http://the-evilempire.net/index.php?app=tutorials Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:41:48 +0000 1800 Evil Empire Reviews http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/63-steinsgate/
Steins;Gate could may well be the best science fiction thriller that has ever come out. It may also even be one of the best series that have come out of all time. Whatever rating it may be getting or whichever list ranks it high or not, there’s no doubt that this series is one rollercoaster ride you cannot afford to miss just because it’s not like Naruto nor a feel-good series with panty shots. You may argue that its plot has similarities to Western movies like Back to the Future where there are even direct references to it – even throw in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure if you want to say that the phone booth in that movie inspired the concept of the Phone Microwave. But one thing for sure is it certainly has brought more to a story about time travel than those two combined.

It looks fun and games at first since all they do is mostly experiment, argue, fool around a bit and then experiment some more while they argue. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just that though as the series is a full-blown thriller packed with twists and surprises that will hold you in suspense as Okabe desperately tries to undo a single death regardless of a much bigger conspiratorial plot. Furthermore, as the story progresses, we’ll see that everything from the most minor detail to the most important plot device is connected in one way or another. That’s right; the simplest argument, each and every one of their experiments, a single text message or dialogue, even the Upas are significant to the story as a whole and that’s one of the things that makes this series so amazing.

Aside from the thrills, it is also quite intellectually engaging. Unlike most stories about time travel, this series discusses a wide range of theories and hypotheses about time travel, its methods and of course its effect on the world. It also tackles a very different concept about time in the form of World Lines. In theory, it is similar to parallel universes but it is not. Rather, it is the divergence of the path the world is taking every time they try to alter the past even by a little. In other words, the world is split from a world line where one thing happened where it didn’t occur at another due to their alteration of the past and it will continue to split as long as they use their time machine. If you want to find out more about this though, you should watch it for yourself as it may take more than this review can cover.

Characters are very likeable, although, if you have seen its predecessor Chaos;Head and disliked the main character, you may at first think Okabe Rintarou is the same delusional yet less paranoid character as Nishijou Takumi. Don’t let that put you down though as Okabe is shown to be a normal yet playful guy who values his friends later on in the story. The cast may be ripe for a harem series as it is mostly girls. Much more, we have a collection of them with traits that can be found in said genre such as the athletic girl, the quiet glasses girl, the childhood friend, the popular girl, (everyone’s favorite) the tsundere, and the trap – okay, maybe this one has yet to establish itself in the typical harem genre. Anyway, the point is even though it has what it takes to become a harem title, it does not wholly venture into it and stays on its own path which in turn maximized plot progression and character growth for not only the lead character but the entire cast as well.

It was mentioned that another series has preceded this; do you need to see it to understand the story? To answer the question that you will most likely ask: no, as Chaos;Head and Steins;Gate are two different stories that just happened to be in the same setting. They have no other connection other than that.

In conclusion, Steins;Gate is a must-see series. It may not have a lot of action, but it is definitely one of the most suspenseful series you’ll ever see thanks to its masterful storytelling mixed with a great composition of music put in the appropriate scenes, an awesome voice cast and a great delivery. If you’re already a fan of Nitro+’s works, then you should know how good they can be.

Is it worth to re-watch? Definitely as you will be surprised to find minor details that you will not think of anything but unimportant on your first viewing. They are small details that you would probably not think it was anything significant but are actual hints of what is ahead so you need to pay extra attention to every bit of detail presented. In any case, no matter how many times you’ll see it, it is guaranteed that this series will take you for a ride.

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Discuss this Manga: Other Manga District]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 63 carboncopy 13 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/62-chrno-crusade/
Rosette Christopher is a gun-slinging nun of the Order of Magdala that deals with exorcism of demons in the 1920s U.S.A. Along with her partner who is ironically another demon named Chrno, they perform missions for the church all while trying to find Rosette’s brother Joshua. But there comes a certain twist. Chrno is a demon that has lost his horns, which is a source of power for them, and is contracted to Rosette. In order to fight the enemies they have to face, there comes a time when he has to use the powers of the contract to gain full battle strength which uses the soul and drains the life out of his contractor. Will they be able to find Joshua before Rosette’s life runs out?

