HardDoor--The Fourteenth Anniversary: Ani-Journal Edition!!

I would add a screenshot from the actual movie of A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi), but Netflix, like the Blu-ray Disc Association, hates that sort of thing. So we'll just settle for this one from the ED MV special from…elsewhere…

It's the fourteenth anniversary of HD, so I thought, why not switch things up a bit and do a return of Ani-Journal in commemoration, instead!! Being that it's been six years since the last one, and the first substantive post in four, this'll likely be the first installment of a few. So, without further(more) waste, let's go!!

—While I have yet to see your name. (Kimi no Na wa.), it was not very hard to see why In This Corner of the World (Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni) won as many accolades as it did, eventually usurping the megahit in award season (not that coming out later and being a folksy movie didn't hurt…). It did a great job conveying the everyday life of rural Japan and the concerning undercurrents around WWII, and the inevitable perils that came. It did this by focusing almost solely on Japanese life, and not revisionism or nationalism (perhaps one latter scene has a whiff, but it is understandable in context). It also (thankfully) did not fall into the trap of emotional manipulation, even though it would be quite easy to with the material (though some may disagree, which is understandable). The style and mastery of the storytelling meant events felt more natural, making them feel more effectual in the end. Common, everyday life in wartime isn't usually covered in films, unfortunately, but ITCotW really did it and its story justice.

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: KUROZUKA

KUROZUKA

Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video [Free {Streaming}]: Crackle

DEATH NOTE, Highschool of the Dead, and Attack on Titan director Tetsuro Araki aims to make another big splash in next month's Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. Before even hitting forty this November, he has been responsible for some the biggest hits of the last decade: titles with appeal and panache spanning across borders, with a trademark bombast all his own, and a penchant for high production quality. His resume—surprisingly and not—is a short one, but it is not difficult to see how quickly he rose through the ranks at MADHOUSE and, later, becoming one of the leading forces at Production I.G spinoff, WIT STUDIO. Simply put, if someone like Yoshiyuki Tomino allows you to do an episode of a show of his, you probably have something good going on…

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Heat Guy J

Poor J…

[Post Date: Oct. 6, 2015. Intended Post Date: Sept. 30, 2015. ]

Heat Guy J

Official Sites: Japanese, English
Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video [Free {Streaming}]: Hulu, FUNimation.com, YouTube

For some reason—and, appropriately, always unintended—I seem to often find myself doing a set of "commemoration" posts for a particular creator around this time of year (between August and October). It is just one of those strange things that occur, but once I find myself covering topics closely associated with someone or a studio, I usually find myself saying, "what the heck?" and just going along with it with a few additional posts. This time, it has been a mix of studio Satelight and director Kazuki Akane, who directed a number of titles there. It first started with April's bonus Pick of Arjuna (the former's first work), then with Satelight's m3 the dark metal appearing in June's "Manager's Special Mk. II!!: Anime Only This Manager Seems to Love…" Pick special, and in last month's Geneshaft, the second of the studio's work, which was directed by Akane. It even spilled its way onto HardDoor: Screenshot Haven with a capture from Satelight and Akane's Noein.

For September, I thought the best way to signify this "Unplanned Satelight & Kazuki Akane Dual Celebration" was to pick out a certain, particular title. One that was done by both the studio and the individual. One that also happens to signify the venerable animation house's unusually-high number of high-profile, notorious flops and trainwrecks (on- and off-screen…). One that, on a more positive note, represents the latter's propensity for the "different" and the sublime. Yes, there could be only one show that successfully fills all of those criteria.  A show that is legendary (if not a byword) for how big a failure it was; the first, and still one of the most notable, black sheeps in Satelight's barn. An anime that, in actually, is rather good and has managed to receive such acknowledge from the few that have actually bothered to see it.

That anime, as veteran fans might guess (or as this mere post has already spoiled…)…is Heat Guy J.

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Geneshaft

Geneshaft

Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video [Free {Streaming}]: Hulu

For August's Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick, I thought it would be nice to take a stroll to (relative) yesteryear and highlight another one of Satelight's earliest works—actually, its second-oldest, following April's Arjuna—the ever-interesting Geneshaft.

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Manager's Special Mk. II!!: Anime Only This Manager Seems to Love…

Saying a little prayer that other people may like these anime. Amen.

(Disclosure: Posted July 14th, intended for June 30. Aside from that date turning extra busy, I wound up writing beyond what I intended to, which turned out for the best in the end…)

Thousands of anime titles have been made over the course of many decades. Naturally, some titles become wildly popular, some not quite as much, and others simply fade away into obscurity, with nary an impression. This is all said on the "collective" level, as in reality, what might tickle one or many a persons may not another, regardless of a work's popularity. Yes, even one's lack thereof hasn't dampen a few people's liking of it, nor should it ever. In short, one should like what they like, and I certain have a track record of liking more than a few shows that others have really not.

