Anime Review: Shokugeki no Souma (Food Wars!)

“If you truly want to chase after something until the end, you have to put down restraints and everything else in order to pursue it.” -Yukihira Souma (Shokugeki no Souma)

          Today's anime review is on Shokugeki no Souma, a cooking anime with 2 seasons and a total of 37 epsiodes. It's really interesting to watch and I recommend watching it. There's some comedy in there so I'm sure you'll get a laugh out of it. Besides that, hope you enjoy this week's review.

                     

Synopsis: Shokugeki no Souma is basically about a 15-year old boy named Soma Yukihira who’s the main character for this anime and he wishes to become the head-chef at his father’s restaurant and also to someday surpass him. His cooking abilities are superb as they can be quite creative yet skilled. One day, his father decides to close down the restaurant which leads to Yukihira having to be sent off to Tootsuki Culinary Academy which is an elite cooking school. However, it’s not just any cooking school, it just happens to be the very difficult and graduate rates are extremely low. It is also known for having food wars called “Shokugeki” where students can face off in a showdown to demonstrate their cooking skills in an intense showdown where there are high stakes in hand. Yukihira has to find a way to survive this school along with his new classmates that are just as skilled as he is and also some that are above him. He faces many great challenges. He also makes new experiences and learns new techniques that help him grow into a greater chef.

                                              (COVER)
                                

Characters: There are plenty of characters for Shokugeki no Souma. I'm not going to to over each and every single character in depth but if you're interested, you can click this link⇨Shokugeki no Souma characters and find out more about them. Either way, the picture on the bottom shows practically the main cast for this series.

As for naming the characters...

⇨ The one in the middle with red hair and apron is Soma Yukihira. The girl next to him on the left with blue hair is Megumi Tadokoro. The other girl next to him on the right is Erina Nakiri. On the far left, the boy who's face you can't really see is Shun Ibusaki. The one with glasses is Zenji Marui. The 2 girls at the bottom are Ryoko Sakaki which is the one with purple-ish hair and Yuki Yoshino with the hair buns. The boy with blonde hair is Takumi Aldini and the one above him with brown hair and squinted eyes is Isami Aldini. The guy wearing practically just a tie and nothing else is Satoshi Issiki and the girl with blonde hair next to him is Ikumi "Nikumi" Mito. Now on the far right you've got the boy with black spiky hair who's named Ryo Kurokiba. The girl below him is Alice Nakiri with the wierd look in her eyes. The boy with silver hair is Akira Hayama. The girl with short pink hair is Hisako Arato and the girl in the back with a gleaming red eye is not really important but her name is Nao Sadatsuka. That basically concludes the character's names.

Art/Animation: I gotta say, I really liked the art and character designs for this anime. My favorite characters...well there were a lot but my main one is Yukihira of course. No topping anyone there.

(Favorite Character!!!)

Furthermore, the animation was great in my opinion and I enjoyed watching every single episode of Shokugeki no Souma. There were some really cool parts or scenes. Since this is a cooking anime, it was pretty neat watching the characters prepare food in this really awesome manner.

For example, on episode 14, there was a part where Yukihira is cooking and he needs to complete 200 servings under a required time or he'll be expelled. It was pretty intense but he managed through just barely. The gif on the bottom shows him making souffles, it was thrilling to watch!

I thought that this scene in the bottom was in a way kinda like a bad ass moment (excuse my language) because you got to admit, him throwing the knife in the air like that and catching it like a boss as if it was nothing was actually pretty awesome.

                        

There are plenty of more cool scenes that I would like to show but I won't. However, if you're interested, check this anime out. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Music: The music for the openings and endings are good and I personally think that it suits and compliments this anime as it is. They were pretty up to beat especially the season 2 opening. Overall, there's not much to say here so that's about it.

This basically concludes today's anime review. Tune in next time for next week's review.