Chrno Crusade tastes like your average action-adventure Shounen series, but its own flavor can be distinguishable once you chew enough. Although, it’s not because it has a girl for a lead character as Rosette is the kind of heroine you will find in most Shounen titles with female leads: a loud tomboy. Aside from that, certain traits of a typical Shounen hero are present in her as well such as having a positive happy-go-lucky attitude and a strong sense of friendship. What sets this series apart from most is the presence of a time limit and the lingering possibility that the heroine may die before accomplishing her goal which gives you the feeling that they have a set destination and are not just blindly wandering about in lieu of their goal. Although, there aren’t many subplots to begin with so you can really focus on the main plot without much distractions.

Guns may be present and, in the beginning, it gives the impression that it will be mostly gunfights, but that only makes up half of the action present in this series as later on it will be replaced by supernatural fighting, prevalently hand-to-hand combat as Chrno begins to use more of the contract between him and Rosette. Speaking of action, its fights are often brief, but they are long enough to make you hold your breath on how the heroes are going to fare in battle. One could say the length is just right as it allows the story to move on a faster pace to make you want to find out what’s going to happen next.

Its story is pretty straight-forward. We see them going on an adventure and face off enemies to find Joshua and we see their party grow and strengthen their bonds, especially the main couple – yes, there’s also a bit of romance but only at the end – Chrno and Rosette. Jokes and comedic routines are often thrown here and there which also makes it fun, but there are times it comes out of place. No notable twists that would hold you in suspense or a secret that you will be surprised with. But, despite that, it does have its redeeming points particularly its ending. It was a very well played finale as it first leans on the bittersweet side of the story before showing it was a happy ending after all, although the bittersweet taste still lingers. It was a masterful display of storytelling that could and should have been used throughout the entire series, but alas, the author only played this card only at the end, but that doesn’t mean the whole story itself was bad. It wasn’t, but it’s only “okay” at best, but the ending is certainly quality stuff.

Chrno Crusade may feel like another one of your action-adventure series, but this is certainly worth a read as it brings a little bit of something different to that genre. For one, it is set in the early ‘90s America. Not a lot of authors do theirs in that kind of setting. Second is, despite having demons, it is pretty down-to-earth. It is because there is a clear separation between humans and demons as the supernatural attribute is only limited to the latter and a few special humans that has been granted an unusual power called “Apostles”. Fans of strong female leads will be able to enjoy this as well as Rosette is the main fighter all throughout the story. And, of course, it is recommended because it is worth to see to the end.

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Discuss this Manga: Shounen District]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 62 carboncopy 1 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/59-i-cant-even-breathe-without-you/ Author(s): Enjin Yamimaru

I Can’t Even Breathe Without You by Enjin Yamimaru tells the story of Niki, the childishly cute mangaka, and his childhood friend, handsome and successful businessman Shouji. For several years the two men have lived next door to each other and for all that time Niki has relied on Shouji to take care of him. Niki’s life is in shambles when Shouji isn’t around, something that even his editors are well aware of, but Shouji doesn’t mind since he enjoys doting on his friend. However, whether Shouji does everything for Niki because they are best friends or for a different reason, remains a mystery. Things soon become complicated for the companions, though, as Niki starts to become more aware of Shouji, while Shouji seems to be distancing himself Niki. However, when an interfering assistant comes between them, the fate of their relationship rests on Shouji’s shoulders.

Having a one-sided love is a very common yaoi plot, however, Enjin-sensei uses a couple of themes throughout this manga that are not quite as common to bring her two protagonists together. One of the themes behind I Can’t Even Breathe Without You is the danger of over-dependency. Enjin-sensei uses plenty of symbolism to aptly convey the concept in several panels. From piles of pizza boxes to dirty clothes strewn across the room to the disgust on Shouji’s face as he crinkles his nose at his smelly friend – the reader understands that Niki is not only being spoiled, but he is dangerously dependent on Shouji. Niki doesn’t eat right, he loses weight, he doesn’t bathe and it isn’t normal, it goes beyond wanting to be taken care of. Any time that Shouji is away from Niki for even a small amount of time Niki’s body and room begin to show signs of Niki’s self-negligence. He is so used to Shouji taking care of him that he has long since given up caring for himself. It’s easy to sympathize with Niki, he acts very child-like leading the reader to believe that he might be slow and in need of care, but as the story progresses there is an impression that perhaps the issue of dependency has more to do with loneliness and possessiveness than childishness. Probably the most important theme in I Can’t Even Breathe Without You is that of growth. Growth and dependency tie-in very nicely in this manga because as it was pointed out previously, Niki appears to be very childish next to his friend Shouji, who is a mature adult that functions perfectly in society. Enjin-sensei originally uses Niki’s dependency to hinder his journey to adulthood, but then employs crisis in his work by way of the antagonist, Niki’s thieving assistant Kanae, and conflict in his life when Shouji pushes Niki away, as a means of forcing Niki to grow up.

