Kaichou wa Maid-sama Anime vs. Manga

There's something about shoujo manga that seems to make it difficult to translate over to a proper anime. For some reason, the art looks stiffer, the romance scenes aren't as romancy, and in general I don't get the same doki doki feeling I get from reading the manga.

In the anime, the only thing actually animated was Usui's scarf blowing in the wind. Really.

Skip Beat! had the same problem with stiff artwork, but it was saved by some fantastic voice acting (I submit that it's impossible to go wrong with Katsuyuki Konishi). Maid-sama, unfortunately, doesn't get that save. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed with the art and direction in the anime, but I must admit that it's still great to see it animated. And despite my complaints about the art, the comedic timing is excellent. If you can make me laugh at a joke I already know the punchline to, then you're doing something right.

--Ou-bento

Skip Beat! Ch. 153 - Dangerous Mission Get!

And now we continue with the story arc that sent me into fits of happiness a few weeks ago. Deliciously insane Cain Heel. owo Kyoko asks Cain if he's Ren, and then two of them have a staredown in which he seems to get increasingly angry. He scares her so badly that she loses her strength and falls to the ground, after which he merely walks off. Kyoko finally regains her strength after fifteen minutes sitting on the ground, and she leaves, feeling like and idiot for mistaking Cain as Ren. She thinks about how all of the body proportions are exactly the same as Ren's including his muscules and even his skeletal structure (Supposedly all this data is so she can make accurate replica dolls. Ha.). As she's wandering lost in thought, Cain approaches from behind and pulls her into a side alley. She starts sputtering apologies for talking to him (ah, that's the Kyoko we know and love), and he pets her on and head and tells her that she wasn't wrong and he really is Ren. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww~ Lory seems displeased that Ren blew his cover so quickly, but in truth he was expecting it all along. He then asks Kyoko to act as Cain's "guardian" since it would be a dead giveaway if Yashiro accompanied "Ren as Cain" around. The real mission begins now.

So...normally I'd be pretty ticked to have four pages of nothing happening. Seriously. The first four pages, Kyoko and Cain just stare at each other. But in this case, I'll let it slide. Because they are DELICIOUS PAGES. The entire chapter could have been like this, and I probably wouldn't have cared (actually, I definitely would, but that's beside the point). Ren is a fantastic actor (and by that, I mean Nakamura is a fantastic artist. It's still clearly Ren based on the shape of his body and face (as Kyoko so cleverly figured out), but the expressions make him seem like a wholely different person. I am in awe of the skill behind these pages. While I (like Lory) am a little disappointed that Ren blew his cover so quickly, I think it's for the best. The readers know it's Ren, so the reveal won't be much of a surprise. It's best to get it out of the way from the start. Sure, he could try tricksy things like secret phone calls and voice changers, but it's better to save those shenanigans for Detective Conan. Either way, it looks like Kyoko will have to create a character to complement Cain Heel as he goes around, and I am ridiculously excited. Ren acting, Kyoko learning, and potential for awkward and romantic situations? YES, PLEASE!

--Ou-bento

Skip Beat Ch. 152 - I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

Dear Skip Beat, I know I was unkind. You went through a rough patch, and I wasn't there for you. I didn't have any patience. Even when the storm calmed, I left you alone. But I'm writing to say that I'm sorry. I want you back in my life, baby. Can you ever forgive me for abandoning you?

Kyoko, Moko, and Chiori are spending a moody afternoon comparing their newest Love Me tasks. While Moko and Chiori are stuck going on a comedy variety show, Kyoko is called to pick up a certain "Cain Heel," a very important guest. So off she goes, clad in her trademark hot pink jumpsuit. When the honored guest doesn't show up, she calls the president only to find out that the meeting spot was changed and that she's going to be late to pick up her guest, now. The president also mentions offhandedly that Cain Heel might punch her without warning, even though she's a girl. Kyoko is scared, but she soothes herself with visions of Moko coming to comfort her by her bedside. However, all soothing visions disappear when she arrives at the meeting spot to find a darkly clad, angry, chain-smoking punk with powerful muscles and an evil eye. But as she gets closer, she realizes that this guy is Ren!

