Out of the fire and into the Abyss

Since anime is watched by a broad range of audiences of both genders, all ages, and many different nationalities, there's quite a few series out there that are meant to target a specific age group or gender. Terms like “shounen” and “shoujo” work to specify which audience is most likely to enjoy the title, and although some titles fit neatly into these categories, the greatest and most memorable anime series are the ones who push these classifications aside and reach out to many different viewers at once. After all, if there's so many of us otaku out there, what's the point in limiting the audience where you don't have to?

Oz, Alice, and Gil

Pandora Hearts is a title which manages to grasp a widespread audience with one simple trick: it tells an entertaining story using an enjoyable cast of characters. There's a healthy dose of action, mystery, bishounen leads, tsundere heroines, supernatural twists, drama, darkness, and complex emotional dilemmas, and the premise itself is interesting and unique enough to set itself apart from other titles in the fantasy/mystery genres. In other words, it's got a little something for everyone, and is held together by a strong narrative that will hook all kinds of fans into its world.

Our memory-less chain, Alice

The story begins with the coming-of-age ceremony of the fifteen year-old Dukedom heir Oz Vessalius, a bright and easy going boy who has enjoyed a life of relative luxury in spite of internally suffering from the rejection and absence of his noble father. However, when Oz's ceremony begins, something odd happens: a host of cloaked figures emerge, declare him an unforgivable sinner, and thrust him without further explanation into the hellish realm of the Abyss.

The Alice in Wonderland inspired Abyss

In the Abyss, Oz meets a former human named Alice who has been transformed into a “Chain,” a creature who resides in the Abyss and cannot escape. Desiring to protect her, Oz forms a pact with Alice and returns to the surface to find out that ten years have passed, the girl he rescued has no memories of herself and who she is, and that the two of them are at the heart of solving the mystery behind a tragedy that happened to their world 100 years ago.

Though we've all seen the memory loss trope used before for better or for worse, Pandora Hearts' complex world of conflicting factions, uncertain loyalties, and deadly secrets give the familiar theme a fresh twist to keep it from coming across as overdone. The viewer is rarely certain of who to trust and what the motives of each of the characters and organizations are, so there's never a sense of security in which direction the plot will take. While this may frustrate some viewers, it's definitely a benefit for those who want a story they've never watched before.

Pandora Hearts is an incredibly complicated title, on the other hand, so unless you're willing to focus on the story and work on keeping the universe rules straight while you're watching, you're probably going to end up quite lost. This is not a good title to watch while multi-tasking or over a long period time, and if you don't invest fully in it, it's going to seem like a whole lot of fantasy gibberish. Unfortunately, the fact that the anime does not cover the continuation of the manga, several things don't ever get fully explained.

The action and mystery plotlines are well-done and interesting, but Pandora Hearts is also a story very much focused on the relationships between the characters. The supportive friendship between Alice and Oz is particularly beautiful, as is the mutually trusting master-and-servant bond between Oz and his attendant Gil. Though there are a lot of bittersweet emotions behind both of these relationships, there's also quite a bit of comedy sprinkled in to keep things from getting too heavy. They may have tough pasts, but Alice is absolutely hilarious when she's scarfing down meat like an animal and Gil is having a dramatic freak out over his fear of cats.

Gil and Oz

Another bonus? Yuki Kajiura and FictionJunction, the musical masterminds behind stellar OSTs such as Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and Madoka Magica, produced the soundtrack, and it is absolutely beautiful. If you haven't had the chance to listen to Kajiura's work, I'd recommend all three OSTs in a heartbeat. It's truly amazing how much better a scene comes across when the music compliments it perfectly.

Is Pandora Hearts worth checking out? Definitely. The title will probably make the most sense to fantasy fans who love new universes and their intricate workings, but it's just once of those shows that works well across several different target audiences due to its diversity and unique narrative. The fact that there wasn't enough manga material at the time to stretch into a longer series is a bit disappointing, but with 20 volumes now out following the show's conclusion, there's still plenty of room to get your fandom fix!  

The time is out of joint. O Cursed Spite, that ever I was born to set it right!

Being an otaku is an extra fun thing when you're an English major. There are quite a few titles out there that borrow heavily from great literature, or reinvent well-known plotlines like Romeo and Juliet or Arabian Nights for the anime format. Knowing this, I'm rather surprised it took me so long to get around to watching Zetsuen no Tempest, which incorporates not one but TWO Shakespeare titles into its framework: tragedy Hamlet and comedy The Tempest. One wouldn't think pairing these titles would create something cohesive, since they are very different in nature. Hamlet focuses on a young prince who swears revenge on his uncle for killing his father, and The Tempest centers on the schemes of a sorcerer trapped on an island as he punishes the brother who deposed him and brings together two young lovers, Ferdinand and Miranda.