Anime Review: Tokyo Ghoul

“Pain is your friend pain is your ally. Pain tells you when you have been wounded badly. But you know what the best thing about pain is? It tells you you’re not dead yet.” -Kaneki Ken (Tokyo Ghoul)


Today's anime review is on Tokyo Ghoul, a pretty well known anime. It's based mostly on horror and supernatural but it's nerve-wrecking to watch since it gets pretty intense and so much is taking place. There's two seasons of Tokyo Ghoul and I think that a third season might be airing but I'm not so sure. It can also pack a punch and there's a chance that it can make you cry because it tends to make you sad in some scenes throughout the anime. Either way, hope you enjoy this to the point that you might consider watching it, or not.

(COVER)

Synopsis: Going off according to myanimelist.net (click for link),“Tokyo has become a cruel and merciless city—a place where vicious creatures called “ghouls” exist alongside humans. The citizens of this once great metropolis live in constant fear of these bloodthirsty savages and their thirst for human flesh. However, the greatest threat these ghouls pose is their dangerous ability to masquerade as humans and blend in with society.” So basically, Tokyo Ghoul is basically about a boy named Ken Kaneki who is a college student. One day he met Rize Kamishiro who he went on a date with. Unaware by the fact that she was secretly a ghoul who devours human flesh, he barely survives this dangerous encounter and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after almost being killed. After that encounter, Kaneki is turned into a half ghoul which is very rare. However, he must consume human flesh in order to survive. So now he lives his life as a half ghoul and half human. Then, "Anteiku" which is a coffee shop that is run by ghouls, take him in and they teach him to deal with his new life and Kaneki is faced with a lot of challenges along the way.

Characters: There are several main characters for Tokyo Ghoul. The main protagonist of it all is Keneki. Then you've got other characters like Touka, Hide, Hinami, Tsukiyama, Yomo, Uta, Nishiki, Rize, Amon, Juusou, and plenty more. Throughout both seasons, new characters are introduced but the ones I mentioned here are the main ones. The picture below shows some of some of the main characters in chibi form so don't get mistaken that that's the way they appear in the anime (they're similar but the art style is different), there's not many great pics where I can get all of them in one. So that's that. There's some character development in my opinion especially with Kaneki after having to deal with living as a half-ghoul and half-human.

My favorite character is Juuzou by far and I just love his personality and how he is portrayed in Tokyo Ghoul. He may be a little messed up but he's a pretty cool character.
(Juuzou)


Art/Animation: I really enjoyed the animation and art for Tokyo Ghoul. I loved the vibe it gave off which was kinda dark, gloomy, and mysterious. I looked forward to watching the episodes and looking over the different scenes that caught my interest. One of my favorite parts was when Hinami released her Kagune when encountering Modo after he attacked her and Touka.



Another of my favorite scenes which come later in season two is when Kaneki battles Ayato.

             

Also when Kaneki turn into a Kakuja which I have to say was ridiculously insane but intense. I didn't expect that coming. However, it was one of the coolest scenes that I have seen in Tokyo Ghoul
                                 
                            

                            

Music: The one thing about watching Tokyo Ghoul is the opening for the first season. The song is amazing and you just can't skip it. It's one of the best openings there is. Besides that, I recommend that you go and listen to it and see the actual opening because it's pretty epic.

Overall, that ends today's anime review for Tokyo Ghoul. Tune in next time for another weekly review on a whole new anime.

Anime Review:Bleach

"I refuse to carry a king who's weaker than me and get cut to ribbons with him. If you're weaker than me, then I'll destroy you, and take your crown for myself." -Hollow Ichigo "Zangetsu" (Bleach)

Today’s anime review is based on Bleach, not bleach as in the chemical that whitens clothing but Bleach as in the anime. There’s always a misunderstanding when I say “I like Bleach!”. I’m pretty sure people who watch anime will surely get what I’m trying to say. Those who don’t probably think I’m crazy or weird. Either way, Bleach is pretty long considering that there is a grand total of 366 episodes and I know that it’s a lot but it’s all worth watching. There’s mostly fighting and some pretty intense action scenes but there’s also a bit of comedy in there so you’re bound to get some laughs. Besides that, hope you enjoys today’s anime review.

