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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 42 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 42, "Sign of a Counterattack"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: In an abaondoned warehouse, Winry, Marcoh, Scar, Mei, and the chimeras wait for Alphonse to regain consciousness, which he eventually does. As they try to put him back together, Mei comes up with an idea, and lays out the pages of Scar’s brother’s journal. When put together the right way, they make a diagram of the nationwide alchemy circle. When Yoki sneezes, and pages turn over, Alphonse gets an idea. They turn the pages over and a diagram of a new alchemy circle can be drawn, using Xingese techniques. Meanwhile, Kimbley meets with Pride, who tells him to concetrate carving the crest of blood at Briggs. In Lior, the people are rebuilding the town, and Hohenheim arrives. He meets Rose, who shows him the Leto church, where he goes underground and meets with Pride, telling him to deliver a message to Father that he’ll be seeing him soon. At Briggs, Drachma troops attack, aided by Kimbley. read more

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Blue Exorcist (Ao no Exorcist) – Episode 01 Review

Blue Exorcist, also known by its Japanese name Ao no Exorcist, is a new 25 episode anime based off the manga of the same name. Blue Exorcist is directed by Tensai Okamura (Evangelion, Soul Eater) and produced by A-1 Pictures.

Due to the fact the manga has been out for several years this review will contain mild spoilers.

Synopsis

Episode one starts with brief sequence of Vatican priests getting picked off by demons, who ignite into a fierce blue flame. It then cuts to the series’ main character, Rin, finishing a street fight against a light haired boy and two of his friends. Later in the episode it is revealed that the light haired boy, a spoiled rich kid, was shooting pigeons with a crossbow before Rin intervened. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 41 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 41, "Hell"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Miles plans to kill Kimbley and his subordinates, but Edward is reluctant to take lives. Scar, Marcoh, and Mei try to decipher some of Scar’s brother’s notes. Later, they find Alphonse sticking out of the snow. After digging him up, he warns them about Central soldiers at Briggs. Scar tells them they can hide in a nearby Ishbalan refugee camp. Edward confronts Kimbley, who has figured out what Miles is up to. He uses his alchemy to evade the sniper, and his subordinates, who are chimera, attack Ed. Ed uses alchemy to disable them via their sense of smell and again confronts Kimbley, hitting the Philosopher’s Stone out of his hand. However, Kimbley has another stone in his mouth and uses it to destroy the mining tower, bringing it down on Ed and the chimera. Edward comes to with a giant metal pipe sticking out of him. With the help of the chimeras, he uses alchemy to remove it and heal himself, losing consiousness from exhaustion. The chimeras, feeling betrayed by Kimbley, decide to take him to safety. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 40 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 40, "Homunculus"


 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Olivier Armstrong arrives at Central, where she is questioned by Fuhrer King Bradley about General Raven. She requests Raven’s position, and it amuses Bradley, who agrees to give it to her. Riza passes along information to Roy about Selim being a homunculus. Meanwhile, Father sleeps below Central and a flashback begins to the days of Xerxes. Hohenheim was once a slave who became an alchemy apprentice thanks to the help of a homunculus living in a flask in his master’s posession. The king of Xerxes requests from the homunculus the secret to immortality, which comes at the price of many lives. An alchemy array is constructed around the country so that the king can obtain immortality, but the homunculus has tricked him and it is Hohenheim and himself that end up at the center of the circle when it activates. The result is the death of all of Xerxes’ citizens, save for Hohenheim, and the transfer of those lives into the homunculi and Hohenheim. The homunculus decided to take the same form as Hohenheim, thus their similar appearance. In the present, Hohenheim meets with Izumi and Sig, and rearranges her internal organs to help her health, admitting to them that he is a Philosopher’s Stone in human form. read more

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Tiger & Bunny – Episode 3 Review

 

Tiger & Bunny is a new anime program current airing weekly in Japan. Produced by Sunrise it’s currently being directed by Keiichi Satou (best known for his work on Big O). The series revolves around a couple of super heroes who fight crime while driving ad revenue and product placement for a hero themed television program.

 

Synopsis (minor spoilers)

Episode 3 of Tiger & Bunny starts with the pair in a simulated combat exercise. Though forced to work together it’s apparent that they approach the job from completely different standpoints. Tiger is driven more by instinct and feeling while Bunny is more calculated and logical. read more

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Tiger & Bunny – Episode 1 & 2 Review

Tiger & Bunny is a new anime program current airing weekly in Japan. Produced by Sunrise it’s currently being directed by Keiichi Satou (best known for his work on Big O). The series revolves around a couple of super heroes who fight crime while driving ad revenue and product placement for a hero themed television program.

