Sorry for the lateness

OK, due to some issues involving my fiance's computer, there were no posts about movies and such due to that.

So anyone, let's get down to movies!

Return to Oz
1985
*****

Yes, OLD, but a goodie for all who have a love for steampunk and a hint of the dark. The movie takes place after Dorothy returns from OZ, she is basically unable to sleep. Her aunt is at her last wits and believes that some therapy might do her some good. When all is said and done, the child is packed up to a mental hospital for "therapy" there she meets a little girl who helps her escape on a wild night of rain and crazy people trying to escape the mad doctor's house.

Waking up in OZ, it is drastically different and not the child knew before. She meets a new cast of friends, a talking chicken, a mechanical marvel, and Jack the talking pumpkin. Can she save the Emerald City and the mysterious girl in the mirrors?

Unlike the Judy Garland OZ, this place is pretty dark and not at all meant for children, this is actually based off two of the OZ books, Ozama of Oz and The Land of Oz, which are not happy go lucky. In truth, Dorothy is the brave hero and is able to hold her own against a Nome King who wants to take everything for himself. In fact, when I saw this movie when I was 10, I was terrified of the wheelers, the wheeling crazed creatures who worked for Princess Mombi the evil witch. I started to like this movie and because of that, it gave me a good sense of the what it means to be a kid and also to be hero.

May Reviews

Books
Monster High: The Ghoul Next Door
Lisi Harrison
****
Frankie and Melody's lives are getting a little more complicated, with the problems with Bekka a total monster hater. The RAD kids are trying to show they are not evil and also that they just want to go to school just like everyone else. So with Bekka making a problems, and Cleo, daughter of the Mummy thinking she is not getting the attention she so deserves as well as a teen photoshoot.

The series is interesting and also looked interesting as it gets going. The monsters are trying their best and also the story is addicting as is, from the first book to now the second.
Movies
None for this month

Manga
Pandora Hearts
****

Oz is turning fifteen and he's about to get a huge problem, he meets B. Rabbit who is out to find her memories and also trying to solve a mystery, his own attempted murder. He learns that B. Rabbit is his only chance and must ally with her in order to save the family and find out who Baskerville is.

This series is actually really good, the story is mysterious and also addicting. I found this series to be sad and also very interesting.

Anime
Sora no Woto (Sound of the Sky)
*****
Kanata wants to be a trumpeter like her hero, a princess who went about the country bringing hope to the people fighting a neighbor for a reason no one remembers. Kanata who just turned fifteen ends up at Trumpeting the Hours fort where she meets the girls who are rebuilding a forgotten tank. She meets Rio, a trumpeter as well, Filicia the commander, Kureha the gunner, and Noel the group's mechanic.

The series has a mystery to it, a past that is mixed with Japanese, Spanish, and many others. At first it looks strange with the history of a world that is our current and their past. It is almost sad and very interesting little bits of history and set to a war no one knows why it is going on.

April Reviews

Books
Werewolf Smackdown
Mario Acevedo
****
There is a war raging between the werewolves, and a PI is suddenly thrown into it. This will pull all the undead into it, and cause problems for local undead creatures. The PI's girlfriend, a known vampire who suddenly has to investigate what is going on.

The story is not only off the wall and comes from the series of books written by Mario Acevedo, a well known writer in Colorado. I found the story humorous and waited a long time to actually get a chance to read it.

Movies
(None for this month)

Manga
Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 1
*****
Edward Elric and his brother, Al are on the road to find the philosopher's stone to find a cure for their small problem. Even though Edward has rose to the ranks of the State Alchemists. He is soon finding problems throughout the world he works for...some stranger than others.

The series is famous enough with fans and has won the hearts of many people. Fans have shown up at conventions world wide. I found this book to be amazing and well written, the story was an excellent openings to the series.

Anime
Persona: Trinity Soul
****

The Kanzato brothers go back to their home town after a long history of being separated from their elder brother. Shin, the middle brother has always looked after his brother, Jun. While they uncover the strange mystery of their family and also the strange incidents that led up to them leaving Ayanagi City.

The series shows a mystery and also based from the stories of the Persona games, these are mysterious and also scary at times. The characters a well made and the story leaves you hanging onto the next.

Early Reviews of March

I'm early, this is because of Animeland Wasabi...I will be reviewing the convention and also putting in some photos for my loyal readers to see. See you at Wasabi!

Books:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Seth Grahame-Smith
*****
Whose life is more interesting yet mysterious, that would be Abraham Lincoln, from the time he was young to his adult years, there is a lot that people don't know. In fact it wouldn't be surprising he was a vampire hunter in his spare time. At least that was the story implies of our president. He seems haunted by tragedy, and yet here he is, hunting vampires and running for president?

