Video: Love Stage! Opening
Izumi Sena has always dreamed of becoming a world famous Manga artist, but there's one problem: he comes strictly from a show business family. With his parents professional performers and his older brother the lead singer for the band CRUSHERZ, Izumi constantly feels the pressure of also joining the family business of entertainment. When Izumi is suddenly asked to appear in a commercial similar to one he was spontaneously thrown into ten years prior, he flat out refuses to accept as he was forced to dress and portray a young girl. After much persuading, Izumi agrees to appear in the commercial is reunited with the young male child actor, Ryoma Ichijo, whom he starred with ten years ago and who still believes Izumi to be a girl. Ryoma has never forgotten Izumi and has been deeply in love with him for the past ten years, but when Ryoma discovers the truth about Izumi, will the fact that Izumi is really a boy change Ryoma's feelings for him?
Why I began this series: I was on YouTube and came across a 'Top 10 Best Yaoi Anime" video. I was scrolling through the comments of the video and noticed many people saying the reviewer had left out one of the most crucial and best Yaoi anime of all time: Love Stage!. Only being somewhat educated in Yaoi thanks to South Park and having never seen any Yaoi anime before, I took to finding and watching the series.
Thoughts on the series:
This series swept me off my feet - everything from its characters, animation, story, voice acting, soundtrack was simply stunning. The main pair of Izumi and Ryoma were perfect contrasts to each other, with one being manga loving die hard Otaku and the other a world famous actor and celebrity. Additionally, the chemistry between Izumi and Ryoma was instant, beautiful and inspiring, as the two grew to become close friends and eventually discover their true feelings for one another. The supporting cast was excellent as well, especially Rei, the Sena family manager, and Izumi's famous brother Shogo, both who I grew to love just as much as the two leads. Something I found interesting about the characters in general was that there was not a single one I "hated" or could deem a "bad guy". Because each character was genuinely a good person and dealt with such real emotions, I ultimately decided to root for them all and fangirled many times over because of it. But one of the many things that brought the extremely lovable and memorable characters of Love Stage! to life was the series beautiful animation and art style. The look of the series was so effortless and beautiful, making its short ten episode run feel like something out of a long lost fairy tale. The one thing that especially stood out was the eyes of Izumi, Ryoma and Rei, and how they were animated in relation to their respective personalities. Izumis purple-yellow eyes were unique, absolutely stunning to look at from episode to episode and some of the most beautiful eyes I have ever encountered in anime. Similarly, his eyes reflected how conflicted the innocent Izumi constantly felt about his future and his feelings for Ryoma. Ryomas dark purple eyes were a perfect contrast to Izumi's and portrayed a deep love and sense of devotion that Ryoma had for him. Finally, Rei's more slender yet soothing orange eyes reflected both his upstanding position as a businessman and the Sena family manager alongside his love for Izumi as somewhat of a second father figure. All three of these characters eyes were simply mesmerizing and beautiful.
(Eyes from Love Stage! - Top to Bottom: Izumi, Ryoma & Rei)
Another element of the series animation that I first took me by surprise but later I grew to love was during scenes where Izumi and Ryoma were intimate together. During these scenes in order to coincide with Japanese censorship law, the respective characters bodies were filled out with a singular color which not only censored the scene but reflected that characters feelings at that moment. This was a very interesting concept and I loved this idea of censorship, rather than blurring something out or making the entire scene translucent. I found myself constantly lost within the animation and I can truly say it is one of the most beautifully animated series I have ever seen. Then there is the story, and while the story of Love Stage! is pretty cut and dry, it was still incredibly moving to watch. A tale of love, internal struggle and understanding ones sexuality, Love Story! was both a breeze to watch, left me watching episode after episode relentlessly and made me experience a wide variety of emotions. But the story would not be able to thrive if it wasn't for one very important thing: the voice actors. While I am still a reviewer getting used to original Japanese along with English subtitles, the entire Japanese voice cast was brilliant, and while I would absolutely love to someday get an English Dub, its hard to imagine Love Stage! any other way. The voices for Izumi and Ryoma respectively were extremely well done and perfectly fit the characters, making them all the more attractive as the series progressed. The final element, and the element I am most hard one when it comes to an anime series, was the soundtrack - and wow, did I love it. From the series opening, ending, exciting and romantic tracks, the soundtrack of Love Stage! added so much to the series and made it all the more beautiful.