The story is crafted well from beginning to end. The dialogue isn’t too formal and there are enough flashback scenes for the reader to understand of why Niki is so child-like. Some of the dialogue seemed a little off or misplaced, which could be a result of translation, but overall it was simple and effective. Enjin-sensei develops her two protagonists fairly well, although we come to know Niki better than Shouji. She also involves a female character that helps the reader learn a little bit about Shouji. Enjin-sensei really emphasizes Niki’s strong dependency to Shouji through his dialogue. He uses Shouji’s name frequently, especially when they are apart as if Niki simply has to call out his name and Shouji will appear before him. Kanae aptly tells Niki that he “sounds like an abandoned woman” which directly correlates to how well Enjin-sensei made Niki dependent on Shouji.

Enjin-sensei pens the most beautifully expressive people in I Can’t Even Breathe Without You. At first glance her art style might seem loose as she does have an airy, sketch-like touch to her work, but upon closer inspection the beauty of her people is revealed. Expressions can be hard for an artist to truly capture and in yaoi manga, all too often, expressions seem to come second to the plot or smut. Not so with Enjin-sensei. Niki and Shouji burst with character in so many panels it is hard to choose a favorite. Their expressions are so delightful it is difficult not to smile when Niki is drooling over Shouji’s pancakes or smirk when Shouji grimaces at the mess in Niki’s room. Enjin-sensei’s men are gorgeous as they should be for this genre with Niki being an absolutely adorable uke and Shouji a smoldering hot seme.

I Can’t Even Breathe Without You blends just the right amount of boy love content into the overall storyline so as not to overpower the plot. Enjin-sensei focuses more on building the relationship between Niki and Shouji through conflict and subsequent resolution than through sex, though Enjin-sensei also employs non-con as a way to confuse our cute protagonist and prolong the tension between the two men. The build-up to the final love scene is done hot enough to please most yaoi lovers, but the lack of full disclosure of said consummation is a bit of a disappointment. Even so, again Enjin-sensei draws such lovely expressions, especially on Shouji’s face as all of his feelings catch up to him, that it almost makes up for it.

At twelve solid chapters that do not detract from the main storyline, I Can’t Even Breathe Without You is a thorough, but not drawn-out read. The manga’s storyline is sensitive and enduring, with a degree of angst that can be appealing to some readers. There isn’t a lot of boy love content, but what is in the manga is important to the plot. The artwork is pretty without being over-done and her men are beautifully drawn. For yaoi readers wanting more substance than smut this is the perfect manga.

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Discuss this Manga: Forbidden Fruit]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 59 ladychaotica 5 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/61-vampire-juujikai-the-record-of-a-fallen-vampire/ Artist(s): KIMURA Yuri

Akabara Strauss, the vampire king who has destroyed his own country, has been searching for and destroying seals that may have been keeping his queen, Adelheit, for now a thousand years. His queen has been sealed by the humans after going on a rampage that almost destroyed the entire world, but the Dhampires, the race of vampires that Akabara has abandoned, along with the Black Swan, a curse that infests a human to kill the vampire king, is out aiming for Akabara’s life and preventing him from Adelheit’s revival. Or so it may seem, as this series has a lot more surprises waiting to be discovered than meets the eye.