You know what makes Skip Beat addictive? Sure, the drama and the romance are fun, but there's nothing like good old Love Me action, and a serious dose of REN. Especially when he's acting. Because acting Ren is absolutely wonderful. It's great to see Kyoko back to doing her odd job Love Me duties, and it's even cooler to see Ren acting completely badass. I absolutely love love love Ren when he's acting. There's something incredibly magical about it. And this one takes the cake. I wonder if it has something to do with his movie job from like a million chapters ago. Either way, I'm more than willing to forgive Skip Beat for the latest arc, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

--Ou-bento

Liar Game Season 02 - Manga Comparison (+Movie Preview)

Well, second season of Liar Game is over. And oh my. The writers really managed to piece something interesting together, although it's not without a few confusing moments and holes. Thankfully, rather than invent entirely new content, the writers lifted things from previous manga chapters and Roots of A. Spoilers lie within. Obviously.

Round "four" of the drama was merely the manga's revival round, played pretty much by the book. After that, things starting going a little awry. A new antagonist, Katsuragi was introduced. This lovely lolita was a former classmate of Akiyama's, every bit as a sharp as him, and entirely ruthless. She took Yokoya's place in Round "five" (the manga's round four) in the "Angels and Demons" game (manga's Infection game). Additionally, Fukunaga stuck with our team through Angels and Demons, replacing Bandana from the manga. The drama suddenly introduces a new game, Gold Rush, which is essentially a rehash of the contraband game. Gold Rush basically plays the second half of the manga's round three, which was cut and rewritten in the first season so that Nao and Akiyama actually won it. In the end, only Akiyama and Fukunaga are given the rights to play in the final round. Whaaa?

Katsuragi makes a great "villain" for this series. Her personality was even more threatening than Yokoya's, although I think in the end she started losing her edge because her backstory was pretty weak. Flashbacks show her and Akiyama in school together, and the Roots of A story is revealed. Except instead of Akiyama performing above and beyond on his profiling assignment, he's a loser and Katsuragi is the one who figures out the true story instead. Although I'm happy they threwback to Roots of A, the looming threat of "Katsuragi once defeated Akiyama many years ago," suddenly becomes "Oh hey, she got a better grade than he did on ONE homework assignment. Oh noes?"

And then there's Yokoya. Whaaaat? All throughout the series, we see random flashes of Yokoya playing the same games as the rest of our heroes and totally owning. So there are concurrent Liar Games running. I can deal with that. But how on earth did Yokoya come back in the first place? Didn't he lose in round three? And if they DID bring him back, why did they bother to set up a new opponent? AND (this is most important), why did you go to all the trouble of showing him again and setting him up as a challenging opponent when he was just going to withdraw from the game at the end of Round Five? O_<>

Anyway, looks like Yokoya dropping out makes room for Nao to participate in the final round after all (all this to be revealed in the movie). Although really, all you have to say is that someone dropped out. It didn't have to be Yokoya... Movie preview shows Nao on a boat heading to an island, which indicates that the finale might be Musical Chairs. There's no guarantee, but so far it seems that while the writers don't mind mixing up the story, they're loathe to mess with the actual games.

Also, here are some screencaps from the movie preview for all you NaoxAkiyama shippers.

--Ou-bento

Durara Ep. 01 - Headless Horseman, but Cuter

It's like Baccano! except the first episode makes sense (and it has an extra exclamation point). That is a good thing. Durara!!, the first show this season that I actually feel like talking about, is another one of those stories with five thousand characters in it. The art and opening definitely give off that Baccano! feel, but the story manages to stand on its own. We're introduced to (or warned about) a good portion of the cast in this episode, seeing most of the events through the eyes of shy guy Ryuugamine as he first ventures out into the wide world that is Ikebukuro. The place is seeped in modern Japanese culture, but for Ryuugamine, it's all something of a culture shock. The most shocking thing, however, are rumors of a black motorcyclist who has no head. When she (yes she, if the body is any indication) makes her appearance, it's clear that unearthly forces at work, as her body seems to be made of nothing but shadow.