Synopsis: This anime is about a teenage boy named Ichigo Kurosaki who can see and interact with spirits or ghosts and one day unexpectedly, he became a substitute Soul Reaper when Rukia Kuchiki (an actual Soul Reaper) granted her spiritual powers to him after being severely injured in a battle against a strong hollow. Later in the anime, he discovers that his friends also posses a power of their own. Many events follow after such as Rukia being sentenced to death, battling other soul reapers, revealing Aizen’s (a high ranking soul reaper who seeks greater power) experiments with soul reapers and hollows, going to Hueco Mundo (the realm of the hollows), being trained by vizards (exiled Soul Reapers that developed hollow powers and were also part of Aizen’s experiments) but mainly only Ichigo since he is a vizard himself, facing off Aizen’s army of Arrancars, going up against an elite group known as Espadas, and much more. Soon after, Ichigo eventually faces off against Aizen who gained immeasurable power that seemed infinite, however Ichigo ends up being victorious but loses all his powers after using so much power. It would be much better for someone to watch it instead than being explained the details because there is just so much going on that you tend to get lost with all the action there is. Of course, Bleach doesn’t just end there. There’s a whole other arc with new characters and much more action.

Characters: There are many characters in Bleach, too many in fact but they all matter. Each and every single one of them have a unique personality and you might grow attached to some characters whether they're on the good side or bad side. First of all, you’ve got the main protagonists which are Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, Chad, and Uryu. Then there’s the Antagonists which include the hollows and Aizen for the most part. Lastly, you’ve got the supporting characters which are the Soul Reapers, the Vizards, and the Urahara shop gang. To be more exact, there are plenty more characters in the entire anime like the Bounts, Xcution, and Wandenreich.

(Ichigo and Friends)

  

                                        (Soul Reapers)

                        

                                            (Vizards)

                        

                                           (Hollows)

                        

                                    (Arrancars/Espadas)

                                            

Animation/Artwork: I definitely enjoyed watching Bleach and gazing at most of the characters because they put in a lot of effort into making their designs while also considering the part that there are so many of them. I felt that each character had a unique personality. I was also stunned with the cool effects they put into the fighting scenes and I was pulled in by the intensity and awe-inspiring battles. I just love watching these kind of things. It was really thrilling. I especially liked the scenes where Ichigo would be fighting like the one where he's up against Ulquiorra (an Espada) and he transforms into a Vasto Lorde, and that caught me by surprise that I got drawn in with excitement. It's one of my favorite parts for this anime. The detail they put in this scene made it more fun to watch because of all the effects they added.

(Vasto Lorde Ichigo)

Other great scenes include the times when the 13 Court Guard Squad Captains use their Bankai. My favorite ones include Byakuya Kuchiki's bankai and Toshiro Hitsugaya's bankai.

                               (Toshiro Hitsugaya Bankai)
                          

  
                                    (Byakuya Kuchiki Bankai)
                        

Overall, the animation and Artwork are pretty awesome and it enhanced this anime to make it more entertaining to watch.

Music: Thinking about the music, there's also a lot of different songs if you consider the fact that there are over 300 episodes and approximately 15 seasons so there's numerous opening and endings for Bleach. I don't know how to describe it in detail so it'd be best for you to listen to them for yourself. The songs vary since the tune in them changes but the songs themselves are pretty good. That's about all since there's not much that I can say for music this time.

So that's that. This concludes's today's anime review, hopefully you guys learned a little and are interested in watching Bleach. Besides that, tune in next time.
                       ⇨Here's my favorite quote...
                          