For HardDoor's anniversary each year, I like to do a special Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick. This time, we have a sequel to June 2011's "Manager's Special", which was done in commemoration of HD's fifth anniversary. In it, I spotlighted two of my top most favorite shows, Gundam Wing and RahXephon. This time, for its ninth anniversary, I will be showcasing nine particular anime, some under-loved, some not-so-well-loved—all of them not quite that popular in their own ways. However, I liked them quite a bit, and on a personal level, that really is all that matters in the end (and in case you are wary, don't worry, these are all free to watch!).

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Bonus Pick!! - Arjuna

Arjuna

Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video [Free {Streaming}]: Hulu (Japanese w/ English Subtitles, English Dubbed)

April 22, as most of you know, is Earth Day, so I figured, what better way to commemorate this than with the most environment-loving anime in Arjuna: a show that that extolls the virtues and importance of protecting our planet, chastises the consumption of processed foods, and advocates out-of-wedlock teen pregnancy(!).

: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…)!

: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…

:anime: Final Impression:: Alien 9

You can expect a lot of this…

[Also February's Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick!]

Review: Alien 9
Alt. Title: Alien Nine

Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry, HD's After-Review
Video {Free [Streaming]}: Hulu

Debuting in 2011, Puella Magi Madoka Magica captivated scores, even non-fans, with its gripping and emotional tale about "magical girls" and what it truly meant to be one. Its subversion of the genre, depth, and level of mastery led to being considered among the best anime ever made. Its approach of the subject was novel, as well, but Alien 9—a now-obscure TV special/OVA made a decade prior—not only compares favorably to it, but perhaps surpasses its poignant heights.

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Tales of Gen

Given yesterday's semi-review of ALDNOAH.ZERO's first half, the debut of its second half in a few days, Expelled from Paradise pulling over $1M in just 13 Japanese theaters, and the PSYCHO-PASS movie coming out next Friday, I figured now would be a good time for anyone new to his work to get better acquainted with some of the previous work in his repertoire. And by "his," I mean Gen Urobuchi, the hottest and most in-demand name in the anime industry today.

First rising to notoriety with his writing work at game company Nitroplus (most notably on Saya no Uta), he rapidly rose to super-stardom after penning Puella Magi Madoka Magica in 2011. He's been having a very busy, but very successful, time since then, including this past year, and does not seem to be letting up anytime soon. While you await for his next slate of work, or are looking for something to marathon through New Year's Eve/Day and this holiday weekend, you can take a look at some of his anime contributions, nearly all of it online and streaming for free!

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month's Fifth Anniversary!!

HD's "Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month": Sinking its teeth into legally-free and -low-cost anime since 2009!

A little over five years to the day, "Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month" first began on October 28, 2009 with manglobe's dark comedy short, TRIP TREK. Since then, somewhere between 70 to 100+ titles have been spotlighted (depending on how you count the batch entries), with the most recent being this month's selections of PSYCHO-PASS 2 and Your lie in April (which is a really fine show, thus far), part of HardDoor's commemoration of noitaminA's 10th anniversary.

Since choosing a title like TRIP TREK, I normally like to pick a work that is befitting of the Halloween season for each anniversary. Since neither noitaminA series falls under that category, I would like to point you towards one that not only works quite well with the holiday, but also ties in to both noted anniversaries.

:anime: Free/Low Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: NANA

NANA

Official Sites: Japanese, English
Additional Links: NANA Franchise Official Site, ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video [Free {Streaming}]: Neon Alley, Hulu
Video [Pay {Download-to-Own}]: iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Xbox Video

A funny thing happened on the way to coming up with September's (belatedly-posted) Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick. First, the original intended pick, Char's Counterattack--I discovered--was set to expire by the end of the month, not leaving a whole lot of time for anyone to really watch it. Then I turned to a few alternative picks I had in mind, only to find that I would rather save those particular ones for later time. With personal matters to attend to on top of that, I was in something of an extended bind.

In the midst of this, however, something dawned on me: "Have I ever showcased NANA?" Sure enough, nearly five years after doing these, I never, ever have. Well, that changes here, as one of the finest anime ever made is September's (retroactive) selection!!

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Dead Leaves

Dead Leaves

Official Site: English (Production I.G Page)
Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video: Hulu, YouTube

In light of December's Free/Low-Cost Anime (Co-)Pick, KILL la KILL, I was immediately reminded of some people's criticism of or surprise by the fanservice in the show. From Ryuko's outfit (a main critique) to some choice close-ups and antics, some have put off by its brashness. I can understand where they are coming from and am not into fanservice, myself, but in the show's defense, its use has been in moderation and has either been tied to an overall theme, used for unconventional purposes, or in a more lighthearted way, not to mention that it is played both ways (though a relatively few gratuitous moments do exist).