However, Zetsuen no Tempest makes several themes in these two titles gel together as best as they can. Zetsuen focuses on two young men, Mahiro and Yoshino, who align themselves with a young princess and mage named Hakaze who has been stranded on an island by her clansman, Samon. Hakaze's magic is created through the sacrifice of physical objects created by mankind, and since her lonely island has no such products of civilization, she cannot exercise her magic to free herself. Instead, she carves two wooden dolls and sets one adrift, a type of basic magic used to communicate over distance. As luck (or divine favor) would have it, the doll reaches the hands of Mahiro, who quickly takes the princess up on her offer to grant his wish in exchange for his help. Mahiro's younger step-sister Aika was recently brutally murdered in a home robbery, and lack of evidence prevented her murderer from being brought to justice. If Hakaze can find her murderer, Mahiro vows to help her stop whatever Samon is plotting.

Hakaze, Yoshino, Mahiro, and Aika

Mahiro's friend Yoshino also has a reason for helping. Unbeknownst to Mahiro, he was dating Aika in secret and was deeply in love with her. He realizes vengeance will not bring her back, so he decides to follow Mahiro to make sure he truly works to help Hakaze and save the world rather than simply single-mindedly chasing justice without a thought as to who gets hurt in the process.

The relationships between Mahiro, Yoshino, and Aika initially set up the basis for the Hamlet comparisons. Mahiro serves as Hamlet himself, a hot headed youth seeking revenge at any cost. He frequently quotes one of Hamlet's popular lines "The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right" in reference to the fact that he feels the logic of the world has been disturbed not only through the conflict between Hakaze and Samon, but through Aika's senseless murder. Interestingly enough, Mahiro also can be seen as Laertes, the brother of Ophelia. Aika, the seemingly innocent woman brought to a tragic death, has quite a bit in common with Ophelia in the beginning, particularly considering that she is torn between the love of her brother (which for Mahiro's part is romantic love) and the affection of her lover (in which case Yoshino becomes the Hamlet figure). Yoshino realizes Mahiro was in love with Aika, but frequently states, in the words of Hamlet, "40,000 brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum."

The murdered Aika. What brought her to this fate?

Of course, all of this is a conflict stewing under the surface. The main issue is that the Kusaribe clan to which Hakaze and Samon belong is wrapped up in a potentially lethal conflict. Hakaze adheres to the clan's deity, the Tree of Genesis, which maintains the logic in the world and grants its followers magic in exchange for material sacrifices. However, Samon and the rest of the clan betray the Tree and attempt to revive a rival deity, the Tree of Exodus, for unknown reasons. Their rituals to wake the Tree of Exodus spread the "Kurogane Syndrome," which turns everyone in the area of their rituals to black iron unless they are protected by the talismans of the Kusaribe clan. This initially is thought to be a curse originating within the Tree of Exodus, but is later learned to be an action on the part of the Tree of Genesis to stop its rival.

Hakaze may want the best for the world, but is
her path the right one?

The real battle is not so straightforward as anyone thinks. The loyalties of all the main characters undergo a transformation throughout the anime as they learn more about the natures of both Trees and where the greatest level of risk lies. As they decide upon the best way to act in regards to two rival Trees as well as the murder of Aika, the plot of The Tempest, one of Aika's favorite books, is added to the equation. Like Hamlet, it is a tale of revenge, but it is one that does not end in tragedy for any of the characters involved. The characters, particularly Yoshino, view The Tempest as a way of remembering that there can be more than one ending, and that fighting on behalf of someone like Aika does not have to bring about more tragedy.

Zetsuen no Tempest is a great show on several levels. It is not only very intelligent in its plot, but also incredibly emotional. The love triangle between Mahiro, Yoshino, and Aika is made even more powerful by flashbacks to Yoshino and Aika when they were going out, during which both characters show a deep and very emotionally mature relationship. The flashbacks also include meaningful communication between Mahiro and Aika, the by-marriage siblings. Though Mahiro was in love with Aika, he did not realize it before he died. She most likely did, but the real beauty in their relationship is their love as siblings, even though it was laden with unrealized tensions on Mahiro's part. It is later revealed that Aika was very much touched that they were able to have such a strong relationship given the fact that most people she knew were afraid of her (SPOILER: because of her powers as the mage of Exodus).

