Writer, Gamer, Otaku

Just finished up this season's round of anime. Overall I was pretty pleased with the how many unique shows there were this season. "Kill la Kill" made a strong first impression, but could've used more depth. On the other hand "Valvrave the Liberator" was drenched in heavy themes and an amazing story, but the ending left me slightly dissatisfied. "Arpeggio of Blue Steel" showed what I believe to be  the future of digital animation in anime, but also did a poor job of resolving all of its story's issues. Finally, my biggest surprise and probably one of the most underappreciated anime this season, "Kyousougiga" turned out not only to be my favorite show this season, with fantastic music, gorgeous visuals, and an amazing storyline it has elevated itself to be included amongst my top 5 favorite anime of all time! With a story taking inspiration from Japanese mythology, telling a heart-warming and sometimes heart-wrenching tale of a family...

Today Crunchyroll released the simulcast of the "Sword Art Online" Special. Much longer than I thought, it's essentially an OVA or short movie, much more than a bonus episode. Other than an awesome nostalgic intro and intermittent scenes, most of the special was a clever recap of the entire SAO season. Really well-paced, and hitting all the major chords of the series, fans, like myself, are sure to enjoy the return to the world of Aincrad, and, surprisingly, even Alfheim! It  isn't until the final 20 minutes or so, however, that things get truly awesome. Delivering what most fans truly wanted for the first time, we get to see the entire cast of characters set out on an underwater quest in ALO after first teaching Sugu how to swim. There could have been more of this included, as we only get to see a montage of fights and barely see some of the characters' abilities, but overall, it's what fans have wanted. All-in-all I loved the Special episode and all the feel...