m a bit afraid of the huge amount of fanservice-jokes that the manga this anime will be based on is supposed to have though.

Hatenkou Yuugi

Summary: A young girl named Rahzel is booted out of her house one day by her father with the instructions to ’see the world.’ And so her journey begins, However, she won’t be doing it alone … for she befriends a stoic young man named Alzeido seeking revenge for his father’s murder. Alzeido and Rahzel are like oil and water … but even still, they feel strangely drawn to one another. This could be either the result of an underlying attraction — or their shared powers with magic. And so, the two reluctant allies travel from town to town, using their powers to help the helpless, while discovering their own respective places in the world. - (taken from Baka-updates)
Thoughts: Ah, a light-hearted fantasy-series about two polar-opposites who travel together. Reminds me of Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran. That was a fun series, so it’ll be perfect for a light watch. I hope.

Shigurui

Summary: “Shigurui” is ostensibly based on the first chapter of Nanjo Norio’s novel “Suruga-jou Gozen Jiai”, but it’s been so expanded and re-written that most folks tend to agree that the manga has become something else entirely. The series starts in the 6th year of Kan’ei. Tired of the Suruga martial arts tournaments and eager to see some blood, Dainagon Tokugawa Tadanaka orders his men to host a sword dual to the death for his enjoyment. The lucky contestants turn out to be one-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and his blind opponent Irako Seigen. - (taken from Nomad Soul)
Thoughts: Bloody, but bloody interesting as well. The manga it’s based on is supposed to have a very compelling and strong story. It’ll be worth it to at least check this one out.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Summary: The story revolves around Itoshiki Nozomu, a teacher who is beset by immense pessimism and paranoia. Starting off his first day at his new class attempting suicide via hanging, he is stopped by Fuura Kafuka, a super-optimistic student of his. Still alive, he goes to class and introduces himself, but much to his chagrin, Kafuka notices that his surname, when linked together to form a single kanji, gives him the title ‘Teacher Despair’. And so the story revolves around the weird, far-out stuff that Nozomu and the various students of his class do together. - (taken from Lolicontrol)
Thoughts: You know what? I like this! There’s a possibility that it may be a bit too slice-of-lifey, but a desperate teacher can definitely be interesting to see.

Rose Marie
Summary: ?
Thoughts: It’s near-impossible to search for this anime, as all English sites list all kinds of females, while the Japanese search results direct me to cooking-blogs. Still, I don’t know why, but I like this.

Kara no Kyoukai
Summary: I’ve been trying to find a good summary, but I failed
Thoughts: At one point, I did read the summary of this though, and I have to say that I was impressed by it. It’ll probably take a loooong while before the movies will arrive in the English community, but it’ll be worth the wait.

Shinryougari -GHOST HOUND-

Summary: The main crew behind Ghost Hound includes director Ryutaro Nakamura (Serial Experiments Lain, Kino’s Travels), scriptwriter Chiaki J. Konaka (Serial Experiments Lain, The Big O) and character designer Mariko Oka (Jigoku Shojo, Jing: King of Bandits). The story will be co-developed by Crossroad. - (taken from Animation Magazine)
Thoughts: The people behind Serial Experiments Lain, Kino’s Journey and Jigoku Shoujo? Haleluja! This will definitely be something to look forward to.

Mononoke

Summary: Bake Neko Spin-off
Thoughts: Yes! Yes! Yes! I know I already talked about it, but this is just too awesome not to mention.

+ Top 5 Episodes +
#5: Jigoku Shoujo - 49
Ah, great episode. Loved the twist at the end.

#4: Red Garden - 22
That ending was, like mentioned above, heart-wrenching. Apart from that, this episode was very sad to watch.

#3: Death Note - 24
Light was SO evil in this one. Great to see everyone who left back again.

#2: Saiunkoku Monogatari - 35
My faith in Sakujun was immediately restored with this episode. Pure brilliance.

#1: Chevalier - 16
You’ve got your episodes which feature some amazing event. But only rarely do you run into an entire episode that just blows you away. with me, that happened with this episode.