Vampire Juuji Kai may look like your typical tale about vampires and whatnot, but it is in no way similar to any of what we have seen before. While it still does have themes of a typical vampire-themed story, i.e. a powerful vampire fighting for the humans, romance between the two races and a hunt for the pure-blooded vampire king…Okay, maybe it almost has all of the themes of a typical vampire-themed story, but the things it did have that made it so different from the others are the politics and the power struggle between the humans, the Black Swan, the Dhampires and the Vampire King, the mysteries of Akabara’s past and, of course, let’s not forget about the aliens that wants to invade the Earth appearing in a vampire story.

If this series can be described in a few words, it would be “Classic folklore meets science fiction”. That would be it. But that won’t be enough to do justice on how smartly made this series is. Crossing vampires and aliens may sound ridiculous, and it did look like it when the latter was introduced, but the author has done well to make the two coexist in a single plot. Although it delves mostly into Akabara’s past, some of the revelations that have been dug up has been beneficial to the occurring events presented in the manga.

Of course, since it visits the past often, it certainly does not lack flashbacks. In fact, it has a ton of them. But they are not just complimentary info on the characters; rather, they are a big part of the main plot that the story will not be able to move without them. Furthermore, they are not just simple pointers on how something came to be, but a pursuit in finding truths behind established truths. There is no lack of surprises with them and it certainly does make the series as suspenseful as it can be.

Its art is not the least spectacular. Although it is not bad, it’s a bit too simple to stand out. Costume designs can be sometimes too flashily fantasy-like to be either in a medieval or a modern day setting, too. Inconsistencies can be also found at times but it did improve over time.

While it is not something to look at, it is definitely something to read. Vampire Juuji Kai could easily be one of the most suspenseful vampire stories there is that is not in the horror genre. Surprises after surprises will definitely keep you in suspense and would keep you engrossed with as new mysteries surface after another. Definitely a must read especially for those who are fans of thrillers.

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Discuss this Manga: Shounen District]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 61 carboncopy 1 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/58-u-dont-know-me/ Author(s): Na Yeri

Looks can be so deceiving, especially when it comes to high school student Seyun, which is something that his good friend Yoojin is about to find out. The two boys couldn’t be more different, yet they refuse to let their childhood friendship die. In U Don’t Know Me, artist Na Yeri weaves a tale of best friends who have known each other almost their whole lives, but don’t know each other’s feelings. Then, in a case of mistaken identity, Yoojin forcibly changes their relationship forever.

This slice of life story was originally serialized in a Korean dougijin, the Japanese equivalent of a doujinshi. Korean artist Ya Neri employs the use of childhood friends becoming lovers as a plot device in the story, which is very common and much overused in the yaoi genre; however, with that said, she does create a different twist to the start of Seyun and Yoojin’s love relationship. Typically in this type of story the reader is introduced to a gay friend and a straight friend who eventually come together, but this is not the case in U Don’t Know Me. There is no mention of straight or gay when it comes to either boy, instead the reader can sense Seyun’s feelings from the beginning and by the end of the second chapter might be surprised by the turn of events. The first two chapters are the best of the book in terms of character development. Seyun and Yoojin’s characters are introdcued through the use of flashbacks depicting their youth told over a few pages before moving to the present time. Na-sensei goes against the grain right off the bat as Seyun is nothing like the fragile boy that Yoojin thinks he is, instead he is a pretty tough fighter that hangs out with other equally tough boys. The best scenes were the last few pages of chapter two when Yoojin and Seyun finally come to terms with their relationship and while in the throes of pleasure, flashbacks are used to demonstrate just how deadly Seyun can be as the readers are shown him beating up the boy that caused the mistaken identity crisis that nearly destroyed Seyun and Yoojin’s relationship.