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Black Lagoon (+ The Second Barrage & Roberta's Blood Trail)

Black Lagoon (+ The Second Barrage & Roberta's Blood Trail)

Official Sites: Japanese, English
Additional Links: ANN Entries [S1] [S2] [OVA], MAL Entries [S1] [S2] [OVA]
Video: Hulu [S1 & 2] [OVA], FUNimation.com

With the end of August and Labor Day comes the unofficial end of summer, and with both coinciding on the very same weekend this year, that distinction has become all the more definitive. This time of the year often represents the end of the summer movie business, as well, so it perhaps only makes sense to recommend a title that is as close to your typical summer action blockbuster as any anime, or show for that matter.

:anime: Love Comes & Goes…

Most of the time, when you like a show or movie, you tend to keep liking it for as many times as you watch it or, at least, continue to hold fond memories of it when you last saw it. However, there are times when second impressions make less of an impact than your first, maybe to the point that you find yourself not liking it as quite much as before. As such, it is only fitting on Valentine's Day to look back on a couple of rare occasions when an anime didn't quite stand up as well on a second viewing, as well as the rarer few that did the exact opposite…

:anime: Ani-Journal - For January 02, 2013

Last year, we kicked off 2012 with an Ani-Journal entry and concluded it with one (which was, um, a day ago). So, I figured, hey, why not kick off 2013 (and a new year again) with yet another installment of Ani-Journal, now out of its beta phase! I mean, when you've barely had the chance to post anything the past year, you've got a lot of things left to say!

--In early June, I finally was able to purchase a PlayStation 3 (320 GB Slim w/ Move bundle). While, yes, you can play video games on it, I primarily bought it for its Blu-ray functionality, as well as its streaming video services. The latter was rather slim at first for anime (Hulu Plus, Amazon, and Netflix), but the timing couldn't have been more apropos, as the options exploded soon after with Crunchyroll, Neon Alley, Crackle, and YouTube.

:anime: Nice Box, Pt. 3…:: Madoka Magica LE 3 Pics!

It's been awhile since the last post of pics from Aniplex USA's release of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but here are the final batch of the final set! Box 3 concludes the company's very strong presentation of the series, featuring much of the same kinds of swag that came with the previous two: double-sided posters, double-sided BD/DVD case cover, a soundtrack, a booklet, postcards featuring the episode endcards, and a proof-of-purchase card (OK, so that last one's not quite "swag"…). The quality is evident all around and once more shows that Aniplex USA knows how to pull out all of the stops for a top title like PMMM. It would have been nice if the disc extras had more worth beyond a textless OP (the memorable second/true ED never received the same treatment even in Japan), but all of the physical material certainly makes up for it (although I do take some points off for not fully translating the credits--a growing problem with recent releases).

:anime: The Lights Are On Neon Alley

(Source: Edited from Official Site (background image))

In The Beginning…

About two years ago, Google released a product named "Google TV", a set-top box-like device/platform which integrated itself in between one's set-top cable/satellite box and HDTV. It enabled people to access the Internet and streaming content, such as that from Google's own YouTube, on their HDTVs, while giving them access to their cable/satellite service at the same time. The instant my eyes laid upon the article I read, my mind began to race with ideas. The notion of having an anime-based network as already been realized by two entities--The Anime Network and FUNimation Channel--but neither have a great deal of exposure over the airwaves, though they have fared better via cable video-on-demand (VOD) and even more so on streaming sites, such as the aforementioned two. It is not an easy venture to grab a spot on a cable or satellite system, particularly as a niche one with a smaller viewer base than most. A streaming site can offer more flexibility, control, and security, but it lacks the type of access one can achieve by being "just a click away", nor does it possess the greater comfort and larger screen size one can enjoy on a television screen, especially when it comes to HD content.

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: CANAAN

CANAAN

Official Site: Japanese
Additional Links: ANN Entry, MAL Entry
Video: Hulu, The Anime Network (NOTE: Japanese w/ English Subtitles at both (via Hulu), English Dubbed at TAN (1st two eps. free, the rest for Subscribers only))

For July's Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick, I chose AnoHana, tying it to a review I did for it. I didn't have many positive things to say about the series--chiefly due to the shaky work of screenwriter Mari Okada--despite the show itself being very highly-regarded. For these "Monthly Picks", I try to select titles that are either interesting, notable, have been well-received, or "off-the-beaten-path", but for the most part, I'd rather highlight an anime that was "good", rather than one that wasn't. However, there's the old adage that "another man's junk is another man's treasure". As AnoHana showed, not every show that I dislike is going to be disliked by everyone else, and vice-versa. Of course, that doesn't mean that I would recommend a title that is nearly indefensibly-awful (a la Sword for Truth…well, sort of…), but I don't want to mention just shows that I have found to be good, as you might be able to find something enjoyable in ones that I have not. So I figured, why not recommend another show that I didn't like?

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: HardDoor At The Movies! (Part 2)

We're back for Part 2 of our trip to the Hulu Multiplex with three more titles debuting on-screen. One's a big-screen revisit to a popular show, another is a somber classic, and the other is yet another classic film (and a personal favorite), but with a new layer of polish…