A ten episode series with an additional OVA, Love Story! turned me into a true Yaoi fan and introduced me to new genre of anime that I had never explored before - and I couldn't be happier. Love Stage! is now in my Top 10 Anime of All Time and a series I would recommend to anyone looking for a great love story and who isn't bothered by watching Yaoi or BL (boy love).
Sekaiichi Hatsukoi - The World's Greatest First Love (2011)
Video: Sekaiichi Hatsukoi Original Opening
Ritsu Onodera has always considered himself a "jaded adult". The only son an heir to the infamous Onedera Publishing Company, over the past ten years Onodera has been quitting a number of jobs due to his unhappiness. When Ritsu is made the newest editor to the Shoujo Manga department he is sure he will work for only a few weeks and quit just as he did with the others, but Ritsu is stunned to learn that his boss, the editor in chief, is Masamune Takado - his old boyfriend and lover from high school. With Takado now back in his life ten years later Ritsu is determined to concentrate on his new position, but when Takado declares his love for him will Ritsu accept his past or turn and run as he has been for the past ten years?
Why I began this series: I had just finished Love Stage! and wanted to continue on the Yaoi train. I took to the Internet to find some series similar to Love Stage! and I came across Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.
Thoughts on the series:
While I very much enjoyed this series, I have mixed feelings on it overall. The story was good, focusing on the degraded relationship between Onodera and Takado and how over time their relationship was able to be fixed and even grow. While this plot concept was good most of the story just felt over dramatic and somewhat like a soap opera, as I found myself constantly screaming at the screen. Many of the characters were quick to jump to conclusions, often causing more problems, and then when things would finally be resolved it would start all over again. This however I believe is due to the characters themselves, as they struggle to keep their work and private lives separate among the fact that they are all homosexual. Characters like Ritsu Onodera, Chaiki Yoshido and Shouta Kisa, characters who I would label as the less experienced or the seme in the relationship, were the biggest offenders of this as trust and acceptance were constant issues and this doubt was usually caused by the more experienced partner or uke, including Takado, Hatori and Yukina. After primarily introducing all these issues I was unsure of how the series would be able to solve them all with a single couple, so when I learned that the series would be focusing on three couples made up of members from the same editing team I was somewhat relieved. While having three couples was a very smart move on the series behalf, at times it made things more complicated. Episodes would switch from couple to couple without warning and it was hard at times to remember what had just previously happened with that pair before their story continued. It was made even more difficult by the fact that many of the seme characters looked almost identical, the only difference being eye or hair color, so it was hard at times to realize whose story we had switched to. This fact additionally made the pacing of the entire series were odd and disjointed, as some episodes felt incredibly slow and dragged out while others seemed to fly by. All confusion aside, the stories of each couple were wonderful to watch and each accomplished the same goals just through different means. The greatest couples of the series was Onodera and Takada, as they both shared a somewhat painful past but were able to overcome it as individuals with the help and support of each other. Not surprisingly, Onodera and Takada had some of the best scenes in the series making Sekaiichi Hatsukoi live up to its Yaoi name. The other pair I particularly grew to love and enjoyed watching was Shouta Kisa and Kou Yukina, as each ultimately discovered they needed each other to face everyday challenges. But as with most series there is a character to hate, and for Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, Yokozawa took the prize. While nice to look at, his actions and attitude towards both Takada and especially Onodera had me constantly yelling at the screen and I was glad and somewhat proud that in the end that Yokozawa was left empty handed. These characters were simple, yet deep and complex, making Sekaiichi Hatsukoi a very different kind of Yaoi anime. The Japanese voice cast was wonderful with performances by Onodera and Takada especially notable. While I doubt the series will ever receive an English Dub, it would be extremely interesting to see which company would license it and who would be cast in each role. But for those many anime that never receive a Dub, many anime fans make their own (see below):
