Michiko to Hatchin (Michiko and Hatchin)

Description on AnimeDB.net

Michiko to Hatchin is really good. It's a stand-out. From the first episode you get a very good dose of what's the anime is like, so definitely give it a try. A female prisoner makes a break for it, a young girl suffers daily at the hands of a family that takes her in and turns her into their slave. What happens between these great strong characters is a constant draw as the series races through locales, infused with bright and colorful scenery. When the sun sets, ugly underbellies are revealed and even the most festive places expose an inescapable dark side.

Fun points are listening to Michiko's slurred gangsta speech, seeing the pairs' clothes change in each episode, seeing Hatchin solo, seeing Michiko from the past, trying to put together the pieces left behind by man they're tracking down, watching that awesome blue scooter take a beating, and wondering what this pair can't survive. There's a lot to like.

The Opening is catchy and helps amp up the energy level. The ending is wierd for me visually and a tad too artsy so I always skip it.

Recommendations:

• Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage...tropical locations, guns and violence commonplace, the world isn't a friendly place, especially in a city of criminals
  
• El Cazador de la Bruja...gun for hire gets roped into a bad situation when she sides with the target, they make a break to head south and find answers (See Anime Spotlight)
  
• Samurai Champloo...if you like swords, samurai, splashes of comedy, and funk in your anime, give this a shot
  

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January 2009 List of Picks

My List of Picks from Anime that start airing in January 2009:

• Minami-ke: Okaeri! (another season of Minami-ke, more wily Kana and bit more of the other characters)
• Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou (second season of Natsume Yuujinchou, more of Natsume and his needy youkai friends) (See Anime Spotlight)
• White Album (light, romance, that takes its precious time, must be patient to watch this)
• Ichigo Mashimaro Encore (Sequel of Ichigo Mashimaro OVA...four young girls and their happy go lucky days of friendship bring another season)

Watching these currently fansubbed series with much interest:

• Michiko to Hatchin (See Anime Spotlight)
  
• Skip Beat (See Anime Spotlight)
• Himitsu (See Anime Spotlight)
• Soul Eater (See Anime Spotlight)
  
• Tales of the Abyss

El Cazador de la Bruja (The Hunter of the Witch)

Description on AnimeDB.net

In El Cazador de la Bruja, we join a bounty hunter turned protector (Nadie) and a girl with a past shrouded in mystery (Ellis). The two are soon on the run from a mysteriously shady organization that is after the secrets buried within the young girl and more. They go on a taco-studded journey to find out what all the foggy memories mean, why this crazy creepy guy loses his breath over the young girl, and what lies south.

Fun times are whenever the characters run into a taco stand, action sequences that make Nadie shine, and when Nadie's gun isn't the only one for hire.

Recommendations:

• Black Lagoon...tropical locations, gun-toting ladies and a poor office worker that's no longer into playing the role of the company sap
  
• Seirei no Moribito....a spear-wielding bodyguard whose last task turns into a fight to survive when a royal prince falls into mortal and mythical danger (See Anime Spotlight)
  
• Michiko to Hatchin....an escaped prisoner and an abused adoptee hop on a funky blue scooter in search of a man who they can call family, brazilian style (See Anime Spotlight)

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See this previous entry with a special song by Nadie:
El Cazador de la Bruja: Amigo Tacos

Kuroshitsuji (Kuro Shitsuji, Dark Butler)

Description on AnimeDB.net

Kuroshitsuji has mystery, silliness, humor and and a dark underlying past that is uncovered in flashback tidbits. The serious times are peppered with the silliness and sometimes you have whole episodes that are just for fun. I think that's a good balance because I can't watch too much serious stuff.

When I turn to Kuroshitsuji, I'm expecting fun and some serious stuff that will move the main characters Ciel Phantomhive (sleepy-eyed blue haired master) and the cool guy that is devilishly good at his job Sebastian (red eyes, long face, gloves and swallowtail suit). And that's usually what I get. There are a few other characters in the house and they do their job when you need some slapstick humor that only a handful of colorful useless servants can provide.When Ciel is on the road, you can count on a certain bespectacled red-head to show up and add a big dose of slapstick and heeby-jeebies. And for those serious times we see Ciel overcome obvious challenges he faces as a young master of a large company, as well as new problems that drum up his past.

Fun times are when Ciel is nearly given whiplash by his fiance, whenever he snubs the local police and when he orders Sebastian around to re-establish who is really the king and who is the knight around here. Serious times involve death, betrayal and mysteries left unanswered and only acknowledged by an eyebrow raised by Sebastian.

It is set in Victorian times, so you'll see dashes of desserts, customs, clothing, scenery and habits inspired from that time (we don't iron our newspapers before our morning read anymore).

Watch the ending that has little chibi versions of the characters as it follows a normal day at the Phantomhive house.

