:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Five Shows That *Kinda* Have to Do With Spring

[Disclosure: Posted April 1, intended for March 31. April Fool's Day joke unintended… ;P ]

Spring is finally upon us and many anime certainly enjoy taking place in it, particularly with all of those falling cherry blossoms. So, here are five shows that—at least vaguely—have something to do with the vernal season (vaguely…)!

:boxing: Quick Pick:: Kovalev vs Pascal

In the midst of Premier Boxing Champions taking up most of the spotlight,we have tonight's big match-up between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal on HBO. At least, it should feel big, but the build-up to it, even a month or two out, feels lacking. On top of that, it has some sizable shoes to fill following a very enjoyable night on Spike's PBC broadcast. Nonetheless, it is still an intriguing bout, not only for the match-up itself, but for the importance it holds in both combatant's careers at this point.

:boxing: Quick Pick:: Premier Boxing Champions: Berto vs Lopez & Porter vs Bone

Unlike last week's installment, this "Quick Pick" will actually be more like a…"quick pick". The previous one turned into more of a full-out preview, as it was a special case with the premiere of "Premier Boxing Champions". This time, however, it is the "B-Side" of its kickoff, featuring the TV-friendly, but less-marquee bouts of Andre Berto-Josesito Lopez and Shawn Porter-Erick Bone Shawn Porter-Roberto Garcia (Note: the more famous and unrelated Danny Garcia is also going to be featured on PBC on Apr. 11, fighting Lamont Peterson. The official website simply lists "Garcia", which can be misleading, so his name is initialized in the title.) (UPDATE: R. Garcia missed weight and has been replaced). And reflecting the billing, they will be broadcast at 9pm on Spike TV (and also online?), not NBC or CBS.

:boxing: Quick Pick:: Premier Boxing Champions' Premiere: Thurman vs. Guerrero & Broner vs. Molina

Saturday night marks the historic (but-not-very-historic-because-we've-had-boxing-on-network-TV-a-few-times-in-the-last-decade-or-so-but-it's-been-awhile-so-ok-whatever) return of boxing to primetime network television, in the form of "Premier Boxing Champions", a program debuting on NBC at 8:30pm, but will have future air dates on CBS and Spike TV, as well (brought to you by master butcher everyone's favorite clandestine boxing magnate/former music mogul Al Haymon). I'm not here to wring my hands over Paul Heyman's brother-from-another-mother, whine about the demise of a sport that people still show plenty of care and money for (which, if anything, looks to be in the most positive state it has been in years), talk one word about "that fight" beyond these own, or wax globs of poetic about boxing's past on network TV and how things aren't the way they were back then—I'm here to talk about what's taking place on PBC…

:anime: The After-Review:: Alien 9

Welcome to the party…

(Click here for the preceding review!)

The After-Review: Alien 9

Sometimes, there are things you would like to say in a review, but quite can't for any variety of reasons—don't want to spoil anything,\; too trivial; doesn't really fit in; would really like to say that about a character; but it's not the place, etc. A review tends to be a more formal, focused, and thoughtfully laid-out piece, so I thought, "Why not have something like an "after-party"…but for reviews?"

This originated following 2011's Highschool of the Dead review, as I really wanted to touch on some specific points in the series and talk a little more candidly about it. As badly as I wanted to, I lacked the time to pull it off, and once I actually did, too much time had elapsed where it made any sense to do so. Though I've done other reviews since, I either did not feel the need to do one or thought I had too little to say to warrant one.

Well, Alien 9—thankfully—lends itself that opportunity, so here we are with HardDoor's first ever "After-Review"! Like a good ol' after-party, an "after-review" is much more informal and casual. There is no real format, anything is fair play, and we might go a little off-topic (but magically stay on it!). "Don't want to spoil anything…too trivial…doesn't really fit in…would really like to say…", it's all OK here, and we might go a little bit "behind-the-scenes", too. And since spoilers abound, you have been warned—just now. (Really: read this after you've watched the show. We can wait… ;) )

So grab a favorite beverage of yours from the bar (I'll take on the root beer float), loosen up the tie (don't know what the ladies can loosen up, just be careful nothing pops out, 'kay…), and kick back as we talk a little bit more about Alien 9…