Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be December 8th, from 5-6pm. We will be watching episodes 5 & 6 of Shonen Onmyouji.

Forcing Back the Ferocious Monsters
Masahiro and Mokkun go in search of the ‘master’ of the western demons that have been attacking them. However, the trail leads them to what appears to be an abandoned farm. There, they are attacked by a swarm of foreign demons who want to offer Masahiro to their master. But when the master finally appears, Masahiro finds he might be in over his head.

Catching the Signs that Appear in the Dead of the Night
Masahiro and Guren barely managed to escape the western demon Kyuuki and his horde with the help of a most unexpected ally, an onmyouji of skill equaling Masahiro’s grandfather Seimei. But in the end they were unable to defeat Kyuuki, who was able to flee. Back out on the streets, Masahiro and Guren have been searching for answers, but who is the figure in blue watching their every move?

Review – Naruto Shippuden vol. 2

What they say:
Naruto and Sakura have succeeded in bringing down Kakashi in the survival challenge using an unconventional technique! Tsunade then assigns them to a three-man squad led by Kakashi, who tells them that they are now his equals.

Meanwhile, Gaara is facing his greatest challenge as Kazekage – to save the Sand Village from Deidara of the Akatsuki. Gaara has the power to protect his village, but will he have enough left over to save himself? With the Kazekage in danger, the Sand call upon their allies from the Leaf, and the reunited Team Kakashi get ready to spring into action!

What this Librarian says:
After all this time, Naruto and Sakura have finally figured out how to steal the bells from Kakashi during his test. And it’s an unconventional technique, typical of Naruto! With the test completed and passed, Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, assigns the two to Kakashi’s new squad. But while Naruto is out celebrating his return, Gaara and the Village Hidden in the Sand have been fighting against Deidara of the Akatsuki, who specializes in explosive clay.

The fight isn’t going well, and Gaara’s closest allies do the only thing they can – send for help from Hokage and the Leaf Village. Tsunade can’t leave the village, but the newly formed Team Kakashi is waiting and ready. Sending Naruto straight into the path of the Akatsuki may not be the best idea, but just try to keep Naruto from helping his friend Gaara.

A solid second volume in the sequel series, the story starts to progress more. It’s still a slow progress, but all the cliffhangers will keep you watching, if only to find out what happens next.

Meeting Cancelled

The meeting scheduled for November 24th has been cancelled. The episodes planned for today’s meeting will be postponed to the December 8th meeting.

Hope to see you then!

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be November 24th from 5-6pm. We’ll be watching episodes 5 and 6 of Shonen Onmyouji.

Forcing Back the Ferocious Monsters
Masahiro and Mokkun go in search of the ‘master’ of the western demons that have been attacking them. However, the trail leads them to what appears to be an abandoned farm. There, they are attacked by a swarm of foreign demons who want to offer Masahiro to their master. But when the master finally appears, Masahiro finds he might be in over his head.

Catching the Signs that Appear in the Dead of the Night
Masahiro and Guren barely managed to escape the western demon Kyuuki and his horde with the help of a most unexpected ally, an onmyouji of skill equaling Masahiro’s grandfather Seimei. But in the end they were unable to defeat Kyuuki, who was able to flee. Back out on the streets, Masahiro and Guren have been searching for answers, but who is the figure in blue watching their every move?

Review – Sailor Moon R the Movie

What they say:
Kisenian, traveling from a far away galaxy, disguised as a meteor, aims to gather all the positive energy from the Earth and plant the seeds of negativity leaving Earth full of hatred.

Unable to do this on her own. Kisenian preys on the vulnerable heart of Mamoru’s childhood friend, Fiore. Fiore, jealous of Usagi and Mamoru’s passionate friendship, joins Kisenian in her wicked endeavor to gather energy from every star and planet!

Can the magic of Sailor Moon’s Crystal and Scepter protect all of mankind from Kisenian’s evil plan? Is she strong enough to save the Earth and her loved ones? Or will she be forced to choose between them?

What this Librarian says:
Probably not one of the deepest anime movies you’ll find out there, but if you are a fan of the super girly anime, the Sailor Moon franchise might just be for you. Often considered one of the gold standards for ‘magical girl’ anime, this is the first of the movie tie-ins for the long running series.

In the middle of a group outing at a botanical garden, Mamoru runs into a friend, Fiore, he has not seen since he was a child. Confused over his suddenly cold behavior after seeing Fiore, Usagi is left wondering again how important she is to Mamoru. When the people are attacked the next morning by a strange plant-woman, Usagi has to put aside her uncertainty to help the other Sailor Soldiers; Rei, Ami, Makoto and Minako, to save the city again. But the girls are outclassed, and when Mamoru shows up as Tuxedo Kamen to save the day Fiore and the Kisenian flower – the one controlling the plant-woman – spring their trap, kidnapping Mamoru. Now the girls must find where Fiore is hiding if they want to stop the Kisenian before she covers the Earth with her flowers which will drain all the energy and life from the planet.

This may not be the best place for anyone unfamiliar to the series to start watching. There are about 88 episodes of the series and back story that will leave people new to the series completely and utterly confused. The series and the movies are generally appropriate for all ages, but there are some darker themes that crop up occasionally.

Information:
Runtime: 60 Minutes
Rated: 13+
Year: 1993 (Japan), 2000 (USA)

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be November 10th from 5-6pm. We’ll be watching episodes 3 and 4 of Shounen Onmyouji.