Anime Review:Kuroko no Basuke

“I am a supporting actor, a shadow. But a shadow will become darker if the light is stronger and it will make the white of the light stand out. As the shadow of the main actor, I will make you, the light, the number one in Japan.” -Tetsuya Kuroko (Kuroko no Basuke)

⇨Today’s anime review is based on Kuroko no Basuke, a sports anime about basketball🏀 that has 3 seasons with a total of 75 episodes along with some movies and ovas. It’s a really thrilling and fun to watch anime and I suggest watching it. Either way, I hope you guys enjoy this review. 😁

COVER

Synopsis: This anime basically revolves around basketball meaning that this is a sports anime. The basic plot for Kuroko no Basuke is that a group of very talented prodigies that go by “The Generation of Miracles” that includes Ryota Kise, Shintaro Midorima, Daiki Aomine, Atsushi Murasakibara and Seijuro Akashi, go to different high schools with top basketball teams after graduating but very little know that within this group of 5 consisted of another player called a phantom sixth man who’s named Tetsuya Kuroko. He goes to Seirin and meets Taiga Kagami who is a naturally talented player that came from the U.S. and both end up playing for that school’s basketball team. They aim to bring Seirin to begin #1 in all of Japan and to do that they begin by taking on Kuroko's former teammates one by one along the way knowing the many challenges they might face that aren’t always so easy.

Characters: The main characters are Tetsuya Kuroko, Taiga Kagami, Ryota Kise, Shintaro Midorima, Daiki Aomine, Atsushi Murasakibara and Seijuro Akashi. Each character has a very unique personality and ability that makes them so great that I grew very attached to each and every one of them. For more information on these characters, follow this link ⇨kuroko no basuke characters⇦

⇨ (From left to right: Taiga Kagami, Tetsuya Kuroko,  Ryota Kise, Shintaro Midorima, Daiki Aomine, Atsushi Murasakibara and Seijuro Akashi)

Animation/Artwork: I really enjoyed the artwork for this anime especially the character designs. The best part of this anime is all the cool and stunning effects they put during the games when they’re playing because it adds to the intensity which makes it so interesting and fun to watch. That’s what makes sport anime different from watching real life sports. Besides that, the best parts for Kuroko no Basuke were when the characters like Kagami and Aomine would go into the “zone” or when the others are displaying their best moves.

 

                                ⇨(Kagami and Aomine in the zone)⇦

I especially liked Akashi’s emperor eye and Kuroko’s vanishing drive. I thought it was really awesome.

                         

                                    ⇨(Akashi using his emperor eye)⇦

                         

                          ⇨(Kuroko using vanishing drive)⇦

Also, all the flashing lights, music, and expressions on the character’s faces added to this anime’s greatness by a longshot. Awesome right?

                         

Music: I really like the opening and ending songs for Kuroko no Basuke and there were quite a lot. Also, the songs chosen were well suited for this anime and they were pretty up to beat as well which was great. That’s about it. There’s not really much to say this time.

Overall, this ends today’s anime review. Tune in next time!

Anime Review: Trigun

"No one has the right to decide whether a person will live or die." -Vash the Stampede (Trigun)


                        

         This week's anime review will be about Trigun and it's been a while since I've last seen it, but it really is a great anime that I consider other people giving a shot to go and watch. Either way, I hope you enjoy it and give you some insight as well.

                 

Synopsis: Trigun takes place in the distant future on a deserted planet that seems like an empty wasteland where life is barely sustainable. Vash the Stampede is a gunfighter who has a $60,000,000,000 bounty on his head. He gained the nickname or title of “ The Humanoid Typhoon” because he apparently leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever he goes and set foot in. Towns are evacuated upon hearing rumors of his arrival afraid of disaster coming their way. However, the real Vash the Stampede is not the same man as the rumors portray him to be and turns out that he is actually more heroic in nature or a big softie as one may say and has a heart for humankind since he avoids violence at all costs. The genre for this anime is action, comedy, and sci-fi. It was first aired in Japan on April 1st of 1998 through September 30th of 1998. There is a total of 26 episodes that range about 24 minutes each. The producer was Victor Entertainment and the licensors were FUNimation Entertainment and Geneon Entertainment USA. Want to know more, click on the link ⇨Trigun⇦(it'll show some videos, details, and photos related to this anime)

