Spirited Away

My favourite movies take place in other worlds much more interesting, beautiful and magical than our own. What is better than the idea that there is a world like this right next to our own, just a short walk through a hidden portal. Spirited Away offers so much magic and imagination and while watching it for the first time I really was in my element.

Piggy parents, a six armed boiler man, a HUGE baby, paper birds, a dragon boy and many more spirits, witches and magical characters are just some of the things that make this movie the amazing roller coaster it is.

The world starts of as a threatening place for our main character Chihiro as she begins her quest to save herself and her parents from a horrible fate.

Chihiro's name is stolen and she becomes Sen . She makes friends with the inhabitants of the magical world, and her kind heart leads her to exciting adventures and helping these funny characters.

I personally loved this film and now have no idea why I waited so long to watch it.

What do you think?

さようなら

Goshusho-sama Ninomiya-kun (Good luck Ninomiya-kun)

I watched this anime years ago and loved it, but forgot what it was called. So when I was looking for  a new anime to watch I was surprised when I realised I recognised the story!

Our main character is Shungo, a seemingly normal high school student. One day his sister sends Mayu to live with him. Mayu is a Succubus, meaning she a the incredible power of being irresistible to men, and could kill them with just a kiss. However Mayu is hopeless when it comes to her power, she has no idea how to control it, and to make matters worse she has a terrible phobia of men (androphobia). Mayu was sent to live with Shungo to help her overcome her fear and gain some power over her Succubus powers. How could living with a boy help you ask? well not only does she have to live with him but she also has to sleep and bathe with him while her brother and Shungo's sister make them participate in explicit 'tests'

Another key character is Reika, a hard headed girl who also ends up living with Sungo and becoming his maid. There are many twists to this story. not only a love triangle but it appears that these thee have met before and their relationships go deeper than even they are aware of.

Once I started watching this I couldn't stop and ended up watching every episode in one go. I love the love triangle story and there are some funny scenes concerning that awkward teenage sexual tension everyone has experienced (although maybe not so explicit haha). Other than having that 'slice of life' element I love an anime with air of magic or darkness, and this has both.

What do you think?

さようなら

Heaven's Memo Pad

When I read the description I could not wait to jump into this anime. Reclusive teens who have an important job just seemed like a dream I would have had when I was a bit younger (even now at 21). This anime has all of the right elements to make any lover glued to their screen until all 12 episodes are through.

Alice is a NEET detective and one of our main characters. Her social skills are limited and she has no need for leaving her room. She spends her time wearing cute teddy bear pyjamas, surrounded by her stuffed animals and many computer screens. Her unhealthy diet contains Doctor Pepper and Ramen, she also REALLY hates bathing! She upholds that perfect cute anime character while not making the anime too uguu.

She is the leader of the NEET detectives (NEET is an acronym for 'Not in Education, Employment or Training) and uses her crew of dropouts to dig up the secrets of the dead and discover the unknown. I read about NEETs in NEO magazine and discovered that the concept of the story in this anime creates that dream world not only for teenagers but for the likes of me also (people who have just finished university and have found there are no jobs for them to go into).

Our other main character is Narumi Fujishima, a reclusive teen who never bothers to make friends due to moving school often, however when he finds himself recruited as Alice's new assistant he is introduced to a world full of characters not so different from himself.

I don't want to give away too much of the story for people who have not yet watched this anime but in my opinion there is a character for everyone's taste.

Alice - the reclusive brainy girl who hides away watching over her detectives.

Narumi - the new kid who finds his way into danger and begins making close bonds he never thought he would.

Soichiro Hinamura - also known as The Fourth is a gang leader who likes to talk with his fists when it comes to detective work.

Min - The strong willed, big breasted, independent women that holds the group together from the comfort of her Ramen shop.

There are many more characters, and all of them have amazing personalities which demand their own back story, sadly this is not done in the series. There are also hints of a possible love story developing  and the series ends with room for another. However I have found no evidence that another series will be made and as the anime aired in 2011 it seems like a long time to wait for another.

Heaven's Memo Pad is due to come out on DVD in the UK on 28th October, all I can do is buy the series and watch it over and over while praying for another to be made!

"It's the only NEET thing to do"
さようなら