Trees ruin everything. Just ask Tales of Symphonia!

There is also a fair balance of plot and action in this title. However, there is a stretch of episodes following a SINGLE CONVERSATION, and the show is suspenseful and sharp enough to make the whole dialogue interesting. In fact, this intellectual and tactical debate between Mahiro, Yoshino, Hakaze, and Samon is great in part because it allows the viewer to take part and try to puzzle out themselves how their battle can be won without sacrificing the world and Hakaze in the process.  

The Shakespearean inclusions were also very well-done. Hamlet and The Tempest don't usually draw enough parallels to make a comparison strong enough to fill a 24-episode series, but the writers hone in on the true union of themes found in the fact that conflict does not have to end in tragedy. Having Aika as the character who draws and eventually spreads this understanding is also wise; though younger than both Yoshino and Mahiro, her emotional maturity is what leads to them to think and act more wisely as the story progresses.

Aika is already deceased when the story begins, but her life has far reaching consequences

As a female viewer, I also was moved by the characterizations of both Aika and Hakaze. Though Hakaze is a bit of a mess in the second half of the story when she falls in love with Yoshino, I was pleased by her leadership and wisdom throughout the series. One of the best scenes in the entire story is when she and Aika share the screen when the truth of Aika's death comes to light. I've never been more confused about which characters' views I stood behind in my life when it came to Aika vs. Hakaze.

Unlike Aika, she doesn't manage to stay cool as a cucumber when in love

If you love thinking while watching an anime, watch this title. It is excellently written, smart, suspenseful, and incredibly emotional and beautiful. There is action, romance, fantasy/sci-fi, non black-and-white morality, and Shakespeare! What more could you want? It's been awhile since I tackled a series where I simply could not stop watching, so I highly recommend this title for some brain food anime to sneak in before fall season starts! 

I'm So Curious!

On the way to work the other day, the main road was blocked off by a police car, an ambulance, and a generic emergency response vehicle. They were parked in front of two residential houses and standing outside of each house was a middle aged shirtless man (with beer bellies, naturally). The police were not rerouting traffic, so we all had to turn around and backtrack to a side street to get to the business district of my hometown. Even though the building is only five minutes away from my house, I ended up ten minutes late to work.

When things like this happen, I can't help but want to know what the deal is. I was assuming there was some sort of domestic issue, and that the shirtless men were most likely involved (shirtless guys are always guilty; just ask COPS!), but why weren't the police rerouting traffic on a main road during rush hour? Was the situation dangerous? Was it actually a medical emergency? Why didn't I see anything about it in the paper the next day?

Of course, answering these questions doesn't particularly matter all that much, but curiosity is what it is! KyoAni's Hyouka knows the itch that comes along with a simple, unsolved mystery and uses their cast to unravel issues like these for the satisfaction of the ever curious heroine Chitanda. These aren't serious mysteries or crimes like you'd find in Detective Conan, but fall more in line with amateur detective titles like CLAMP School Detectives. For example, Chitanda's first request is for main character Oreki to figure out how she ended up locked in a room which she had entered without a key. Nothing serious, but it is something worth being curious about.

Chitanda and Oreki on the case!

Chitanda's never ending spring of curiosity, however, is the last thing the apathetic Oreki wants in his life. His policy is to conserve as much energy as possible, and if he has to do something, he'll do it as quickly as he can. Be that as it may, a part of him can't resist getting caught up in Chitanda's flow. Those big old eyes catch him hook, line, and sinker, and her genuine kindness and compassion towards those in need makes her someone easy to connect to.

KyoAni is one of the best anime studios for sticking with what they're good at, and they're at their best with moe character designs, subtle relationships between charming young girls and rough-around-the-edges young guys, and endings that include interesting twists and the tender beginnings of a future relationship. Hyouka hits on all of these essential points without becoming a repeat of their former titles, and delivers up a solid premise that works for both male and female viewers. After all, both genders have natural heavy helpings of curiosity. When we're presented with a puzzle with a reachable answer, why not think it out?