Great first episode, if I do say so myself. Lots of interesting plot threads all hanging around to be gathered up, a very likeable cast, and mysteries aplenty. Plus, a guy who throws vending machines. Seriously. I am looking forward to more.

Liar Game 2 Ep. 01 - Everything is still really dark and stuff.

Well, the Liar Game drama is back after a two year break. Fans of the first season will be happy to see that not much has changed. The cast all find their characters quickly, the set still looks like an abandoned night club, and the mysteries still abound. The first season ending with our team winning Round 3 handily, and this season begins with an ominous invitation to Round 4 that no one seems able to resist. Round 4 is another team game, this time made with three player teams. In this case, Nao is luckily paired with Akiyama and Fukunaga, who will probably dominate everything. Elsewhere, a strange woman who seems to have ties with Akiyama is participating in a separate Round 4 and she is pretty coolly manipulating the game without a care in the world. The games are divided into three one-on-one battles. Fukunaga is up first against Nishida from the other team. The game is 24-shot Russian Roulette. The rules are simple. If you shoot yourself in the head (with a blank), you lose money to your opponent. If the chamber is empty, you win all the money on the table. If you want to pass, just pay up to the pot on the table. Too many passes in a row, and the dealer will take all the chips and discharge the chamber herself. Fukunaga dominates the game and cleans house with Nishida, even tricking him into shooting himself twice. However, Nao realizes that there's a trap in the game that will make everyone lose.

For manga fans, you'll notice quite a few differences. First, the drama calls this "Round 4," although manga readers will recognize this as Revival Round 2. Second, the introduction of the new character who looks like she's going to be set up as the new antagonist (rather than Yokoya). Fukunaga still isn't a crossdresser, but he does happen to randomly carry a pencil with him for one of his tricks in the game. And of course, there are a series of design differences that don't matter nearly as much. But despite all the changes, it's still Liar Game at its core. I'm curious to see how they handle this, especially the final movie, since the manga still doesn't seem to be anywhere near completion. At least it seems to have a good start.

--Ou-bento

P.S.
Great interview with Toda Erika here.

Gamble Fish - Manga Review

Great scot, what the flying snet am I reading? It's like the illegitimate child of Liar Game and the My HiME manga, but without the charm of either of its parents. And yet I keep coming back. ::sigh:: Gamble Fish is a manga about some dude named Tom who's a sneaky gambler. He plays mind games with people and likes to swindle them out of their money. So since he's such a dashing sort of dude, he goes to a super rich kids school in order to make some money. At the school he meets increasingly hot and talented chicks who challenge him to increasingly ridiculous battles that he wins in increasingly ridiculous ways, like cutting off his finger with a chainsaw. It's okay, though. They sew it back on! Oh, and the bizarrely bodacious babes (are you SURE this is a high school?) wear less and less clothing as time progresses. He then proceeds to collect them in his little harem along with the requisite short nerdy kid who does nothing but worry about him from the sidelines.

But for all it's ridiculous plot points and generally gimicky nature, I keep coming back to this darn thing. Maybe it's because I really do want to know his ulterior motive for trying to swindle this entire school blind. It's most likely because I'm just waiting for the part where he kicks reason to the curb, shouts "GAMBLING!" and pierces the heavens with his drill.

In terms of art, it's not bad, but certainly not my style. I prefer my girls slim and fairy-like, possibly even sad and in the snow. But if you like your chicks with a little meat on them, you'll like these babes, especially when they strip to perform magic tricks or shower together because that's what friends do! The plot is ridiculous, but strangely addictive. I actually want to know what happens next. Weird. If you're looking for something with ridiculous stakes, lots of gasping in surprise, and many hot chicks, then toss reason out the window and enjoy the ride that is Gamble Fish. If you'd rather something more reasoned and logical...there's always the Death Note light novel. Haha, LIGHT novel. Get it?

--Ou-bento