Na-sensei also interweaves an extraneous plot into the manga by way of Seyun’s friends Joonsuk and Sangchul, who try to protect their friend from dangerous people including Joonsuk’s older brother Joongyung who seems to have a strong interest in Seyun’s body. Also, Seyun’s doppleganger, Sun Choi makes a brief appearance as a confidant of Seyun’s. It is because of this side plot and these extra characters that the story falls a little flat. Introducing them and having some interaction that is intriguing as well as carefully planned has the potential to lead up to an uncommon boy love story. Instead, the reader is hooked by the apparent gang threat coupled with the look-alike rent boy only to have everything resolved in a tidy short half chapter each. Readers who crave more substance will be let down by how easily trouble was subverted as well as how there was only a few pages dedicated to Seyun’s look-alike, the person who caused the whole misunderstanding to begin with. Na-sensei could have fleshed out both the gang-like activity including Joongyung and the boy prostitute Sun Choi better. Another point that was underplayed is that it appears that Joonsuk is jealous of the relationship that Seyun has with Yoojin when he discovers it by accident. We are given a brief glimpse of how dedicated he is to Seyun when he takes the fall for something Seyun does and is beat up for it. The lack of follow-up regarding Joonsuk’s feelings was a disappointment. Finally, the entire story ends rather abruptly when they are discovered by Yoojins parents, the whole situation is wrapped up too fast and too neatly.

One aspect that is not a letdown in U Don’t Know Me is Na Yeri’s artwork. Her people are simply beautiful with crisp lines and lovely textures. In particular, the cover shot of Yoojin and Seyun on chapter six is fantastic, showing a moment of something akin to anticipation; this is an absolutely stunning cover. The stars of this story are very typical of the yaoi genre – Yoojin is a hot, masculine hunk of seme while Seyun is a sex-pot kitten of a uke, only with fire in his eyes instead of tears. Although Seyun isn’t typical in his attitude, it would be really nice if he had a little more flesh on him to make the fact that he is such a tough guy a bit more believable.

The boy love content in U Don’t Know Me is appropriate to the storyline, not too much but not too little either. The first encounter is rough and borderlines on forcible non-con; however, Seyun does not object because he wants to do it as well. Each encounter afterwards demonstrates the growth of their relationship and the scenes are not drawn so smutty as to turn off some readers.

Overall, U Don’t Know Me was a good read that had the potential to be a great read. The two main characters were developed well, but a handful of supporting characters that were introduced into situations involving Yoojin and Seyun were not developed to their potential. The premise of the story is really good and not as common as outward appearances seem, but the story moves too quickly and may leave some readers wanting more. However, many lovers of yaoi will fall for the lovely artwork in U Don’t Know Me and will appreciate the level of smut in the book. The lack of solid storyline development can be overlooked by the fact that the plot was resolved, albeit quickly, and the art is visually appealing.

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Discuss this Manga: Forbidden Fruit]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 58 ladychaotica 5 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/57-the-world-god-only-knows-kami-nomi-zo-shiru-sekai/ Author(s): WAKAKI Tamiki

The World God Only Knows is a strange quirky manga series by Tamiki Wakaki. The story is around Keima Katsuragi, who is the main character of this story. He hates 3d girls but loves 2d girls, as he often carries and plays with his PFP, a parody of PSP. His life changes when he meets Elucia de Lute Ima, by accepting a contract. Afterwards he was forced to do missions that involve filling the girls’ hearts with love and eventually kissing them, as to free them from a spirit within from hell.

The story is based about visual novel games, also called gal games. For those that don’t know what they are, they are type of game that’s extremely close to a novel. There’s a lot of text on the screen but unlike their paper counterparts there are images and sound. The gameplay is more dynamic, usually a few endings to say the least. They are similar to Choose your Adventure books, if anyone has read them before, although these are much longer.

The first part of the story flows in this fashion: focusing on different types of girls from to the shy librarian to the aggressive kung-fu girl. This part of series is revolved around how an otaku would get the girl, giving a lack of experience. The methods Keima employs can be strange but unlike other male main characters, he is the intelligent-type that uses strategies and his vast knowledge of gal-games. This is completely different from many other animes and manga where the main character has oblivious.

Story-wise this might get boring for some people because it is a serious and objective-oriented. The end goal is to capture, although it doesn’t mean the method is the same. However, it’s not to say people won’t enjoy it as there are a handful of filler and fun chapters every so often. The perspective could also bring a smile. For most of the story, we see Keima as the hunter. With each mission there is always one new character, so while they are developed, they end up leaving the story once they are captured. That being said, we do see some characters that do stay for the rest of the story, so far, including Haqua du Lot Herminium and Tenri Ayukawa.