Listen to the Voice When Afraid of the Dark
Patching up things from the attack that took place, Masahiro and Mokkun try to unravel the mystery surrounding the occurrences of that day. Who, or rather what, started that fire? Keeping busy with his chores around the dorms during the day, Masahiro searches for answers during the night. And when his only hope for getting answers is asking the spirits that dwell during the late hours, Masahiro and Guren meet with something they never expected.

Search for the Shadow of the Foreign Country
Mokkun and Masahiro are still pondering about the ox demon that attacked them. Neither Masahiro nor Mokkun recognize that demon as one of the local troublemakers. However, they both know one important detail: that demon has a ‘master’ of great strength.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be October 27th from 5-6pm. We’ll be watching episodes 1 and 26 of Shounen Onmyouji. Hope to see you all there!

This Boy, Seimei’s Successor
At a first glance, Abe no Masahiro, youngest grandson of the famous Abe no Seimei, does not seem to have any talent. He tries hard at everything, but never manages to succeed. However, things are about to change when Masahiro meets up with a mysterious mononoke. The mononoke claims that he can help Masahiro achieve his dream: to become an Onmyouji.

When the Imperial Palace Burned
Masahiro is now officially an onmyouji-in-training. In celebration, his father takes him to visit the head of the important Fujiwara clan. While there visiting the Fujiwara clan’s castle, he meets the princess, Akiko, who can also see spirits. And when the castle, and the princess, later come under attack it will be up to Masahiro to save her life.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be October 13th from 5-6pm. We’ll be watching episodes 25 and 26 of Ouran High School Host Club. This will be the last episodes of Ouran, and next meeting we will be switching to Shounen Onmyouji!

The Host Club’s Declaration of Dissolution
The time of the 43rd annual Ouran Festival has arrived and the Host Club, of course, participates in their own way. Things become hectic though when Tamaki and Kyoya’s fathers come to see them and Tamaki is forced to make a decision. What will become of the Host Club once the Festival is over?

This is Our Ouran Festival
The festival continues as the Host Club worries about Tamaki. Things take a turn for the worse when the Host Club finds out Tamaki is leaving the country. Can the Host Club reach Tamaki and tell him he’s got it all wrong about their feelings before he leaves?

Review – Kaze no Stigma : Part 2

What they say:
The only person with a chance to melt Kazuma’s chilly exterior is the same red hot firebrand who incinerated his chances of a happy home life. Ayano is the smoldering redhead that issued a royal beat down to her cousin and staked her claim to the Kannagi Clan’s sacred sword. This stubborn flame thrower is a prodigy when it comes to making things explode, but she fights with an enraged, reckless abandon that could get her burned. Put her in the same room as Kazuma, and there’s bound to be fireworks. Trouble looms on the horizon, and a pairing of Wind and Fire is Tokyo’s best bet to survive the night and see the light of day – provided it can take the heat.

What this Librarian says:
In this half of the series, Kazuma has been back in Tokyo for a few months now. He’s mellowed considerably since then, though he still delights in tormenting the people around him, especially his younger cousin and resident hothead, Ayano. But under that new persona still lies the heartbreak that has given him the reputation as one of the most brutal magic users ever.

When a new game called Pandemonium has been making the rounds though the city, giving the teens that participate magic powers of their own, Ayano is sent to look into it. But when she comes face to face with the mastermind and his puppet, Lapis, things take a sudden turn for the worse with Kazuma. It’s up to Ayano to find a way to get through to Kazuma and bring him back to their side.

A satisfying conclusion to the series, though for romance junkies might find themselves just a little disappointed that there wasn’t a more concrete resolution to the relationship between Kazuma and Ayano. The quality of the animation did start to falter a bit in the last few episodes, but mostly with secondary character and some of the more dynamic backgrounds. The final battle is a little confusing and a great deal of explanation is left out, but it was still enjoyable.

Information:
Episodes: 24
Rating: 14+
Year: 2007 (Japan), 2009 (USA)

Review – Naruto Shippuden vol. 1

What they say:
Naruto Uzumaki is back! After a long training journey with one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, Naruto has returned older, a little bit wiser, and a lot stronger! Sakura’s been studying under another of the Sannin, Tsunade, and is now an accomplished medic ninja with a few new battle skills of her own.

To show off their new skills, Naruto and Sakura team up to take on their old master, Kakashi. While the three battle it out, the Village Hidden in the Sand is infiltrated by the Akatsuki, who are after Naruto’s old rival and the newest Kazekage of the Sand – Gaara!

What this Librarian says:
If you put up with the more than 40 filler episodes at the end of the original Naruto series, then it’s time to welcome series two, Naruto Shippuden (Hurricane Chronicles). After almost three years away from the village of Konoha and all his friends there, Naruto has returned a little stronger and a little wiser, but only a little wiser. He’s still Konoha’s number one unpredictable ninja.

This first volume spends most of the time setting up Naruto’s return to the village and how his most important mission yet, retrieving the long absent Sasuke, will go. But things rarely go as planned when you throw a bunch of teenage ninjas in the same room together, and Naruto has a lot of catching up to do, all of his classmates have managed to move up in the ranks to Chunin or Jounin while Naruto is still a beginner Genin. And now Akatsuki, a group of powerful rogue ninja, is on the move and their newest target is Gaara, the newest Kazekage!

Shippuden is a great follow up to the original series. But now that Naruto is a little older and series has also geared up as far as content. While not being too far off from the original in content, there is still a bit more violence than previously, so is may not be appropriate for the younger crowds anymore.

Information:
Episodes: 133 (Ongoing)
Rating: 15+
Year: 2007 (Japan), 2009 (USA)