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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