While I very much enjoyed this series, I have mixed feelings on it overall. The story was good, focusing on the degraded relationship between Onodera and Takado and how over time their relationship was able to be fixed and even grow. While this plot concept was good most of the story just felt over dramatic and somewhat like a soap opera, as I found myself constantly screaming at the screen. Many of the characters were quick to jump to conclusions, often causing more problems, and then when things would finally be resolved it would start all over again. This however I believe is due to the characters themselves, as they struggle to keep their work and private lives separate among the fact that they are all homosexual. Characters like Ritsu Onodera, Chaiki Yoshido and Shouta Kisa, characters who I would label as the less experienced or the seme in the relationship, were the biggest offenders of this as trust and acceptance were constant issues and this doubt was usually caused by the more experienced partner or uke, including Takado, Hatori and Yukina. After primarily introducing all these issues I was unsure of how the series would be able to solve them all with a single couple, so when I learned that the series would be focusing on three couples made up of members from the same editing team I was somewhat relieved. While having three couples was a very smart move on the series behalf, at times it made things more complicated. Episodes would switch from couple to couple without warning and it was hard at times to remember what had just previously happened with that pair before their story continued. It was made even more difficult by the fact that many of the seme characters looked almost identical, the only difference being eye or hair color, so it was hard at times to realize whose story we had switched to. This fact additionally made the pacing of the entire series were odd and disjointed, as some episodes felt incredibly slow and dragged out while others seemed to fly by. All confusion aside, the stories of each couple were wonderful to watch and each accomplished the same goals just through different means. The greatest couples of the series was Onodera and Takada, as they both shared a somewhat painful past but were able to overcome it as individuals with the help and support of each other. Not surprisingly, Onodera and Takada had some of the best scenes in the series making Sekaiichi Hatsukoi live up to its Yaoi name. The other pair I particularly grew to love and enjoyed watching was Shouta Kisa and Kou Yukina, as each ultimately discovered they needed each other to face everyday challenges. But as with most series there is a character to hate, and for Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, Yokozawa took the prize. While nice to look at, his actions and attitude towards both Takada and especially Onodera had me constantly yelling at the screen and I was glad and somewhat proud that in the end that Yokozawa was left empty handed. These characters were simple, yet deep and complex, making Sekaiichi Hatsukoi a very different kind of Yaoi anime. The Japanese voice cast was wonderful with performances by Onodera and Takada especially notable. While I doubt the series will ever receive an English Dub, it would be extremely interesting to see which company would license it and who would be cast in each role. But for those many anime that never receive a Dub, many anime fans make their own (see below):
'Sekaiichi Hatsukoi' FANDUB Clip - Season 2, Episode 1
Yaoi as a genre is quickly becoming more and more of a personal favorite of mine and Sekaiichi Hatsukoi was a wonderful addition to my still very new obsession. A series with far more than meets the eye, Sekaiichi Hatsukoi is a series I would recommend to fellow Yaoi fans or anime fans who are looking to experience Yaoi with a far more controlled and censored approach.
The Boy and The Beast - Bakemono No Ko (2016)
Video: 'The Boy and The Beast' English Trailer
"When Kyuya, a young orphan living on the streets of Shibuya, stumbles into a fantastic world of beasts, he is taken in by Kumatetsu, a gruff, rough-around-the-edges warrior beast who's been searching for the perfect apprentice. Despite their constant bickering, Kyuya and Kumatetsu begin training together and slowly form a bond as surrogate father and son. But when a deep darkness threatens to throw the human and beast worlds into chaos, the strong bong between this unlikely pair will be put to the ultimate test - a final showdown that will only be won if the two can finally work together using all of their combined strength and courage." (RottonTomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_boy_and_the_beast/)
Why I saw this movie: When I heard Japans latest anime masterpiece was being released in select theaters I could not have been more excited. It was just by chance that I discovered a theater near me was showing the film, both in the original Japanese and the English Dub produced by FUNimation, and I leaped at the opportunity to see it.
