Mamoru Oshii hasn't made a major anime film in a long time, has he? It's been 11 years! And the last one was 2008's The Sky Crawlers, based on a series of novels by Hiroshi Mori (fuck you, Mori, I'll write it how I want). It takes place in an alternate history where war is between private corporations, the technology level is all over the place, and apparently there are kids that never age that fight our battles for us. The main character is one such kid and he's on the verge of an identity crisis. But not as badly as his commanding officer. The question is, does Mamoru Oshii still have the pizazz that made him so popular a director in the past? Ehhhh, not really. But he's not bad.

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Episode 20, "Tragedy"

*****SPOILERS*****

Island of Assassins is one of my favorite Lupin III features. It's often said to be the best, and I certainly agree it's one of them, but I found a few things to criticize, nevertheless. It seems like I've made a habit of reviewing two Lupin features per year, and I guess I'll keep to that into next year, too, unless I either don't have the space to do more than one, or I find more than two I want to review. There are plenty of others to review, after all, and more are being dubbed as we speak, it seems. But after reviewing a movie I thought was pretty bad earlier this year, I thought I'd do one that's really good now.

Episode 19, "The Battle of the Doria Starzone"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  After taking control of the rebel-controlled planet Shamploo, the Yang Fleet engages the 11th Fleet in the Doria Starzone. Yang repeatedly requests their surrender, but Admiral Legrange is stubborn, and their fleet is eventually all but wiped out. Legrange shoots himself instead of surrendering and the battle is over. Yang accepts National Salvation Council spy Bagdash's genuine offer to work for him now that the 11th Fleet is defeated, but Julian doesn't trust him. On Heinessen, Jessica Edwards organizes a massive protest against the coup which is violently put down by the military.

Episode 18, "Bloodshed in Space"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  The boyar nobles, who have made Geiersburg Fortress their base of operations, launch their forces against Reinhard's. However, their strategy is flawed, and Wolfgang Mittermeyer is able to chase them off to Retenberg Fortress. From there, Mittermeyer and Oskar von Reuenthal's forces engage armored troops in a corridor in armed combat. Leading the Lippstadt forces' armored division is Ovlesser, an enormous brute, who Mittermeyer and von Reuenthal lure into a trap. Reinhard, on the advice of Oberstein, returns Ovlesser to Geiersburg, where he's executed in suspicion of treason. Oberstein's plan to throw the nobles into a state of uneasiness is a success.

Look at me, I finished something from my backlog!

Happy Halloween! I thought I'd review an anime that, while not necessarily horror-themed, is a horror itself, and what bigger horror than the existence of Violence Jack, one of the trashiest, bloodiest, mean-spirited OVA anime of all time? So cower under a blanket as you watch this in the dark and I hope you don't eat so much candy you get sick!

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Episode 17, "The Yang Fleet Mobilizes"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  After an assassination attempt on Admiral Cubersly by Andrew Falk, it appears that rogue elements in the FPA military are ready to foment rebellions. Yang is ordered to put down revolts on several FPA planets, but before he can, there's a coup on Heinessen. The National Salvation Military Council, led by Dwight Greenhill, takes control of the government and military, even taking Admiral Bewcock into custody. Despite her connection to the ringleader, Frederica is surprised to learn that Yang still values her participation. The Yang Fleet disembarks from Iserlohn Fortress to fight the insurrectionists.

Eden of the East marks the second Kenji Kamiyama anime I've reviewed this year, after Moribito. Unlike that one (based on novels), this is a completely original story by him. He's an interesting director who follows in the footsteps of his mentor, Mamoru Oshii. Even if this series isn't nearly as successful or as fulfilling as his directed Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, it has a lot going for it and gives you a good idea as to his mindset and philosophy. Let's hope next year's new entry into Stand Alone Complex is more like the previous ones and less like, for instance, 009 Re:Cyborg. What a dud that was.

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Episode 16, "Ignition Point"

*****SPOILERS*****