Synopsis

The first two episodes of Tiger & Bunny is mainly establishment for the setting and characters which will make up the series. The main character of the series is Kotetsu Kaburagi who fights under the name Wild Tiger with the power to increase his strength a hundredfold for a mere five minutes. The apparent oldest of the featured heroes he has a younger daughter whom he struggles to see when faced with the task of being a super hero. Despite his age he’s characterized as naive with an idealistic approach to being a hero stemming from an incident in his childhood. Best known for operating without consideration for property damage, Wild Tiger is the least popular among the cast of Hero TV. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 39 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 39, "Daydream"

Synopsis: Edward prevents Kimbley from going at Scar, who has Winry captive. In a flashback, Winry confronts Scar about his killing her parents and he tells her he has the right to kill her. Instead, she bandages a bleeding wound of his, and while she says she won’t forgive him, she does it because it’s a life her parents saved. Scar asks Miles why he works for a country that hates him, and he says it’s to change their attitude towards Ishbalans from within. After much discussion, the group come up with a plan to get Winry out of the clutches of the homunculi and Central by faking a kidnapping by Scar, who agrees to cooperate. Winry, Yoki, the chimera (who desire to get their original bodies back), Marcoh, Mei, and Scar seperate from the Elrics and Miles. In the present, Miles discovers that the Briggs base has been taken over by Central soldiers. Alphonse goes out to inform them, but in the snow storm, sees a vision of his body and is concerned about his future. read more

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Netflix Instant Review: Samurai 7

Bored? Check.

Internet access? Check.

Mild interest in samurai or samurai robots? Check.

If you’ve passed the above test then let me recommend Samurai 7, a 26 episode series currently available to watch instantly on Netflix. Produced by Gonzo back in 2004 Samurai 7 is a retelling of the epic film Seven Samurai (which is also available for streaming on Netflix). Now, if you haven’t seen Seven Samurai yet then you absolutely need to watch that first.

A lot of what makes Samurai 7 a decent watch is pulled directly from the film. Samurai 7 is the story of seven samurai hired by a village of farmers to protect themselves and their crops from marauding bandits. Following the great war, many out of work samurai found a new living raiding defenseless farmers for their yield of rice. Raids which not only resulted in depleting the villagers much needed rice but often resulted in a loss of life and kidnapped women. Deciding to take a stand, the elder of Kanna comes up with a plan to hire samurai for defense. Having no money they decide to bargain with what precious rice they have left. With these grains in hand three villagers set off for the big city in an attempt to persuade some honorable warriors. Eventually a ragtag team of samurai is assembled and they set off to protect the village. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 38 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 38, "Clash in Baschool"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Edward and Alphonse manage to give Kimbley’s men the slip to look for May on their own. Eventually finds them herself, excited to see Al. Marcoh and Yoki appear, too, with Yoki recalling Edward’s effect on his life. Once in charge of the mining town of Youswell, Edward saw that he was mistreating the citizens and swindled him out of the deed to the mines, which he sold to the people. Yoki was wanted by the military and blames Edward, but the alchemist doesn’t care. Kimbley’s men, Jelso and Zanpano, find Scar, and transform, revealing themselves to be chimera. Marcoh tells Ed the importance of Scar’s safety, as he is the only one who can translate part of his brother’s notes. Scar is cornered by the dangerous chimera, but Ed and Al show up and defeat them soundly, intending to get information out of Scar themselves. Miles arrives and tells the Elrics he’ll handle the rest. Winry is again face-to-face with the man who killed her parents. Buccaneer and his group return from the tunnel and he reports to Olivier. Officials from Central return demanding to see her. Back in town, there’s an explosion and Scar appears to have kidnapped Winry. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 37 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 37, "The First Homunculus"

 *****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: As attaches for him special cold weather style automail, Edward warns Winry not to trust Kimbley, but she recalls first meeting him when he picked her up and how he had kind words about her parents. Olivier has Buccaneer and other soldiers take the hatch Edward made into the tunnel to find the soldiers that hadn’t returned. Olivier tells the others to blame her should Central become suspicious of Raven’s disappearance. Roy meets with a flower-selling woman who passes along information from Olivier. Underground in Briggs, Buccaneer’s team finds two survivors of the first team that went underground, who fear the living shadow that attacked. The shadow retreats for the time being. In Central, Riza delivers papers to the Fuhrer’s residence at night, which are taken by his wife. Selim Bradley appears and Mrs. Bradley tells Riza about him having been adopted from his father’s side of the family. Riza walks off stunned, realizing what that must mean, and she’s right: Selim appears again, revealing himself to be the shadowy homunculi, Pride, who warns her not to reveal his secret. In Briggs, Kimbley reveals to Edward in private his intention to get Ed to kill enough people there to help complete the nationwide circle, in return for giving Edward a Philosopher’s Stone. Edward agrees, but Alphonse realizes he’s just going along with him. They tell Winry that she’s being used against them. Ed and Al are taken with Kimbley to go hunt down Scar, and Winry decides to join them. read more