  Magi - Episode 16 - Solomon's Wisdom Jan 30th 2013, 18:00 
Cassim has tranformed into a Dark Djinn. He launches an attack against everyone inside the palace, in order to settle a longstanding grudge. Alibaba, despite being injured, gets back up again and again. Just then... a friend reaches out a helping hand!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 5 - 5 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
In the top half, the Captain comes roaring back with a vengeance. What's his reason for being here, again? Later, we finally get a glimpse into Billy and Jacqueline's stormy past. Their love, a love between a bird and an insect that transcends classes (and species!), strikes a chord with P-ko, Rec, and even Hoshi.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 1 - 1 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
The first half reveals each resident's secret side when they pay Nino's place a visit. The second half indulges in a men-only marathon. Who will come out on top!? Oh, and uh...don't worry about that Amazon lady that shows up in the middle!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 6 - 6 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Rec the Maestro versus Hoshi the Rock Star-Episode 6 kicks off with their fierce musical struggle. Who will take center stage in Nino's heart?! Later, the Tetsujin Twins take swimming lessons with Nino and her youthful swimsuit, and Rec begins to grow as an Arakawa resident.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 9 - 9 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
First up, we catch a glimpse of Whitey and Shimazaki getting a little too close for comfort! It turns out they were just expressing their passion for line-riding, but Rec images something completely different. Later, Last Samurai and the Chief outdo themselves and ruin a perfectly pleasant tea party.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 13 - 13 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
This volume wraps up with the heartwarming tales of Last Samurai and the lovey-dovey Billy and Jacqueline, along with the grownups of Arakawa trying to show Stella and the Tetsujin Twins a good time. So anyway...what the hell is the deal with that hidden treasure?!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 2 - 2 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
That weird Amazon from before makes another appearance, and her mysterious treasure is finally revealed! Also, a rabid sci-fi fan and self-proclaimed Earth Defense Force fleet captain makes his debut at the river, adding another space-spice to the Arakawa stew.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 9 - 9 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Stella's transformation is the highlight of this episode! The production team was so excited, they assigned a special Key Animation Supervisor specifically to her performance. What will become of Maria, the target of Stella's wrath? Plus, a piece of Hoshi's past is revealed!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 4 - 4 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Rec suddenly finds himself directing a romance movie at P-ko's request. The residents of the riverbank are cast in leading roles, but they just refuse to get serious. Will Rec ever finish his masterpiece? Later in the episode, we see Rec taking part in a real test of courage. Rec's super afraid of ghosts, but who will manage to give him the biggest fright!?
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 12 - 12 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Has the Arakawa crisis finally come to an end? Who is that man in the shadows who swooped in to save the day? Mysteries abound! meanwhile, rec's determination to stand up against his father has brought him and Nino even closer!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 3 - 3 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
It all begins with the incident in the confessional. Hoshi deludes himself straight into depression, and Rec's insensitive comments only exacerbate the situation. Later, study Rec's technique as he struggles to ask Nino out on a date.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 10 - 10 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
All you kappa fans out there, thanks for your patience. The Chief is finally front and center in 10 Bridge. How will he deal with the surprise fire drill, and the shocking invasion of Rec's dad's underlings?! Then, find out just how much of a morning person Maria isn't!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 5 - 5 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Sister's tough exterior racks under Maria's onslaught. Hyper Clumsy Girl Alpha P-ko makes her first appearance. Rec struggles with his new "freeloader" label. This episode is jam-packed with drama! And pay attention to Maria's aggressively sadistic opening theme!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 8 - 8 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Episode 8 is chock-full of excitement as Rec's secretaries arrive to checkup on him. Rec presents the residents as his newly hired staff, causing even more problems for him. Later, Rec and Nino take another step closer thanks to the misguided nudge from the jealous Takai.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 8 - 8 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
The Amazon returns to the riverbank with her annoyingly cutesy routine, and Rec is as baffled as ever at her advances. But when the Tengu squad manages to hypnotize him, the story takes a turn for the weird. Where will this twisted love triangle go from here!?
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 11 - 11 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
The battle begins, father versus son, for control of Arakawa! Bearing the burden of the wishes of his new-found friends, Rec stands tall against his father's evil machinations! But what options does he even have? Also, Nino's nuttiness is on a roll!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 10 - 10 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
We find out that the rocket taking everyone to Venus has a weight limit! The residents split into teams to try out different dieting techniques. What kind of results can we expect? And what kind of aftereffects might the twins experience!?
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 4 - 4 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
The first part of the show concludes the Rec/Nino date that began in the previous episode. It feels like those two are growing closer. Then, Stella and Maria finally make their debuts in the second half of the show. You'd think more girls would help the show calm down, but...