I did enjoy the characterization of Chitanda, but it was the growth of Oreki that ended up winning me over. I figured from the beginning that he would end up going from completely bored to slightly motivated to make something of his life, but what I truly enjoyed was his process of coming to terms with his powers of deduction. Oreki's clearly the kind of guy who is so content not doing anything that he doesn't want to be gifted at something, so he continually brushes off his gifts of logic as luck. This does nothing for the confidence of his BFF Satoshi, who wants to figure things out as capably as Oreki, but sees himself as being talentless in everything else but being a databank of useless trivia. "Databanks can't draw conclusions," is what he says to quietly put himself down, and the fact that Oreki can do what he can't and still doesn't care injures him.

Jealousy between friends is a challenging thing, but Satoshi still respects Oreki in spite of his feelings

Luckily, KyoAni loves secondary females giving the hero what for, and one of Oreki's acquaintances points out to him that for the people who try really hard and still struggle to succeed, nothing is worse than hearing someone naturally gifted saying that they just got lucky. There's nothing wrong with a little humility, but if you dismiss your accomplishments too much, it only hurts the people who wish they could do what you do.

As time goes by, it becomes clearer that Oreki himself becomes much more invested in his mini investigations, and not just for Chitanda's sake. When he comes to a false conclusion during an investigation into the ending of a Audio Visual Club script, he is visibly upset that he failed to take everything into account and got too confident too soon. Even later in the series, he begins to investigate things even before Chitanda does her whole "I'm curious" act, proving that it has become something he can gain self-satisfaction from doing.

But still, who could resist those eyes?

While Oreki figures himself out, Chitanda also ends up doing a little soul searching. As the daughter of a wealthy farmer, she's expected to work in the business in some form or another, but realizes she's hopeless at requesting things of others (except from Oreki) and cannot do much in the way of management. It takes maturity to face the future, and Chitanda bravely recognizes her own limitations and decides to focus instead on the scientific and agricultural sides of running a farm. Her decision goes a long way in inspiring Oreki, who decides for himself that he wants to do what she can't and help out with the business side of things. But of course since this is KyoAni, she doesn't hear this confession of his, so he sets it aside for another time.  

Behind the cute exterior, Chitanda has quite
the intelligent heart. Emotional intelligence
and book smarts in one kawaii package!

When it comes to moe-ish titles, KyoAni is by far my favorite studio. Cute girls are all well and good, but I don't want to watch them being cute without some sort of decent storyline or hook (I feel the same way about bishies in most circumstances, too, so I'm not being too hypocritical here) and KyoAni usually manages to tell a good story without heavily over indulging in stereotypes. As far as Hyouka goes, the only thing particularly moe about it is the artwork and Chitanda herself, but Chitanda has enough depth to her to make her a worthwhile character. I wouldn't go as far as to say she's a strong female lead, but she was likable and a decent source of change for herself and the people around her.


Hyouka doesn't quite manage to be episodic since several of the mysteries take multiple episodes, but I'd still recommend it as a good in-between title since it has a simple overarching plot and doesn't require too much intellectual investment since Oreki does all the brainwork (although the viewer can try to solve things along with him). Romance is hinted throughout but not fully realized, but it wasn't the kind of set up that would make you want to throw your desk against the wall in fangirl/boy frustration (-screen cut to me watching Lovely Complex for the first time while screaming "JUST MAKE OUT ALREADY"-) The mysteries themselves aren't recycles from similar shows, so the originality was particularly refreshing.

They make for a cute couple, but the romantic elements are fairly tame

If you like these super solver type shows, Hyouka is actually one of the best examples out there. As I said earlier, there's not much in the way of overarching plot, but if you enjoy Chitanda and Oreki as characters, it's worth sticking around to watch their growth. I did want more of a resolution for Satoshi, our goofy guy and secret angst muffin, so I was a bit vexed when the OVA for the series was the obligatory pool episode instead of something more character develop-y, but since it falls near episode 11 on the timeline, I suppose it would be too early to resolve Satoshi's issues. The lack of a full resolution does leave room for a second season, but I'm more much interested in them pursuing Chuunibyou instead.

Hyouka is a good show that is well-worth the watch, but in the end, I must say I'm disappointed that SHINee's "Sherlock" was not used as an opening theme. It may be Korean, but there is a Japanese version! Waaah, just thinking about how awesome that would be makes me want to listen to it. Qa2tp, signing off!

What Lies Beyond the Furthest Reaches of the Sky?