OK, first off the story was actually a surprise, I'm not a huge fan of Seth's work, but this story was actually really quite funny and yet felt almost true. He made a fictionalized story about a president who died so tragically enough at Ford's Theater and made the book almost strangely a work of art. It earns its five stars so quietly and gracefully for a book!

Video for the book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X58RPS665V0

Movies:
Inception
****

What happens when you sleep? What kind of information can you give away in your dreams? A young man is able to jump into your dreams and find out secrets from your own life. His own life is a rather mystery and he’s a falling apart person trying to find where he mixes in life.

The story is fast paced and amazing, but it falls short in some places it is almost like Dark City in some cases where it becomes a blur between reality and dream world. Whether intended or not, it was confusing to me and also my fiancé who was sitting watching it with me.

Anime:
Yozakura Quartet
****

This series revolves around Sakura-shin, a small town where Youkai and Humans live peacefully, it is maintained by Hiizumi Life Council, a group of young people who strive to make lives better for the Youkai residents. Hiizumi Akina who is the head, his life can’t be any harder with a mayor like Hime who is on guard to protect the people who come here. Their life long friend, Gin is possessed by an evil Youkai, Enjin who wants to destroy the village and force a barrier between the humans and youkai. Many of these creatures want nothing more to live their everyday lives in peace, and Enjin is just out to ruin it for them all.

The series in itself is actually quite action packed with characters like Akina and Hime who are trying to stop the evil forces. They want to help their friend and also keep the human world out of trying to ruining the youkai’s rights to live freely.

The story is good, though there are points that you have to take a double take and that kind of makes it hard to the watcher. I suppose the manga would give better insight than the anime does, it gives character development there, in the anime is there no development. So the four stars sort of falls short of expect and truly the series should only get 3 stars. The fourth star is for the artwork in general which is rather nice and rather cool with great cast of characters and the fact that Seki from Weiss Kreuz is among the cast of Voice Actors, makes it at least worth while…

Manga:
Not Until After Animeland Wasabi!

(Follow me to Animeland Wasabi this year)

February Reviews

Sorry for the lateness....

Books

Brisingr
by Christopher Paolini
*****
Continuing the adventure with Eragon and his dragon friend, Saphira, they face new dangers and Eragon's cousin join in the battle to find not only his love and also get the story. More than ever Morzan's legacy follows them no matter what and the secrets of the past are soon revealed to everyone about the heritage of the new dragon rider.

I love the story, it is very catching and keeps my attention, the action is so easy to imagine and characters are easy to follow.


Movies

Tron: Legacy
****
Continuing where the last Tron movie left off, this movie takes place in present day with the son of the computer creator. Missing for years, the son of the creator has to go into the machine and pry his father out. He meets Clue who looks exactly like his father when he left.

The movie really is a good one, but seriously, I would tell anyone that it is best to see the first movie before you go and watch this one. This is a long awaited sequel, the music is amazing and also the story.

Anime
Canvas 2
*****
Main characters from a dating sim called Canvas are back and there is more fight over a high school teacher named Hiroki. Assistant teacher, Hiroki has his hands full, he has a student who uses him for writing her manga novel, a student who is always ill, his cousin who is obsessed with him, and his old high school flame, Kiri. He has his own problems too, he just can't draw, he is supposed to be celebrated artist, but he just can't seem to find away to draw. Truly he has his hands full.

This series was something my fiance and I sat down and watched together. The story seemed like an average slice of life, but it is anything but that. The story is cute and the characters are sort of able to grow on you quite well. The ending is surprising, but I'm not going to give it away. Just that it isn't who you expect that gets in the guy in the end.

Manga

Not for this month

January Reviews

Anime

Soul Eater
****
Maka and Soul are on the journey to become Lord Death's Scythe, and also attend school at Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA) founded by Lord Death himself. The school is chuck full of crazy students, including the self centered Black Star and his partner Tsubaki, Lord Death's OCD son, Death the Kid with his two partners, Patty and Liz. A mad scientist of a teacher, Maka's loving father who is now going through the divorce and also an evil witch named Medusa.

Aside from the artwork which I had trouble with, this series and story is amazing, the characters are full of life and crazy as hell. There is so much fun watching and also the story is simply out of this world. I recommend it and give it the tradition 4 star rating.

Manga
(none for January)

Books
Eldest
By Christopher Paolini
*****
Eragon has gone through a lot and fighting the shade is only part of the quest. He soon finds himself sent toward the Elves to start his Rider training with an elder Rider who has been hiding among the elves for centuries. Many of the problems that are starting to show with his cousin's return to the home village to find his father dead, his cousin, Eragon missing, and enemies closing in.

This series is a cliff hanger of a book, completing it can be a chore, but the story is still amazing and fun to read. The writing is still a challenge for those who never were able to read British styled English and also the language creation, but in all, it is still a great book and I would recommend it to anyone.

Movies
(None Till February)