There isn’t a lot of fan service for the whole series. The art is wonderfully drawn. Characters are drawn normally and not everyone is in skimpy clothing. Some of the characters from hell have different clothing but it fits the theme of darkness from hell, for them. There are a few scenes with chibi characters for humor but for the most part, everyone is normal sized. We sometimes see allusions to other games like a Boo from Mario but it’s consistent and improving. Overall, it has a simplistic art style but it works for the story.

The story changes into the Goddess story at around chapter 105. The plot is now find the six goddesses and save the world from the rebirth of old hell. This creates a harem feel, as Keima now has to revisit each of the girls to check and see if there is a goddess inside them. This is the crazier part of the story as we learn more about the dark side of hell.

The World God Only Knows is a strange story that may surprise the normal reader, focusing on the otaku perspective of life. It is different but still very fun to read. The story still continues as we learn about the dark side of hell.

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Discuss this Manga: Shounen District]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 57 zeleio 1 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/56-sono-kuchibiru-ni-yoru-no-tsuyu-the-nights-dew-on-those-lips/ Author(s): FUKAI Youki

Wada Tatsuki looks and acts every bit the professional, satisfied bus driver. In Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu by Fukai Youki, Wada is friendly to his passengers, a careful driver, and truly seems to enjoy his work. His life appears uneventful, but comfortable. However, every time he sees a boy who looks like his childhood friend, Wakae Kyouichi, he is in pain both physically and mentally - he is afraid to meet him again. What could he have done to his friend that was so bad as to make the boy disappear for many years without any word? And what will Wada do if Wakae ever comes back looking for revenge?

Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu is a story about two grown men that used to be friends until something terrible happens between them. Fukai-sensei uses blackmail as a plot device to further the plot as Wakae seeks revenge on Wada for the events that happened fifteen years ago – and she writes about it quite well. She creates a believable storyline with Wada appearing cool and collected on the outside, always ready to help his passengers and then send them on their way with a smile that is until Wakae suddenly appears on his bus one night. From that moment on, the reader can sense the awful feelings that are tearing Wada’s stomach up as he is blackmailed in order to keep the job he loves so much. We ride that bus with Wada every day as he worries over each encounter with Wakae, worries and is in pain, but simply cannot express his true feelings to his tormentor even if it is detrimental to his health to keep it all bottled up inside. And we, as readers, feel that torment with each flip of the page.

Fukai-sensei aptly uses flashbacks as a means to lead the reader to understand what is happening, why Wakae is doing the things he is doing to Wada, and why Wada allows it to happen. Each chapter she shows us just enough of past events to get us closer to Wada’s true feelings. She also uses irony as a literay device in that Wada and Wakae’s positions are now reversed from what they were so long ago. Another excellent use of a literary device is an example of what truly makes Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu a literary winner in the world of yaoi manga. Fukai-sensei uses forshadowing when the reader is shown an image of Wakae as a teenager in a setting that will eventually come full circle when they are grown men. It is at that moment that Wada understands his true feelings, what he has been feeling all of these years smacks him in the face. While the translation might be a little rough in spots, it is done well enough to convey the meaning behind the words throughout the manga’s dialogue. Fukai truly wrote her best dialogue when she created Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu, as well as drew her most impressive work.

Fukai-sensei’s style is a little rough and often explicit, but the scenes she created in Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu were done with such precision that it is easy to overlook what might be perceived as faults. The fear of retribution is stark on Wada’s face as he realizes that Wakae is standing next to him after so long. She captured that and so many more emotions on her character’s faces throughout the entire book – despair, condescension, anger, loathing – all of these and more grace both Wada and Wakae. One of the scenes that really stood out was early on in the book; it was the look on young Wakae’s face after the event that occurred fifteen years ago. There was no shock or self-pitying as we often see in yaoi manga following such brutality, instead there is anger and something more in that young boy’s eyes. The reader knows right then and there that this is a person who will never forget what’s been done to them. Besides her wonderful facial expressions Fukai-sensei pens lovely scenery. Wada’s bus is well detailed, as well as the nighttime outdoor trees and mountains. She has an excellent grasp of drawing enough detail of surrounding areas to look good without too much to distract the reader for her two leading men.

Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu may not be for every reader due to its intense and graphic nature. Most of the book is one non-consensual act after another, leading the protagonist to spiral into a dark depression that eventually adversely affects his health. The scenes are not overly violent, but just knowing that Wada doesn’t want to do it is enough, plus, Fukai-sensei holds nothing back when she draws each of these scenes. However, these scenes were also necessary for furthering the plot, though some could argue that they didn’t need to be so graphic. Fukai-sensei also goes against the norm when drawing her men. Wada and Wakae both look like normal men, just two adult guys – not a super seme and a beautiful uke. Her two men have hair on their legs and she also pens the hair around their nether regions as well, which is a turn-off to some readers. But, these two things are just two more reasons why this story is not only well-drawn, but believeable.

From beginning to end the reader is on a dark ride with Wada and Wakae in Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu. Blackmail, revenge, and the consequences of both will have the reader turning one page after another with knots in their stomachs and furrowed brows on their faces. These feelings won’t stop until the story comes to an end. There are no drawbacks to this story unless the reader does not like their men drawn with some body hair and graphic encounters. Other than that, this story is one that sets the bar, especially when told in only five chapters plus a very naughty extra. This reviewer highly recommends this manga.

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Discuss this Manga: Forbidden Fruit]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 56 ladychaotica 5 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/55-gunparade-march-gunparade-march-a-new-song-for-the-march-gunparade-march-aratanaru-kougunka/ Produced by: J.C.Staff

Gunparade March started out as a playstation game and thereafter received a 12 episode anime adaptation. The anime opens with a narration explaining that in 1945 the world was devastated by an alien (called genjyu in the show). About half a century later in this alternate history, due to lack of manpower in the still ongoing battle against the alien, Japan enforces a student draft. The drafted students, in addition to their normal curriculum are taught to pilot HWT (Humanoid Walking Tanks) in order to engage the alien in combat when needed.

From the opening narration and in fact the opening battle scene one would expect that the anime will focus primarily on the alien invasion and the struggle of the platoon against it, however, this is not the case with this anime. While their fight against the genjyu still remains an important aspect of the story, the anime has more of a slice of life or romantic comedy feel to it. The story is about the life and camaraderie between the members of one such drafted student platoon: the 5121st division and with a particular focus on the relationship between Atsumi Hayami and Mai Shibamura - the male and female lead of the series.

Character development in the two main characters can be seen clearly as the series progressed and they are the main attraction to this series. While the other characters lack this, their distinct personality shined through. What they lacked in character developments are compensated when they showed hidden depth of characters. Thus they never feel like an extra cast in the show but an essential part of it.

There was nothing really noticeable about the music but I feel that the voice acting does a wonderful job in carrying the various characters personality and mood. The animation is average but the battle scenes are surprisingly fluid and well animated given the focus of the show. As such the sci-fi setting never seemed to be just a tacked on novelty in a story about a boy meeting a girl but instead, a natural part of it.

In hindsight, I would have liked more explanation concerning the setting though. There was no instance in the series where any mention nor any details of the true nature of the genjyu or the process of developments of the weapons used against them was made. As the series progressed, its sci-fi element seemed to take a back seat to the romantic-comedy aspect. This comes as a dissapointment seeing as although the sci-fi setting should be a natural and integral part of the show, by the end of the series however, it seemed to fade more and more into the background.

If you are looking for an action series then you will be disappointed. If however you are looking for a romance-comedy/slice of life anime and do not mind the sci-fi story in the background you will find this series worth watching.

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Discuss this Anime: Shounen District]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 55 ravealvin 7 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/45-suzumiya-haruhi-no-shoushitsu-the-disappearance-of-haruhi-suzumiya/
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a movie that is part of the Haruhi Suzumiya series and takes place after the events of the first two seasons of the TV series so it will be very hard to follow the story without watching them first. Although in the novels there are still two stories that preceded this episode, everything you need to know beforehand is available in the TV series. It should be noted that links can be found in particular scenes in the first season and the Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody episode of the second season.