I had never been exposed to the steampunk genre of media other than through cosplayers at conventions and the elements of it used in the Sakura Wars line until I found a copy of Last Exile at the wondrous paradise known as Half Price Books. I’d already seen the first few episodes of the air-themed series with my Anime Club, and though it hadn't seemed like my cup of tea back then, the fact that it was selling for only fifteen dollars made it look like a worthwhile buy. I didn't have all that much of an interest in the steampunk movement or piloting in general even though I come from the birthplace of flight (and by that, I mean OHIO where the Wright Brothers were born and built their airplane- take that, North Carolina!), but that’s the beauty of a great anime title, isn’t it? Even if the subject isn’t something that fascinates you, it can draw you into its world and make you care.

Last Exile's dynamic duo: Lavie Head and Claus Valca

Last Exile’s beauty exists in the fictional world it creates in the skies of a world at war. The nations of Prester—Anatoray and Disith— are separated by a dangerous stretch of sky known as the Grand Stream, a place where turbulent winds prevent safe passage for vanships, and are further divided by a long-standing and intense hatred for one another. The two nations are locked in constant battle through a system of “chivalric warfare,” which are a set of “knightly” rules firmly enforced by the Guild, the supposed neutral party who in a sense supervises the actions of both nations.

In this setting, a number of vanship pilots work as couriers between warships to undertake necessary missions for not only the army, but for their families and general civilians living in Anatoray as well. Our two main characters Claus Valca and Lavie Head are two of such couriers, and make a living piloting a vanship to go on missions for the war effort. Orphaned at a young age after their fathers die when trying to deliver a bid for peace with Disith across the Grand Stream, Claus and Lavie dream of succeeding where their fathers failed and conquering the unbeatable Stream in the vanship left behind by their parents.

The vanships run on steam engines fueled by a substance called Claudia, a blue ore that also serves as currency

The pair takes on basic missions at the start of the series, but their fates take a strange turn when they encounter a wounded courier in the middle of a vanship race. The courier is near death after being attacked by strange weapons that appear to be the product of unfamiliar technology. Before he dies, he passes on his mission to Claus and Lavie: his passenger, a young woman named Alvis, needs to be delivered to the warship Silvana and into the custody of its captain, Alex Row.

Claus and Lavie have little knowledge of what use or political purpose Alvis has in the war, but recognize her as a small child thrust into the dangerous war games of adults. Against Lavie’s better judgment, she acquiesces to Claus’s request that they stay with Silvana’s crew and watch over Alvis after they deliver her to the cold and emotionally distant Alex. Though Lavie became a vanship navigator to carry on the legacy of their fathers, Claus has a greater interest in fighting with the vanship as a pilot in order to protect the people important to him. When the supposedly neutral Guild begins to attack the Silvana and the demand for competent fighters increases, Lavie is powerless in stopping Claus from involving himself in the war.

Alvis is a curious little girl, but has a greater purpose than the characters are aware of

As Claus, Lavie, and Alvis adjust to life on the Silvana, we are introduced to a collection of characters who, in my opinion, transform Last Exile from a good series to a great one. Silvana’s captain may be aloof and mysterious, but his crew is more than willing to give Claus and Lavie a good ribbing as they carve a place for themselves in the war-driven world. One of my personal favorite characters is Mullin Shetland, who we meet in the first episode as a musketeer on the side of Anatoray. He eventually joins the crew of Silvana with the help of Lavie and does his best to exercise his goofy charms and survival skills to fight his way up in the world. However, characters such as Mullin are contrasted with a more icy force aboard the ship: Tatiana Wisla, Silvana’s leading fighter pilot and Claus and Lavie’s greatest detractor.

The story truly takes off when Guild members Dio Eraclea and his righthand man Lucciola enter the picture and worm their way into becoming “captives” on the Silvana. The Guild thus far has had a sketchy role in the war. They claim to be neutral, but provide both Disith and Anatoray with arms and regularly seem to encourage their battles even though the two nations have very little reason to fight one another other than that their land is failing and they believe they can find salvation in moving to another. Both Dio and Lucciola enjoy acting antagonistic towards Claus in particular, but appear to have their own motives for being in Anatoray territory that may be a part of the greater game the Guild is trying to play. Dio seems to hold knowledge of Alvis’s purpose in the war, as well as the words that will unlock her inner powers.

They may be master-and-servant, but Dio and Lucciola are precious friends. But in their case, their friendship may also be their greatest vulnerability.