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 7 - 7 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Rec takes his first tentative steps as the sole teacher for the Arakawa residents. How will he overcome each obstacle-Hoshi, the Chief, Stella, and even Sister?! Later, Rec navigates the minefield of P-ko's clumsiness, and P-ko's not-so-secret crush is revealed.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 7 - 7 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
A conversation between the river's two middle-aged men leads to a push for health awareness and check-ups for everyone under the bridge. Rec and the others don't think too much of it, but their well-being is more important to Nino than anyone realized! The path to Venus is a long and dangerous one...
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 1 - 1 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Kou Ichinomiya has always held up his family's tradition of never being indebted to anyone. While trying to retrieve his pants from a bridge pillar, they fall, dragging him down into the river, where he is saved by a strange girl named Nino. Suffering from an asthma attack induced by being indebted to Nino, he accepts the only way he can pay her back; by falling in love with her. In keeping with this promise, Kou feels obligated to live with her under the bridge. After a cold night sleeping in 'the villa', Nino takes Kou to the Village Mayor, a strange man dressed in a kappa suit, who gives him the name Recruit. Kou soon finds that Nino's room is a lot better than the villa, although he is quick to notice Nino's bizarre sleeping habits.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 3 - 3 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
While cleaning his room, Rec discovers some cassette tapes that were apparently hidden away by Nino. He causes an international incident when he decides to listen to them behind her back; next thing you know, all the other girls are openly hostile toward him. But he tries to make it up to her, I swear!
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge - Episode 2 - 2 Bridge Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Realizing he is now spending time with a girl for the first time in his life, Kou has trouble coming up with a conversation to have with Nino. After taking a bath in an oil drum, Kou is introduced to some of the other strange residents of Arakawa, but makes a bad first impression when he reveals himself as Nino's lover. They then attend mass held by a trigger-happy man dressed in a nun's outfit, named Sister.
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 6 - 6 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
Shimazaki continues investigating Nino, while deceiving Rec's dad at the same time. But then...she activates the Death Trap! Elsewhere, Nino reveals to Rec that her parents have contacted her. Upon hearing this, Rec...
 |  Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge - Episode 12 - 12 Bridge X 2 Jan 30th 2013, 01:00 
On a whim, the Chief decides to play the King Game, setting into motion a potentially deadly battle. The winner of the game is allowed to issue a single royal decree that everyone else must obey. Everyone prepares their signature attacks and secret alliances, and the battle royale begins!
 | | Bamboo Blade – Review Jan 30th 2013, 00:05 
Bamboo Blade is a shining example of east meets west culture in the anime medium. The concepts, the menus, the atmospheres and even the humor are undeniably Japanese and yet thanks to FUNimation, American viewers are given the opportunity to take and apply domestic sensibilities to the universal themes within. The story goes something like this: Kendo instructor Toraji is a bit of hack who, aside from running a pretty poor after school club, is so broke that he can’t afford to eat. As fate would have it, a friendly rival of his happens to be jealous of Toraji’s earlier accomplishments in the sport and lays down a bet (really more of a competition) with some interesting stakes: Should Toraji’s team be defeated, he is to hand over his prized Kendo trophy but should they be victorious, it’s a full year of free food at his favorite eatery. The gurgling in Toraji’s empty gut accepts the challenge before his brain has a chance to consider the odds. Part of Bamboo Blade’s success is its simplicity of overall dramatic shape: Everything that drives from the show’s heart and soul revolves around food. Sure, there’s a “learning curve” but it isn’t that steep. There’s one thing to say however, because it’s so Japan school life oriented (even more so than other dramas in my opinion), there will be cultural references that one may miss. They’re not necessarily a major part of the story, but the quickfire, simple humor would definitely come with some reference to Japan’s culture. Rather high school high jinks, cute girls and a bit of drama make up the foreground here with martial arts training and fight sequences offering the backdrop. 
It doesn't bring anything to the table in terms of style and direction that hasn't been seen yet. To some that might be a throwback. "It's just like any other." But to me, and as I believe to a lot of others as well, Bamboo Blade just works. The animation in this anime is good, and so is the voice acting. I can’t call the soundtrack memorable, but it’s not bad. Not to discredit FUNimation and their impeccable scripting/ acting of late, the fact is that Bamboo Blade is precisely the type of property that the Japanese cast just absolutely excels in mastering. The jokes are a bit more fluid, the zaniness a bit less forced and the timing a bit more natural. The voice cast for the Japanese cast were incredible for their roles bringing out their characters emotions superbly and Funimation also did a great decision for their Voice cast for the dubbed audio. Sadly the extras aren’t much just the usual trailers and textless intro/ending songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ0E73wZpss While Bamboo Blade has a relatively sitcom-y feel to it – it’s definitely light as air and doesn’t shy away from cheesy scenarios. So, I was wondering how an anime series based on kendo would be. I’ve learned and even practiced kendo (for a very short time) and mainly because it is a very discipline-based sport (and for some friends its part of their lifestyle), for those on the outside, an anime based on kendo can be seen as boring or quite technical. But “Bamboo Blade” is nowhere near boring, in fact…once you start watching it…you’ll find the series to be quite fun! The show packs in a lot of personality, some fun characters, and an interesting premise. I found myself laughing and just really enjoying this anime series a lot. So, don’t let the kendo theme scare you, “Bamboo Blade” is not your typical sports anime series.