COVER

Story/Characters:  When it comes down to the plot, it made a whole lot more sense towards the last episode where everything was finally explained because the story was jumping from one thing to another. However, I did enjoy it very much because the story for this anime was unlike any other I’ve seen and that might have been why my interest level in Trigun was skyrocketing. The story was just so splendid that I need a season two because they left me hanging and wanting more. There was a lot of development in between the episodes in my opinion because I felt that the characters went through some changes as the story kept on progressing in the episodes. The main characters which consisted of Vash the Stampede, Meryl Stryfe, Milly Thompson, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Legato and probably Knives who was the antagonist along with Legato for some parts. They are pretty much dynamic characters because somewhere along the way, they all undergo some type of inner change. The setting was basic and understanding because it all took place on a desert planet. Also, the tone and mood somewhat added to the overall anime because it would set either a really humorous or a really depressing setting which creates an atmosphere where we can all connect to in some way.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Animation/Art: The character designs that were chosen for Trigun were really well made despite this anime being really old since it did come out around the late 1990’s. The characters all have their own unique quirks that makes them who they are. I might admit that somewhere along the way, I felt really attached to Vash the Stampede because I considered him to be one of my many favorite characters along with his brother Knives even though he was the bad guy towards the end. Besides that, the background art was really basic but since it did take on a desert-like scenario, they ended up capturing the setting really well. The animation techniques used for this anime differ greatly to know-a-days anime because over time, it has changed as improvements have been made. But, I do like how Trigun was made and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Music/OP/ED:  When I first watched the opening, it was really great because it gave me this vibe that Trigun was going to be this really cool anime where you’ve got that cool anime character that outshines everyone else. However, the opening and ending never really changed and it stayed the same till the very end. The same goes for the song that enhanced the opening. The music was really metal-like but it was catchy in a way and it suited this anime.

That's it for today, hope ya'll liked it and here's a quote that I'll just leave right here...😄

                                         (Vash to Meryl)

Anime Review: One-Punch Man

"The true power of us human beings is that we can change ourselves on our own" -Saitama (One-Punch Man)"

                 

     As of today, all of my posts will consist of anime reviews based on what I feel from watching these anime. This also gives people some insight about what this specific anime is about and whether or not it takes into their fancies. Either way, I hope you enjoy these anime reviews.😄


Anime (One-Punch Man)

Synopsis: This anime basically revolves around the main protagonist which happens to be Saitama who’s a hero just for fun. He used to be a normal guy until one day he decided to change all that and became the strongest hero there is after doing some gruesome training that almost killed him. But in the end, he became too strong and now he can easily obliterate any opponent with just one punch and with monsters crawling all about in the city that happened to strike Earth one unfaithful day, Saitama seeks out an opponent stronger than him who he can take on to take away his boredom. Throughout this series, Saitama meets many friends and foes and one of them happens to be his disciple named Genos, a cyborg who wishes to become just as strong as he is. They both end up joining the Hero Association in order to become a true hero to gain some recognition and that is when the real story begins. The genre for One-Punch Man includes action, comedy, and superpower. The date of airing in Japan was on October 5, 2015 with a grand total of 12 episodes and the name of the production company is called Madhouse. If you want to learn more, go to this link⇨One-Punch_Man⇦

COVER

Story/Characters: I believe that the the way the anime was plotted was pretty good despite there being so many events going on within each episode. I really liked the way each episode had a different story to tell and also that within each battle, there will always be a new and stronger opponent to fight. Each fight scene was filled with different excitement and zing to it. For example, the last fight between Saitama and Boros was the most buzzing and exhilarated battle because not only was it the first time where Saitama wasn’t able to destroy a monster with just a single punch, but it was also the longest and most action packed scene there was throughout the whole anime. It was such an epic clash that I got all hyped up. Also, to back myself up, Gigguk from Patreon ⇦(click there to see his posts) made a video called "5 BRILLIANT Fight Scenes in Anime" (on Youtube) that well explains how this fight scene manages to capture the spectacle so well and how everything that was happening was so ridiculous that it displayed crazy proportions as to when Saitama was blasted to the moon and acting like it was nothing. Besides that, the characters that took part in this anime are all unique and they all posses a different personality. The main characters, Saitama and Genos were my favorites. I’m not so positive as to say whether they were static or dynamic but I’m going to go and say that were dynamic because in a way, they both changed a little. Either way, there were plenty of more side characters such as Mumen Rider, Sonic (a.k.a. the modern ninja), the S class heroes, Amai Mask, and plenty more. One thing that I have to say is that Saitama was way too overpowered from my perspective. Overall, I would say that the setting and tone added on to the anime by creating the mood to set the pace and feeling when being watched. (However you have to watch this anime to understand)