This portion of the story is by far my favorite. As the war rages and both Antatoray and Disith realize that their true enemy might be the Guild rather than each other, Silvana’s characters form intense bonds that will go on to dictate their eventual fates. The icy Tatiana struggles with alienating her best friend and navigator Alister, and the closer she comes to warming up to Claus, the greater the turmoil in Lavie’s heart grows as she contends with Claus becoming a fighter pilot and drifting away from her. Dio and Lucciola also grow closer to each other and to Claus during their time on the Silvana, but a dark shadow lingers over them in the form of Maestro Delphine, Dio’s elder sister and the leader of the Guild. Though they have escaped her for the time being, she still considers Dio the most essential pawn in her mysterious scheme.

The flashy Delphine, mistresses of the Guild

But the greatest mystery lies with Captain Alex Row. Though cold and distant, he is fascinated by an unknown item called “Exile,” and will do anything in his power to get his hands on it. Everything else regarding the present seems unimportant to him, and even the persistent love of Sophia, his executive officer and most trusted subordinate, seems to be unable to pull him out of the past.

My sweet, sweet brooding bishie! And Sophia!

All of the “dogfight” scenes between vanships and/or warships are majestic and breathtaking, but nothing had me clinging to my seat quite like the crossing of the Grand Stream. Gonzo Studio hasn’t been much of a force on the anime scene lately, but their past titles have always had decent visuals—particularly with Gankutsuou’s unique artwork—and Last Exile represents one of their best visual efforts. I could almost feel the turbulent winds of the Grand Stream, but even more than that, I truly felt the characters’ drive and desperation in overcoming it.

 Last Exile also has some tasty (and somewhat depressing) twists and turns, and none is more fascinating than the Mysterion which unlocks Alivs’s powers and the nature of Exile itself. SPOILER. The Mysterion is composed of four verbal riddles that will trigger a genetic reaction within Alvis, who will then provide the answers that will reveal the nature of Exile. Each verse was entrusted to a noble house and kept separate so that no one would abuse Exile, which is exactly what Maestro Delphine intends to do when she attempts to gather together the verses of the Mysterion. Can you solve the riddle of what the questions and answer indicate Exile truly is? The Mysterion is as follows:

What lies beyond the furthest reaches of the sky?
That which will guide the lost child back to her mother’s arms. Exile.

The waves that flow and dye the land gold.
The blessed breath which nurtures life. A land of wheat.

The path the angels descend upon.
The path of great winds. The Grand Stream.

What lies in the furthest depths of one’s memory?
The place where all are born and where all will return. A blue star.

Do we know any blue “stars”? The answer points to a world we know very well: the Earth, a land of wheat. A world like the one both Anatoray and Disith hope to live in, though the fight over Exile destroyed the possibility and turned the lands hostile—Anatoray turning into a desert and Disith turning into a frozen wasteland. Exile remains hidden between the two lands in the Grand Stream, the “path the angels descend upon,” where it is protected from unworthy hands by the turbulent winds. But what exactly is Exile? The first verse refers to a mother’s arms, which at last makes sense when we see Exile after Alvis unlocks it. Exile is not a warship like Alex Row assumes it was, but rather a colonyship—one that took people from Earth to Prester to start a new life. 

Unlocking Exile also reveals the hourglass shape of Prester which divided Anatoray and Disith

After arriving at its destination, Exile required protection so people would not use its strength for the purpose of war, and remained hidden within the Grand Stream for the day when people with worthy intentions would use it to return to Earth, the place where “all are born” and mankind originated. With Exile freed, the characters are able to use it to return to Earth where the land isn’t ravaged and torn apart by war. Exile also contains the final memento of Claus and Lavie’s fathers, their original vanship, which at last gives them peace and the focus they need to move forward and begin again. SPOILER END.

Last Exile is a visual delight and is well-worth the watch for that aspect alone. However, the story, once you figure it out, is also worthy of the accompanying visuals. It is complex and hard to grasp at first, but once you figure out the characters, their motivations, and the world they live in, the story will be a heavy hitter that is laden with implications that will make you think so your head with start hurting! Luckily, I love that kind of anime the most, although I wasn’t quite expecting the intellectual demands when I started the show.

That being said, let me reinforce that you shouldn’t mistake this for a purely action based series. This is a story about humankind and its divisiveness, as well as its ability to form bonds and join together once again. The action sequences are frequent, but be prepared to swallow a lot of information about the world and how it works. Watching the English dub will make this easier, and luckily it’s actually quite a good dub on the part of Funimation.

The war they fight has a hidden meaning that the simple soldiers are not privy to

Gonzo developed a sequel to the series, Fam, the Silver Wing, which features characters from the original. I haven’t watched it yet (but I plan to!), although I’ve heard it doesn’t come close to mastering the brilliance to the original title. It would honestly be quite a feat to overcome. Last Exile’s blend of plot, action, and character is a rarity in an industry where one aspect often overshadows the other.   

