Behind The Nihon Review

Shiniciro Watanabe and a Love Letter to Jazz

Reckoner — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:23:07 +0000

Anime fans thankful to director Shiniciro Watanabe will always exist in this world. His work on anime such as Cowboy Bebop remain as effective gateway titles in the Western anime sphere. Although much of this may have to do with the clear western influences in his work, I believe few would deny his prowess and talent for directing. It is no small wonder then why his return to the director’s chair for this season’s Sakamichi no Apollon would be an interest catcher all on its own.

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The Darker Side of Eroge Development

Kylaran — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:50:57 +0000

The eroge in question: Otome ga Tsumugu Koi no Canvas

Controversy erupted across the online Japanese eroge community when scenario writer Kazutaka (Twitter) wrote a scathing article on her personal blog attacking a previous employer for their sloppy management and lack of morals. Having worked previously for major Japanese game corporations, among them Square Enix and Sega, she turned freelance before establishing her own business, currently working on a project called Topology. This post is a translation of her 5 April 2012 article, which details the problems she faced writing the scenario for a certain unnamed eroge.

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The Country of Chihaya

Kylaran — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:12:17 +0000

The small valleys of the Country of Chihaya lie between the two imperial giants, the Country of Boys and the Country of Girls, posessing culturally the traits of both of its titannic neighbors, yet unique in its own traditions. Fields of rice are plentiful by mid-summer, and the plains are as golden as the sun in Autumn. Gentle are its winters. But perhaps its one unrivaled beauty lies in the plum blossoms of Springcoming, when its inhabitants celebrate the arrival of warm weather with song and dance.

-Records of the NHRV Historian

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Copyright © 2012 Behind The Nihon Review. All licensed material are owned by their respective parties.
By Kylaran | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to StumbleUpon | Tweet! | reddit
Post tags: Chihayafuru, Honey and Clover, K-ON!, Kuragehime, Nodame Cantabile, Sailor Moon, Saito Minako, Susan Napier

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Is Spring 2012 the Best Season in Years?

AC — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:38:17 +0000

The four best shows this season has to offer.

When I look back at past anime seasons, I feel that it’s been a very long time since a single anime season could wow me. For a while, I have believed that anime as a whole is somewhat inconsistent, and I was hoping for the one season that would make me go “Anime is having a revival here!” Perhaps my wish may have been granted, as currently Spring 2012 just might be the best that the industry has to offer.

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The Nihon Revue, Episode Eight

Sorrow-kun — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:25:26 +0000

Another season, another podcast, another chance to take a crap on the worst anime of the last season. Except not really, we passed over Guilty Crown this time. We actually recorded this podcast about a week ago, but it’s only now getting published because it proved to be difficult to cut together, owing to how much my co-host this time, TypicalIdiotFan, rambles on (along with other technical problems I won’t bore you with). We actually recorded more than an hour of the conversation, but the final cut of the show is just 26 minutes, so when you listen to it, keep in mind that you’ll only hear the best parts. Here’s the line-up for this episode:

0:25 Intro and Mr. TypicalIdiotFan Goes to Sakura-con (Washington)
2:12 Nisemonogatari
7:17 Ano Natsu de Matteru
12:41 Zero no Tsukaima F
17:01 Inu x Boku SS
21: 06 Listen to Me, Girls, I’m Your Father!

This episode is 26:06 and there’s moderate spoilers for pretty much every segment. Listen here:

Or download the show.

Copyright © 2012 Behind The Nihon Review. All licensed material are owned by their respective parties.
By Sorrow-kun | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to StumbleUpon | Tweet! | reddit
Post tags: Ano Natsu de Matteru, Bakemonogatari, Inu x Boku SS, Papa no Iu Koto o Kikinasai, Zero no Tsukaima

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Spring 2012: First Thoughts

NHRV Staff — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:45:11 +0000

What a season! After a long, cold winter of clinging to a few decently entertaining series, we are overwhelmed with a lavish cornucopia of splendidly promising anime. Where do we start? The reboot of a classic crime series? A surprisingly entertaining show about talking animals? Watanabe Shinichiro‘s first role as a series director since 2004? What about the much-anticipated continuation of Fate/Zero? All these anime with real potential, yet so little time! Thankfully, we here at The Nihon Review have everything you need to know about this season’s anime premiers. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Introduction by: kevo