(Saitama) (Genos)

Animation/Art: I have to say that the character designs were really different from the ones that I usually tend to know. I think that the most quirky character design would be Saitama’s because his hero costume is really basic despite him being the strongest hero but I have nothing against it because Saitama is pretty awesome. But when comparing him with Genos, Genos is like one of the most awesome and cool looking guys that every girl would fall for in an anime. I guess that would be what makes this anime so fun and interesting. Despite that, the animation adds on to the intensity for One-Punch Man and quoting what  Gigguk said in his video, “the trailing lights speeds, the exaggerated movements within every impact, the particle effects, all these techniques help increase the power of everything happening in each battle scene.” I felt that the art and scenery enhanced the animation to show off the detailed and explicit work that was put into making this anime and it turned out really outstanding considering that it is one of the most popular and well-known series out there.

                        

Music/OP/ED:  Finally, when it came down to One-Punch Man, the one thing that everyone will take notice on will be the opening song. Once the opening started to play, the first thing that’ll be said will be with an intense shout that screams “ONE PUNCH!!!” and from there on out, you start to feel a sense of thrill and exhilaration that at one point you'll get caught singing along to the song because of the vibe it gives off. I myself was so fascinated with the music that I started to sing along to the opening inside my head because it was also pretty catchy. To be honest, the overall song enhanced the anime by quite a lot because it displayed how action packed it was going to be. However, when it came down to the ending song, it was the complete opposite. In other words, the ending song wasn't as exciting and up to beat as the opening, so instead, it gave off a more calm and soothing effect that took away from the whole anime. The ending wasn’t bad, it just went into a different direction from the opening almost as if to show to different sides of the anime and set a new tone in my opinion..... and this was it folks. This ends today's anime review. See yah next time!😁

           

Revolving around Anime

"We are all like fireworks, rising, shinning, scattering, and finally fading." -Toshiro Hitsugaya (Bleach)

     When I was a small kid, I wasn't as into anime as I am now, but gradually over the years as I grew older, I was exposed to it a lot more. So the more anime I watched, the more was I into it. As of now, the current me is a major anime fan. 

     I spend much of my time as I can to solely watch some anime, especially when I'm on break. Entering high school, managing my time became much more difficult because I hardly ever have the time to take a moment for myself since I'm always busy with homework or projects. When I would be done with my homework or project per say, it would already be late so I'd end up watching my anime until 1 or 2 am in the morning. 

     In my daily life, I try to incorporate some things or ideas that I've seen in the anime that I tend to see. You could say that I've grown quite attached to Japanese Pop Culture which is actually true. Ever so recently have I bought myself some good quality chopsticks to practice with so I can get the hang of it and experience what it's like to eat something without using a fork or a spoon. I've also practiced table manners and what's acceptable and what I should do when I go to Japan which is a dream of mine. In my opinion, Japan is my homeland and I would love to travel there once I'm old enough.

     In addition, I've also been studying and practicing some Japanese. So far, I've got several words and phrases down that I could use. Some of those I learned from reading and listening to the subtitles in that language. To be honest, I think that Japanese is much easier for me to learn than some of the other languages. Sometimes when I try to speak Japanese, my family likes to mess with me and tries to copy me by going with the flow and speaking what may sound like Japanese even though it's just a bunch of random words that make no sense whatsoever. 

     Furthermore, anime is a huge part of my life. As a teen, I love collecting anime merchandise, cosplaying as certain characters and reading manga. The one thing that I haven't experienced is going to a convention. Hopefully, if I'm lucky, I would like to go to one and be involved in it because it looks like a lot of fun and it seems quite interesting.