Best of all, Last Exile managed to generate a greater interest in steampunk for me. If I come across another steam-based anime, I’ll be much more inclined to watch it than I would have initially. It’s an odd genre, but actually pretty cool; you get the best of both worlds by having modern and throwback all at once.

Is this series for you? It’s not a filler anime if you want some mindless entertainment (I made this mistake, thinking it would be a good title to watch before bed on summer vacation), but I personally feel that this is a title both male and female fans will enjoy. It’s definitely geared towards older audiences since it demands quite a bit of thought to enjoy, but younger fans can probably get into the first few episodes, especially the one covering the vanship race. The show is also light on romance, though tensions are subtlety woven throughout, and there are plenty of beautiful and inspiring friendships.

Gratuitous Dio time!

If this sounds like something you’d love, tune in and unlock the mystery of Exile. The skies await you!

Get Back to Where You Once Belonged

Ever wish you could figure out where your mysteriously missing socks ended up in order to return them back to your freezing feet? Don't: the dryer probably ate them, and it will only take a few dollars out of your wallet to buy a new pair at the convenience store. But for those precious and valuable things you lose hold of, it can be a bit depressing to think that you may never see them again. But never fear! The Get Backers are here!

Meet the Get Backers: Ginji Amano and Ban Midou!

The Get Backers of the titular show are a recovery business with an (almost) 100% success rate at getting back what shouldn't be lost. For a fee, the surly and temperamental Ban Midou and his happy go lucky partner Ginji Amano will go all out to determine the location of your missing/stolen item, person, or thing, and get it back no matter the risk. Sounds fairly simple, right? Unfortunately, the people with the item don't always want to give it up, and more often than not, the requests for the Get Backers lead them through rather dangerous territory. Luckily, Ban and Ginji aren't just regular guys off the street who can't hold on to money to save their lives: they're high-skill fighters with special powers on their side.

Get Backers is a 49 episode series based off the manga title of the same name, and is one of those lucky few series where I actually greatly preferred the anime to the manga. The manga isn't bad, but as a slightly squeamish female reader who also doesn't like female characters to be boobs on legs, the anime did a much better job of keeping the violence and sexuality more at the Teen level while still delivering a great story. The character designs for Ban and Ginji are also more mature and crisp in the anime, which made my eyes very, very happy.

Now here's my kind of show!

The anime starts off episodic, but eventually develops two major arcs which take place in Ginji's home field, the mysterious and complex Limitless Fortress. At the beginning, we're introduced to Ban and Ginji as two penniless and goofy dudes who struggle to find work, mooch of their buddy at a small cafe called Honky Tonk, and engage in cheesy tricks like dressing up as pizza guys while working their investigations. However, when their first job of recovering a sentimental gift for high school student Natsumi gets a wee bit dangerous, they start manifesting their true powers which make them worthy opponents capable of beating even the baddest of bad guys. Ginji can conduct electricity through his body, electrocuting his opponents with high power volts, and Ban can make his enemies go into a dream like state for one minute using his evil eye called the 'Jagan.' When he uses Jagan, the bad guy thinks he's still awake and the actions in his dreams are reality, meaning that Ban and Ginji can use the time that he's dreaming to do pretty much whatever the hell they want without the bad guy realizing. It can only be used 3 times within 24 hours, however, and can't be used on the same person twice in a row.

The episodic parts of the story are quite fun and fairly lighthearted, with my personal favorite being "Get Backers vs. High School Girl." The episode features Ban and Ginji attempting to recover a client's briefcase from a catty teenage girl who prefers to talk on her cell phone rather than lend them a hand, and who also gives them lip whenever they try to get information out of her. When armed and dangerous criminals show up on the scene, the self-centered juvenile even goes so far as to yell at them for getting in her way and being rude. Forget moe comedies which show high school girls as the cutest most darling things on the planet. As a former high school girl, I'm much more in favor of the Get Backers version being closer to the real thing.

Angry high school girl for the win!