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Copyright © 2012 Behind The Nihon Review. All licensed material are owned by their respective parties.
By NHRV Staff | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to StumbleUpon | Tweet! | reddit
Post tags: Accel World, Eureka Seven, Folktales from Japan, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, Jormungand, Lupin III, Natsuiro Kiseki, Nazo no Kanojo X, Polar Bear Cafe, Sakamichi no Apollon, Saki, Sankarea, Tsuritama, Uchuu Kyoudai, Upotte!!, Zetman

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So, Gundam AGE Got (A Lot) Better

Shadowmage — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:48:43 +0000

Ore Wa Super Pilot Asemu Asuno!

It feels like just yesterday that I was ripping on Gundam AGE for being a boring kid’s show. There was so much wrong with the Gundam/Pokemon hybrid that I could only help shake my head in disbelief at how dreadfully mediocre the whole thing was. Now one could argue that the show made no strong indications that it was anything but a piece of children’s programming, so I have as much right to complain about AGE as I have to SD Gundam Force. I would agree with this argument if AGE weren’t so blatantly trying to be taken as a child-friendly but nonetheless serious Gundam series. The only strand of hope I held onto was the premise of the show: a war across three generations spanning 100 years.

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Key Fans Are Too Entitled

Reckoner — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:39:18 +0000

Unless you have been hiding under a rock the past week or so it would have been pretty hard to not have heard the incessant whining of the KEY fan base about the announcement of the JC Staff anime adaption of Little Busters! The complaints have been so loud that in order to quell their worries, Baba Takahiro, the President of Visual Arts, announced on his twitter that the staff also shared their anxieties, but is confident in JC Staff. Personally, I saw this as completely unnecessary because while there are some valid concerns about JC Staff heading the project, they are being taken much too far past rationality. In fact, to be quite honest, the sort of behavior being displayed from the fan base has been downright disgraceful.

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Will Eureka 7 Ao Repeat the Failures of Last Exile Fam?

Reckoner — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:32:36 +0000

As happy as I should be as a fan of Eureka 7 to hear about the new sequel coming out this spring, I can only greet it with immense skepticism. There are just too many similarities to Gonzo’s recent stunt of reviving the Last Exile franchise in Last Exile Fam, and if that is anything to go by we are in for a massive head ache. Sure, Gonzo does not have the prestigious reputation that a studio likes BONES has earned for itself over the past years, but we should not forget that at one time Gonzo did make some great anime even if they have seemingly forgotten a recipe for success. So considering that perhaps BONES has not been at the top of their game with recent bouts of failure including Star Driver and No.6, I would not put it past them to screw this up majorly.

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What I Learned By Watching Anime This Week! #3

TypicalIdiotFan — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:22:00 +0000

That's one way to call someone's mom a slut.

Hard to come back from a two-week hiatus and act like nothing happened. I don’t know if anybody has taken a liking to reading these supposedly regular postings of mine, but in case there is: sorry for being gone for two weeks! School finals can be a cow on us all, and I had some other shit going on with work. Anyway, since I’m leaving for Sakura-Con in Seattle tomorrow, I better get this done before I make it a three-week hiatus.

Also, since this is basically the “break week” that comes between the seasons, I have to back track a bit. Oh sure, there was anime that aired this week, but it just so happens most of it is stuff that I don’t regularly watch. The rest of it was either not interesting or not fucking stupid enough to complain about. I know what you’re thinking: “how can that be when Aquarion EVOL is still airing?” Well, truth be told, Aquarion EVOL is genius and you’re a retard.

So, with the delay and a backtrack, consider this a make up of sorts as I cap off the season with multiple things to bitch about.

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Copyright © 2012 Behind The Nihon Review. All licensed material are owned by their respective parties.
By TypicalIdiotFan | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to StumbleUpon | Tweet! | reddit
Post tags: Aquarion EVOL, Inu x Boku SS, Kill Me Baby, Recorder to Randoseru, Sakura-Con, Zero no Tsukaima

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