Thoughts on the film:
Having not seen writer and director Mamoru Hosoda's other critically acclaimed and award winning film, Wolf Children, I went into The Boy and The Beast completely blind, only knowing a majority of the English voice casting as it had recently been dubbed and produced by FUNimation. The film itself was something I did not expect and went much deeper than I originally thought it would. From the start the plot was interesting, giving off a somewhat "Spirited Away" vibe, mixed with a unique animation and art style that made the whole film feel more rugged. This added not only to the story but also the idea that a majority of the films characters were hard around the edges and that their story was more important for the viewer to see and understand rather than being distracted by the animation. Due to this unique art style the characters seemed very realistic and relatable, though the story itself was somewhat fantastical. But what really set this film apart from all the others was its English dub cast. A cast of FUNimation favorites, including Luci Christian (Ouran High School Host Club), Monica Rial (Deadman Wonderland), Ian Sinclair (Black Butler), Josh Grelle (Snow White with the Red Hair) and Austin Tindle (Tokyo Ghoul), the entire cast did a phenomenal job and left me wanting to watch it all over again. My favorite performances by far however were those of Eric Vale (Teen Ren) and John Swasey (Kumatetsu) as their chemistry and performances left me both overjoyed and drowning in tears. While the story is moving and very emotional, the true star for me was the incredible cast.
'The Boy and The Beast' English Clip - The Sword in the Soul
(Kumatetsu: John Swasey & Ren: Luci Christian)
A new film by Mamoru Hosoda making the equivalent of 5.4 million US dollars during the first two days of its release in Japan, The Boy and The Beast is a must see film. A story of acceptance, family and love, The Boy and The Beast is yet another example of how .
For more information about FUNimation, visit: http://www.funimation.com/home
For more reviews of 'The Boy and The Beast", visit: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_boy_and_the_beast/
Want to know more about The Boy and The Beast? Check your local theater to see if it's screening near you!
Brothers Conflict (2013)
Video: Brothers Conflict Original Opening
Ema Ashahina's father has recently remarried and Ema is preparing to move to her new home. But when Ema arrives and discovers she now has thirteen brothers her life is turned on its head. Ema must now figure out how to balance school and her new life, only made more complicated by the fact that many of her new brothers have started to fall for her. Will Ema grow to reciprocate their feelings, or does she simply love them because they're family?
Why I began this series: The first thing that caught my eye for Brothers Conflict was its poster with so many beautiful boys.
Thoughts on the series:
Fan service. Fan service everywhere.
A reverse harem, Brothers Conflict delivers thirteen incredible attractive, irresistible young men as the centerpiece of the series. Unlike other anime series Brothers Conflict seemed to have no plot whatsoever though its animation was nice to look at and its many characters were more than enough to make up the series lost elements. Due to its large cast and in order to review Brothers Conflict more efficiently, I've included the list below with all the voice actors portraying the thirteen brothers and a few additional favorite roles from other series:
Masaomi Ashahina - J Michael Tatum (Sebastian from Black Butler, Shu Tsukiyama from Tokyo Ghoul & Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss)
Ukyo Asahina - Christopher R Sabat (Jason from Tokyo Ghoul)
Kaname Asahina - Ian Sinclair (Tatsumi from Shiki)
Hikaru Asahina - Todd Haberkorn (Hikaru from Ouran High School Host Club, Death the Kid from Soul Eater Haruka Nanase from Free & Free: Eternal Summer)
Tsubaki Asahina - Micah Solusod (Yu from Seraph of the End & Soul Eater Evans from Soul Eater)
Azusa Asahina - Josh Grelle (Zen Wisteria from Snow White with the Red Hair, Inspector Giniza from Psycho-Pass, Armin Arlert from Attack on Titan & Yuki from Future Diary)
Natsume Asahina - Kyle Hewbert (Ryuji Suguro from Blue Exorcist)
Louis Asahina - Jerry Jewell (Shinya Hiragi from Seraph of the End: Battle of Nagoya, Natsuno Yuki from Shiki & Lau from Black Butler)
Subaru Asahina - David Matranga (Tomoya Oakazaki from Clannad & Clannad: After Story)
Iori Asahina - Eric Vale (Lord Ferid from Seraph of the End, Kazuma from Noragami & Noragami Aragoto)
Yuske Asahina - Matthew Mercer (Captain Levi from Attack on Titan)
Futo Asahina - Vic Mignogna (Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club, Rin Matsuoka from Free & Free: Eternal Summer, Zero from Vampire Knight & Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist)
Wataru Asahina - Bryce Papenbrook (Kirito from Sword Art Online & Masaomi Kida from DuRaRaRa!!)