 | | IFFR 2013: Odayaka – Review Jan 30th 2013, 00:04 
Odayaka (full title Odayaka na Nichijou, meaning something along the lines of 'the tranquil everyday/regular') is Nobuteru Uchida's third film and the second I have seen of his. His previous film Love Addiction was screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2011 edition and was received somewhat lukewarm by the public, although I personally enjoyed it quite a bit. Love Addiction focused on four people and their messed up romantic entanglements. It was largely dialogue driven, mostly just people sitting inside arguing for 90 minutes. A lot of criticism I heard from people around me was that they couldn't empathize with the characters, and I have caught similar complaints about this film, Odayaka. I sincerely disagree. Odayaka is a film centered around the 3/11 disaster in Japan, and the subsequent fears of radiation. We follow the lives of two women in Tokyo and the indirect impact the earthquake and tsunami have on their lives. Saeko is a twenty-something girl living with her husband and little daughter, her parents reside in the disaster-struck area and she has not been able to contact them. Not long after the disaster strikes her husband comes home and tells her he wants a divorce and leaves her. All she suddenly has left in her life is her little girl, since she doesn't have a job either. As days and weeks pass, the Fukushima power plant situation worsens and Saeko gets more and more worried about radiation, and especially the effects it might have on her daughter. She makes her wear a mask to school and she implores the teachers of the school to start taking precautions against radiation, but as long as the government does not issue any orders, the school does not regard it as necessary to take any measures. Every day Saeko gets more anxious, simply wanting to protect her daughter, all the while being frowned upon by the rest of society who is acting like there is nothing to worry about (this is what the title of odayaka refers to). 
In the same apartment building we find Yukako, a few years older than Saeko and living with her salaryman husband. She has an occasional part-time job but spends most of her time at home, and after the disaster she too becomes worried about radiation and does a lot of research. At a certain point she does not feel comfortable living in Tokyo anymore and asks her husband to request a transfer. Their relationship seems to already be somewhat on edge due to a past event and this adds to it. Both Saeko and Yukako seem like the only people actually concerned about the effects of radiation and this leads them to be labeled as neurotic. In all honesty, they do come across as a bit neurotic especially as the film progresses. But this is entirely understandable given their fear for something they cannot see, their desire to protect the children, and the rest of society completely ignoring the omnipresent possible dangers. Both women feel completely powerless, but whereas Yukako still has her husband as somewhat of a supporter, Saeko is completely alone. She ultimately reaches her breaking point and is driven to drastic measures, which luckily does lead to the two women finding each other. 
This film really hits the nail on the head when it comes to the social problem of people blindly obeying their government and expert systems, especially now that we in retrospect know that the Japanese government did initially withhold and obscure information about the dangers. In addition, another social problem is approached, being that of discrimination within Japanese society. It might be a homogenous society from our Western point of view but severe discrimination still occurs for myriad reasons, as exemplified in, for instance, Masahiro Kobayashi's 'Bashing' where a woman is shunned and badgered for having done volunteer work in the Middle East. Saeko experiences similar bashing by other mothers at her daughter's school, despite the fact that all she wants to do is protect her (and their!) children. Odayaka is a film that demands a lot from its lead actresses, especially Kiki http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyFC-hGm2bw Sugino who plays Saeko (who is also one of the producers). Although I have heard the exact opposite from critical viewers, to me, she really manages to make the gripping fear tangible. The despair in her eyes when trying to convince these blockheaded mothers and teachers, and the manner in which she embodies her anxiety through actions; her performance is subtle and blatant at the same time. In the case of Yukiko Shinohara who plays Yukako it is even more subtle, aside from one outburst of anxiety which was definitely one of the most compelling scenes in the film. Furthermore Uchida seems to have polished up his directing skills a lot, still keeping to his largely handheld style with ever-so frequent close-ups, but making it appear significantly more polished than it did in Love Addiction where it was still rough around the edges. All in all the outstanding acting performances make for a highly convincing social drama about very recent and very real issues. I, for one, am definitely keeping close tabs on especially Uchida's and Sugino's careers.
 |  Love Live! School Idol Project - Episode 4 - Makirinpana Jan 29th 2013, 16:00 
Someone has uploaded the debut concert of µ's to the internet and their popularity begins to increase. Later on, Hanayo, who's toiling over her own decision to join the group, tries to convince Maki that she should join.
 |  AMNESIA - Episode 4 - IV Jan 29th 2013, 15:30 
The staff of Meido no Hitsuji decides to have a fireworks party, during which Shin finally tells Heroine the truth of her accident. He also reveals a story of his own past that she was not expecting.
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