However, the real meat of the story comes with the introduction of the Limitless Fortress. This massive mish-mash of high rise buildings- an abandoned construction project gone feral- serves as a not-so-safe-haven for the outcasts and homeless of society. Formerly controlled by Ginji's gang of talented fighters VOLTS, the Fortress fell into the hands of one of his former sidekicks, a computer whiz kid and prodigy named MakubeX. While picking up the pieces of the VOLTS which Ginji was forced to abandon, MakubeX discovers a terrible secret about the Fortress and the group of people who quietly rule from on high in the Bablyon areas of the tower, manipulating and shaping the lives of its citizens. However, his violent and dangerous solution to the threat brings him into conflict with Ban, Ginji, Ban's friend/foe Himiko (talent: poisons or debilitates enemies with perfumes), Ginji's former right hand men Shido (talent: can call upon animals for assistance, and can make his body take on the powers of certain animals) and Kazuki (talent: attacks using thread to bind people and cut through their skin), and Akabane (talent: fights using magnetic needles and a specialized sword, and is also a backstabbing creeper badass).

Kazuki, Ban, Ginji, and Shido. Akabane is lurking in the back, being awesome.

This is the main arc of the Get Backers, and is a bit on the long side, so those watching for the episodic goodies might not be too thrilled. I personally found it to be pretty gripping, and I also loved how it introduced some fantastic new characters to the plot: Emishi and Juubei, former members of VOLTS, MakubeX himself, his "henchwoman" Sakura, and the kindly medics Gen and Ren. The action in this arc is highly reminiscent of Bleach during the Soul Society sequence: each of the "good guys" encounter an enemy, fight them off individually or in teams, get their butts kicked for awhile before figuring out a winning strategy, and then proceed onwards with their mission.

The truly beautiful part of the arc is near its conclusion when Ban uses a Jagan on MakubeX during their fight. I was nearly in tears at the vision Ban took him through of what is meant by an ideal, happy life, and what needs to be done to obtain that reality. Overall, it does a great job as the show's main arc, and is rife with fascinating plot points and battle scenes.

MakubeX, my new brooding bishie!

The second main arc is fairly similar in content, and introduces an additional crop of former VOLTS members, as well as more shady figures from the Babylon division of the Limitless Fortress. This arc was decent, but not as good as the first, mainly because I spent the whole time a little bit baffled by Ren's behavior. She's depressed because she can't leave the tower due to her nature as a person created by "data," and is led to work for the side of the invading forces seemingly because she has a crush on Kazuki (sorry, sweets, but I'm pretty sure that guy is gay for Juubei) and can't be with him... even though the guys she is working for are trying to kill Kazuki and the others. Huh, Ren? I'm hoping I missed some dialogue during those scenes, because it comes across as Toshiki noticing she likes Kazuki and recruiting her because he likes Kazuki, too (and wants to kill him!) 

The characters are by far and away what makes Get Backers a great title. Ban and Ginji are hilarious (Ginji spends half of his time in chibi mode when acting childish or terrified at the creepiness of Akabane), but can also be deadly serious when threatened or taunted. The former members of VOLTS are also enjoyable and diverse (Kazuki and MakubeX are my favorites), and everyone luckily follows the "grey" principle rather than the "black and white," meaning that very few characters, even the "bad guys" in the Limitless Fortress arcs, are outright evil, but rather have complex and intriguing systems of morals.

Kazuki! Yup, he's a dude!

As I said earlier, the anime is a much tamer version of the manga, but doesn't reach the full span of the volumes released in Japan. The characters are fairly true to their manga originals, however, and I found the anime to be more appealing to a male/female audience, while the manga seemed to aim more at males. That being said, both anime and manga do have treats for both genders: there is heaps upon heaps of fanservice for the dudes, and a cute romance between Shido and Madoka plus subtle homoerotic subtext between Juubei and Kazuki (if you add Toshiki, it makes a love triangle!) for the ladies.

 Get Backers is a title I would recommend to both male and female anime fans. The plot does a good job of appealing to both, as do the characters. The cast is dominantly male (1 point for bishounen fans), but the female cast hits on all of the male favorites: busty (Hevn), innocent (Madoka), action/Tsundere (Himiko), cute (Natsumi), androgynous (Ren), and could-potentially-fight-but-prefers-to-sit-around-doing-nothing-at-the-side-of-a-dude (Sakura). The idea of a recovery service perfectly lends itself to the episodic parts of the show, and the recurring cast of likable characters makes it effortless to stretch it out to a full 49 episodes. I breezed through it in three days, and still didn't want to stop watching!

Get Backers is chibi Ginji's favorite show!

Surprisingly, my least favorite parts were the themes, most of which weren't all that interesting compared to the show itself. The score and OST are amazing, though, and I highly recommend tracks like "Gymnopedie" for your anime playlist!