From when I first found this lineup to even even after I had finished the series I thought I had died and gone to heaven. A dream cast, the individual performances of all the brothers was very special and fun to watch. While I couldn't choose just one brother as a favorite, I especially grew to love Hikaru for his funny, know-it-all personality, Tsubaki and Azusa for their twin bond, Louis for his relaxing hippie vibe and Futo for his pop-star diva lifestyle. Also noteworthy was Colleen Clinkenbeard as Ema Asahina, as I had never seen Clinkenbeard in a leading role before.
A reverse harem, Brothers Conflict delivers thirteen incredible attractive, irresistible young men as the centerpiece of the series. Unlike other anime series Brothers Conflict seemed to have no plot whatsoever though its animation was nice to look at and its many characters were more than enough to make up the series lost elements. Due to its large cast and in order to review Brothers Conflict more efficiently, I've included the list below with all the voice actors portraying the thirteen brothers and a few additional favorite roles from other series:
Masaomi Ashahina - J Michael Tatum (Sebastian from Black Butler, Shu Tsukiyama from Tokyo Ghoul & Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss)
Ukyo Asahina - Christopher R Sabat (Jason from Tokyo Ghoul)
Kaname Asahina - Ian Sinclair (Tatsumi from Shiki)
Hikaru Asahina - Todd Haberkorn (Hikaru from Ouran High School Host Club, Death the Kid from Soul Eater Haruka Nanase from Free & Free: Eternal Summer)
Tsubaki Asahina - Micah Solusod (Yu from Seraph of the End & Soul Eater Evans from Soul Eater)
Azusa Asahina - Josh Grelle (Zen Wisteria from Snow White with the Red Hair, Inspector Giniza from Psycho-Pass, Armin Arlert from Attack on Titan & Yuki from Future Diary)
Natsume Asahina - Kyle Hewbert (Ryuji Suguro from Blue Exorcist)
Louis Asahina - Jerry Jewell (Shinya Hiragi from Seraph of the End: Battle of Nagoya, Natsuno Yuki from Shiki & Lau from Black Butler)
Subaru Asahina - David Matranga (Tomoya Oakazaki from Clannad & Clannad: After Story)
Iori Asahina - Eric Vale (Lord Ferid from Seraph of the End, Kazuma from Noragami & Noragami Aragoto)
Yuske Asahina - Matthew Mercer (Captain Levi from Attack on Titan)
Futo Asahina - Vic Mignogna (Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club, Rin Matsuoka from Free & Free: Eternal Summer, Zero from Vampire Knight & Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist)
Wataru Asahina - Bryce Papenbrook (Kirito from Sword Art Online & Masaomi Kida from DuRaRaRa!!)
From when I first found this lineup to even even after I had finished the series I thought I had died and gone to heaven. A dream cast, the individual performances of all the brothers was very special and fun to watch. While I couldn't choose just one brother as a favorite, I especially grew to love Hikaru for his funny, know-it-all personality, Tsubaki and Azusa for their twin bond, Louis for his relaxing hippie vibe and Futo for his pop-star diva lifestyle. Also noteworthy was Colleen Clinkenbeard as Ema Asahina, as I had never seen Clinkenbeard in a leading role before.
While in the end Brothers Conflict was not anything special, I'm still glad I watched it. A series with thirteen gorgeous boys fighting for the heart of their new sister, Brothers Conflict was a nice series which I would recommend if you're looking for an escape from the usual anime series or a series that requires absolutely no thinking but delivers eye candy one thousand percent.