Its story is, by far, the best episode that has been shown, not only as an anime, but also in the original novel series. What most of the series had were mostly fun, games and mishaps caused directly or indirectly by Haruhi, but Disappearance brings a refreshing change of pace as it delivered a better sense of thrill and suspense than what the Lone Island Syndrome episode from the first season had to offer. Here we saw Kyon struggle to return the world back to its original state this time with little or no aid from Nagato, Koizumi, or the Adult Asahina and it was quite a ride as we saw his worries and vulnerabilities as he tried to tackle this predicament alone. It also has surprises waiting for us to discover so it is not the least predictable while its pacing is just right and in tune on what Kyon, the main character, is feeling at the moment.

There isn’t much difference between the art and animation between Disappearance and the two seasons of anime aside from that it was animated for the big screen so it looks a bit better and more detailed. The voice cast is just the same, but we hear less of Aya Hirano as the story is focused more on Kyon.

Although this is part of a bigger story, this is in no way less enjoyable if the series as a whole disappointed as it can standalone as a single series if there wasn’t a lot of connections from the previous stories, much more, it is still connected to a later story. Of course, while cliffhangers at the ending are usually frowned upon, it’s quite enjoyable to see connections in between different stories in the series.

Lastly, this series is quite a great ride and it can be almost recommended to anyone if and only if it was a standalone series. So instead, this is a must watch to fans of the Haruhi Suzumiya series whether they hated the second season or not as the anime series has redeemed itself with this move.

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Discuss this Anime: Shounen District]]> Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 45 carboncopy 7 http://the-evilempire.net/tutorials/article/48-mekakushi-no-kuni-land-of-the-blindfolded/ Author(s): TSUKUBA Sakura

Living in our midst and going about a course common to the rest of us are individuals with quite the peculiar talent of seeing "beyond the blindfold". Such a one is Otsuka Kanade; a high school student with the ability to periodically see a person's future when a moment of contact - however brief - is sustained. Along the way, she is befriended by other clairvoyants such as the kind-hearted Naito Arou who can see the past and mischievous (and at times sadistic) Namiki Masahiro who, like Kanade, can see into a person's future. Mekakushi no Kuni deals with the friendships and rivalries among these as they vie for love, security and acceptance while learning to come to terms with their uncommon gift - as the few seeing among the blind.

Without any further forestalling, it should be said that this reviewer found Mekakushi no Kuni to be a mixed bag. While initially having loved this manga greatly for its part as a slice of life work and its realistic, at times underwhelming portrayal of the main cast's abilities, near the end it increasingly acquired an unneeded focus on the abilities themselves. Whereas the story used to be one concerning largely regular individuals with the uncanny ability to see what most others could not, the latter arcs feature a nauseating focus on how amazing Kanade's boyfriend is because of his growing set of abilities. Unfortunately, somewhere down the line, this reviewer no longer found himself able to relate to some of the characters precisely because of the aforementioned error in attention.

Furthermore, another issue faced by this reviewer was adjusting to the fact that it almost seemed as if Kanade had her status as the main character violently usurped as the series was coming to a close. True, it goes without saying that Naito Arou would be a fan-favourite but to focus on him so much to the point of practically giving him the lead position was greatly displeasing.

That said, it would be wrong to pretend as if this manga has nothing at all good to offer. The art is certainly easy on the eyes and sensei does seem to do a better job at drawing beautiful males than women but more importantly, the characters are quite enjoyable to interact with. They act not unlike how real people would if they had found themselves in the same situations. Arou and Masahiro provide splendid contrast in looks, abilities, and personality yet both find common ground (and frustration) in their love for Kanade and the tragedies of their past. In comparison to these, Kanade feels a tad underdeveloped yet never so much that the reader ever becomes sincerely aggravated. A great deal of the strength of Mekakushi no Kuni certainly comes from seeing how Kanade changes the people she comes in contact with and how these in turn grow therefrom.

Mekakushi no Kuni uses a wonderful overarching metaphor of the blindfold to symbolize those of us who aren't able to see neither the past nor future and something about it really struck a chord. Tsukuba-sensei really evokes a potent image and its repeated use in nowise dilutes its forcefulness.

While Mekakushi no Kuni cannot be said to have been a perfect read (whatever this may mean), it does deserve to be given a chance by anyone looking for a decent shoujo to read.

Plot: Decent
Art: Good
Overall: Good

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