Recommendations:

• Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro...mysterious and dark figure guiding his partner through strange mysteries, demonic tools and foes (See Anime Spotlight)
• Kaibutsu Oujo...more comedy, master and slave rather than a butler (See Anime Spotlight)
  
• Emma...Victorian time light romance with a sweet and nice maid (See Anime Spotlight)
  

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Tentai Senshi Sunred (Astro Fighter Sunred)

Description on AnimeDB.net

Tentai Senshi Sunred - I think this is definitely an acquired taste. Before you dismiss this show from your playlist, give it 2 or 3 episodes (as in, watch them), to get a good idea of the what the show is about and its humor. Each episode is bite-sized, like 10-15 minutes, so I think you can spare that much time between your other anime.

You know shows like, the power rangers, any good old fashioned kids show where there are 1) heroes and 2) monsters, and the show is about heroes fighting the monsters? Good. Now you need to take those characters and plop them into real-life Japan and its cultural norms and polite society. When you realize that Astro Fighter Sunred may not be the upstanding model citizen and that monsters, too, have feelings and social rules to follow, you have fallen into the world of Astro Fighter Sunred.

Fun things to do: sing along with the ending theme (which is about cooking a dish), catch a superhero smoking through his helmet, notice how Vamp's head just sort of bobs up and down, notice all those fun little things that happen on those hero shows (calling out all the "special moves" a monster does)

Recommendations:

• Detroit Metal City...unique situation, stomach the language, see the hilarity (See Anime Spotlight)
  
• Hetalia: Axis Powers...fast paced parody of world history embodied by characters that celebrate, fight and bicker amongst allies and enemies alike (See Anime Spotlight)
  

I had a really hard time thinking of some recommendations. This anime is really far from other anime in terms of content.

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Soul Eater

Description on AnimeDB.net

Soul Eater - This series likes to keep a wierd juxtaposition of slightly wacky fun and soul-stealing over-the-top power moves that we can expect get better and better. The story builds around the team of Maka and Soul, who are weapon and meister (the wielder of the weapon). They're friends, roomies, classmates and basically inseperable (but not in a mushy way) partners. The pairing is interesting to me because I don't know what else would go with Soul's "cool guy" attitude and anime-yakuza eyes and jagged teeth. Why not throw a pig-tailed over-achiever whose smile turns on the world (just kidding)?

After we get used to them and their way of life, we meet other teams with their own interesting chemistry and quirky habits. You may see a lot of similarities between Black Star and another extremely popular character, Naruto. Luckily, as the story continues, you can easily distinguish between the two (just drop the "Dattebayo" and color the hair blue, haha).

After the dust from introductions settle, we meet some "big bosses" that succeed in bugging our characters out of the peaceful existence, and into battle, inspiring them to "level up" and make the battles personal.

I'm 40 episodes in, and it's worked best for me to hold onto a batch of 3 or 4 and watch them all at once, since there are a lot of things going on and it can be easy to forget how all the characters and some actions are connected. Oh, in case you are into Halloween, this anime is infused with Halloween, and all sorts of witches, pumpkins, candles...it's a bright and shiny Halloweentown. Watchers do get to enjoy changes of scenery in case our eyes are tired of candles and darkly lit rooms and caverns.

Oh, I have to mention that Death the Kid is a favorite character of mine. Bonus points to anyone that can tell me what symmetry-based logic fuels the decision to fire guns upside down.

Recommendations:

• Naruto...ninjas, action, and the scene becomes more complex as our hero grows up
  
• HunterxHunter...development of a few characters that play up individual strengths, strategy and teamwork
  
• Bleach...main guy makes a lot of noise when he gets powers from a passing shinigami, unleashes unknown power and gets mixed into the shinigami's world and the trouble she's in because of him, big swords, powerful fights
  

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Bounen no Xamdou (Xam`d: Lost Memories)

Description on AnimeDB.net

Bounen no Xamdou - If you've watched Eureka Seven, you're going to see a lot of similarities. Luckily, after a few episodes, you might realize that it's not a complete ripoff and this is a good series on its own. You've got a boy protagonist and an "normal everyday" situation that is peaceful until a defining moment that really puts some intrigue and ups the pace for the series.

I'm 20 episodes in while writing this, and there hasn't been an episode that seemed meaningless, a waste of time, or completely dragged on. Akiyuki wakes up and adjusts fairly well which makes him likable. Nakiami's story really drew me in, and I look forward to her growth and how she will affect Akiyuki in the future. I started to miss some of the characters, so that shows that they are likable too (at least memorable. It can be difficult to remember a whole crew if it's been a while since you've seen them.) Take into account a dash of military, mecha, not-quite-mecha, different beliefs warring, and childhood friends drama.

If you wished there was a sequel to Eureka Seven, this series will tide you over. If you are looking for some spring/summertime action to get rid of winter blues, this or the lower recommendations are worth a shot.

Recommendations:

• Eureka Seven...guy + aircraft + character crew + girl
• Nausicaa...strong female character takes flight to save her valley
  
• Heroic Age...from humble beginnings he rewrites flow of the stars while fending off enemies who threaten the existence of multiple clans, spaceship (See Anime Spotlight)
  

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Do you plan to watch Bounen no Xamdou (Xam`d: Lost Memories)?