http://www.track-shun.tv Anime review vidcast of the latest series straight from Japan. Each episode covers three anime television series, most of which have yet to be licensed for export to the U.S. Each series is rated "Track" or "Shun". Feeder 1.5.7(628) http://reinventedsoftware.com/feeder/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us Copyright Chris Swett, 2008 Chris Swett chris@track-shun.tv Chris Swett chris@track-shun.tv Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:58:52 -0500 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:58:52 -0500 http://animetracker.com/tracker_kitty.jpg http://www.track-shun.tv 144 128 A video review of new anime recently released in Japan. Chris Swett A video review of new anime recently released in Japan. The Track-shun video podcast looks at the very latest anime releases to determine whether or not fans should look forward to (track) or ignore (shun) the introduction of these series into the English-speaking markets. The series is hosted by Chris Swett, and offers several native language clips from each anime series reviewed. Each episode covers three recent series from Japanese television and utilizes H.264 format for all devices. Links and info at Track-shun.tv. [Episodes 17+ subtitled in English.] anime yes Chris Swett chris@track-shun.tv http://www.track-shun.tv/Track-shun.xml no http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_70.mp4 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:50:31 -0500 trackshun-70-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 70 looks at "Eve no Jikan", "Hyakko" and "Casshern - Sins". Episode 70 looks at "Eve no Jikan", "Hyakko" and "Casshern - Sins". Eve no Jikan is heavily inspired by Isaac Asimov's "I, Robot", but in this series two high school boys discover that androids are people, too. Hyakko is a shoujo high school angst anime, wherein four girls struggle with ineptitude and being at the bottom of the class. Casshern - Sins is a retelling of a very old anime, where a sort of anti-hero cyborg battles robots in a decaying world. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:40 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_69.mp4 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:31:32 -0500 trackshun-69-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 69 looks at "Chaos;HEAd", "Earl and Fairy" and "Neo Angelique Abyss (Second Age)". Episode 69 looks at "Chaos;HEAd", "Earl and Fairy" and "Neo Angelique Abyss (Second Age)". Chaos;HEAd is a point-of-view study of a Hikikomori, or person completely withdrawn from society, and how he copes with his psychotic delusions and his inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. Earl and Fairy is a 19th Century shoujo intrigue, with addition of some supernatural elements and dangerous romance. Neo Angelique Abyss Second Age is the second installment on a bishonen fantasy adventure/hack and slash. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:04 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_68.mp4 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:54:16 -0500 trackshun-68-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 68 looks at "Telepathy Shoujo Ran", "Monochrome Factor" and "Nogizaka Haruka's Secret". Episode 68 looks at "Telepathy Shoujo Ran", "Monochrome Factor" and "Nogizaka Haruka's Secret". Telepathy Shoujo Ran begins like a high school romance, but quickly changes when Ran's previously latent esper powers are unleashed by a school antagonist. Monochrome Factor is yet another light vs. darkness series where the protagonist is co-opted into the fight, but this time with a definite yaoi twist. Nogizaka Haruka's secret doesn't stay secret for long, as she's exposed to one of the "normal" students as a closet otaku, and romance ensues. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:32 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_on_HD.mp4 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:22:22 -0500 trackshun-on-hd Chris Swett Track-shun is now available in HD at www.lulu.com/wcswett, or click on the link at www.track-shun.tv. Track-shun is now available in HD at www.lulu.com/wcswett, or click on the link at www.track-shun.tv. no 0:13 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_67.mp4 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:02:26 -0400 trackshun-67-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 67 looks at "Vampire Knight", "Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto - Natsu no Sora" and "Strike Witches". Episode 67 looks at "Vampire Knight", "Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto - Natsu no Sora" and "Strike Witches". Vampire Knight is a shoujo high school romance set in a unique boarding school, where human high schoolers attend class during the day and vampires at night. Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto - Natsu no Sora is a spin-off of a five year old story, but this version uses photo-realistic backgrounds and high production values with a slice-of-life plot and glacial, almost real-time pacing. Strike Witches is a lolicon fan service series that strives to showcase "bloomers" (Japanese girls' athletic shorts) from every possible camera angle. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:16 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_66.mp4 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:34:23 -0400 trackshun-66-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 66 looks at "Kyouran Kazoku Nikki", "Zettai Karen Children" and "Kanokon". Episode 66 looks at "Kyouran Kazoku Nikki", "Zettai Karen Children" and "Kanokon". Kyouran Kazoku Nikki takes a haphazard collection of beings bio-engineered from divine flesh and casts them in the role of a human family, with both predictable and unpredictable results. Zettai Karen Children follows three super-esper girls who work with police to corral criminal espers, usually with excessive collateral damage. Kanokon is a shota-loli meets fox girl high school romance, with heavy petting. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:05 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_65.mp4 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 20:15:04 -0400 trackshun-65-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 65 looks at "Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica", "Rocket Girls" and "Seirei no Moribito". Episode 65 looks at "Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica", "Rocket Girls" and "Seirei no Moribito". Polyphonica is a run-of-the-mill shapechanging girl fighting evil series, with some musical occult mumbo jumbo thrown in. Rocket Girls is a top flight production, where young girls have a chance at manned space flight due to their low weight. Seirei no Moribito is a theatrical epic for the small screen, and casts a female medieval spear thrower as guardian to a disinherited Japanese prince. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:56 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_64.mp4 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:57:51 -0400 trackshun-64-mp4 Chris Swett Episode 64 looks at "Tetsuwan Birdy Decode", "Nanoha StrikerS" and "Over Drive". Episode 64 looks at "Tetsuwan Birdy Decode", "Nanoha StrikerS" and "Over Drive". Tetsuwan Birdy Decode is a remake of a 12 year-old OAV series, based on an even older manga, but the new version is more exciting, if less sexy, than the original. Nanoha StrikerS is the latest in a series of series, and it lives up to the reputation for sequels. Over Drive is a bicycling sports anime that aims to put a very unlikely novice in the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 34:45 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_63.mp4 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:39:37 -0400 trackshun-63-h264 Chris Swett Episode 63 looks at "Prism Ark", "Amatsuki" and "Itazura na Kiss". Episode 63 looks at "Prism Ark", "Amatsuki" and "Itazura na Kiss". Prism Ark is a run-of-the-mill mini-skirt fantasy with the usual number of stereotyped bishoujo characters, magic and monsters. Amatsuki milks the genre of back-to-the-fantasy-past, ie. Old Edo, series, monster hunting included. Itazura na Kiss takes high school angst to new levels when a girl is nastily rejected by her prospective boyfriend, then is forced to move in with him the same day. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 29:59 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_62.mp4 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:14:48 -0400 trackshun-61-h264 Chris Swett Episode 62 looks at "Allison & Lillian", "Romeo & Juliet" and "Lovely Complex". Episode 62 looks at "Allison & Lillian", "Romeo & Juliet" and "Lovely Complex". Allison & Lillian is a high-budget NHK series about cold war intrigue in an alternate (or regressed, far future) land. Romeo & Juliet takes great liberties with the Bard's play, but grabs the attention with fast-pacing and a fantasy twist. Lovely Complex is an ironic high school romantic comedy that plays heavily on the protagonists' Kansai dialect and their rapid-fire comedic delivery. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:59 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_61.mp4 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:57:00 -0400 trackshun-61-tv Chris Swett Episode 61 looks at "Macross Frontier", "Rosario & Vampire" and "Kaibutsu Oujo" (Monster Princess). Episode 61 looks at "Macross Frontier", "Rosario & Vampire" and "Kaibutsu Oujo" (Monster Princess). The long-lived Macross franchise gets a huge facelift in this latest series, which has lots of detailed CGI and exciting action, as well as the usual bitchy voice talent. Rosario & Vampire is a high school harem anime with a demonic twist, as well as copious gratuitous underwear modeling. Kaibutsu Oujo slaps together a little goth with some monster-of-the-week action to create another re-tread of a series. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 39:57 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_60.mp4 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:06:42 -0400 trackshun-60-tv Chris Swett Episode 60 looks at "Wolf & Spice", "Masked Maid Guy" and "ToLove Ru - Trouble". Episode 60 looks at "Wolf & Spice", "Masked Maid Guy" and "ToLove Ru - Trouble". Wolf & Spice pairs a clothing-averse pagan wolf goddess with a traveling merchant in medieval Europe at the time of the spread of Christianity. Masked Maid Guy is the anime incarnation of a comedy manga featuring a large-breasted high school girl and her over-the-top masked male maid bodyguard in drag. ToLove Ru reprises the age-old formula of cute alien girl who drops in out of the blue and stays, thinking she's engaged. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:47 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_59.mp4 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:50:35 -0400 trackshun-59-tv Chris Swett Episode 59 looks at "Mushi-Uta", "Kimi Kiss Pure Rouge" and "Zero no Tsukaima II". Episode 59 looks at "Mushi-Uta", "Kimi Kiss Pure Rouge" and "Zero no Tsukaima II". Mushi-Uta is a lackluster monster-chaser, with some high school angst thrown in for no good reason. Kimi Kiss starts out in the vein of the return of the childhood friend, then turns into just another harem anime. The second series of Zero no Tsukaima is no better than the first series, and may even be somewhat worse. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:09 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_58.mp4 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:45:37 -0500 trackshun-58-tv Chris Swett Episode 58 looks at "ef - a tale of memories", "Bamboo Blade" and "Blue Drop". Episode 58 looks at "ef - a tale of memories", "Bamboo Blade" and "Blue Drop". ef - a tale of memories follows three teenage couples, but little is revealed in the first episode, drawing the audience in through cinematic direction and mystery. Bamboo Blade is a straight-forward girl group anime, themed around kendo fencing. Blue Drop is an "aliens among us" series with very high production values and a tangible creepiness. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:45 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_57.mp4 Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:38:51 -0500 trackshun-57-tv Chris Swett Episode 57 looks at "Night Wizard", "Clannad" and "Dragonaut". Episode 57 looks at "Night Wizard", "Clannad" and "Dragonaut". Night Wizard is a rather cheezy high school comedy with some supernatural elements and monsters thrown in. Clannad is the latest in high school supernatural romances-wrapped-in-enigmas produced by top shelf Kyoto Animation. Dragonaut follows the life of shuttle disaster survivor Jin, but has little in the first episode to recommend it beyond the involvement of Gonzo Animation. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:14 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_56.mp4 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:15:25 -0500 trackshun-56-tv Chris Swett Episode 56 looks at "Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora", "Murder Princess" and "Rental Magica". Episode 56 looks at "Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora", "Murder Princess" and "Rental Magica". Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora starts out as a saccharine shoujo series, then quickly sprouts yuri and mecha elements, leaving one to wonder where it's really headed beyond the first episode. Murder Princess is an original anime video series that sets up a soul swap between a princess on the run and a monster-chasing bounty hunter, but having little or no fan service, it gives the impression of a TV series that never found a broadcaster and ended up on DVD instead. Rental Magica is just another modern day fantasy series with a cast of weird archetypes, a main character few would want to identify with, and a tired ghostbuster plot. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 41:02 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_55.mp4 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:36:28 -0500 trackshun-55-tv Chris Swett Episode 55 looks at "Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny", "Doujin Work" and "Sketchbook - Full ColorS". Episode 55 looks at "Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny", "Doujin Work" and "Sketchbook - Full ColorS". Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny is a half-hearted sequel to the original high school blood battle series, so originality isn't a factor here. Doujin Work revisits the cult of comic self-publishing, with some clever double entendres and other subtle and not-so-subtle humor. Sketchbook - Full ColorS is a pleasant, laid back anime where nothing important ever happens but the audience doesn't really care. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:07 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_54.mp4 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:53:10 -0400 trackshun-54-tv Chris Swett Episode 54 looks at "School Days", "Zombie-Loan" and "Devil May Cry". Episode 54 looks at "School Days", "Zombie-Loan" and "Devil May Cry". School Days is a straight high school romance that quickly turns into a romantic triangle, but surprisingly it doesn't get sappy and the guy isn't a total dork. Zombie-Loan combines shoujo character designs with a macabre theme that may leave the viewer just feeling weird. Devil May Cry is a high production value, low story content series about a demon-killing bounty hunter and his sharp-tongued, pre-pubescent female sidekick. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 43:07 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_53.mp4 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:56:43 -0400 trackshun-53-tv Chris Swett Episode 53 looks at "Gurren Lagann", "Umisho" and "Moetan". Episode 53 looks at "Gurren Lagann", "Umisho" and "Moetan". Gurren Lagann is a humorous take on adventurers and battle suits, with super-deformed, yet giant, enemies. Umishou is a combo "mysterious transfer student", "harem" and "sports" anime, centered on the swim team, where there's always an excuse for scantily clad female characters. Moetan, with the main character being a high school girl who looks like she's eight years-old, is an unabashed lolita anime with few, if any, redeeming qualities beyond the cute character voice of the female lead. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:06 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_52.mp4 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:28:35 -0400 trackshun-52-tv Chris Swett Episode 52 looks at "Kanon II", "Gigantic Formula" and "Sky Girls". Episode 52 looks at "Kanon II", "Gigantic Formula" and "Sky Girls". Kanon II is a high budget HD remake of a low budget laid back harem-style romance from 2001. Gigantic Formula is yet another giant robot and middle-schooler battler, ie. an extended toy commercial. Sky Girls is a post-apocalyptic epic about girls and aircraft, heavy on story and light on action. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:00 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_51.mp4 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:46:00 -0400 trackshun-51-tv Chris Swett Episode 51 looks at "Gintama", "Bokurano" and "Kaze no Stigma". Episode 51 looks at "Gintama", "Bokurano" and "Kaze no Stigma". Gintama is a long-running comedy based on a manga of the same name, but it's perhaps not as fun as its long television run implies. Bokurano is a combination of the giant robot and alternate game universe genres, with the persistent uncertainty as to whether the characters might actually be in the Matrix. Kaze no Stigma combines fantasy with family feuding, then sets up a prickly romance for future episodes to explore. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 42:47 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_50.mp4 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:52:56 -0400 trackshun-50-tv Chris Swett Episode 50 looks at "Busou Renkin" (Arms Alchemy), "iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia" and "Nagasarete Airantou". Episode 50 looks at "Busou Renkin" (Arms Alchemy), "iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia" and "Nagasarete Airantou". Busou Renkin is your standard monster-of-the-week anime, not too bad but not good, either. iDOLMASTER Xenoglossia lifts its characters from a date-sim-like idol trainer arcade game and re-casts them as mecha pilots who destroy asteroids in some strange future where the moon has exploded and left a debris ring 240,000 miles closer to Earth than it should have. Nagasarete Airantou is a classic stranded-on-an-island with a hundred girls anime, but that's pretty much to be expected from sponsors Starchild and King Records, which make their money from singers and drama CDs. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:40 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_49.mp4 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:38:38 -0400 trackshun-49-tv Chris Swett Episode 49 looks at "Hayate no Gotoku!", "Darker Than BLACK" and "Souten no Ken". Episode 49 looks at "Hayate no Gotoku!", "Darker Than BLACK" and "Souten no Ken". Hayate no Gotoku!, also known as Hayate the Combat Butler, is a somewhat romantic comedy about a teenage boy abandoned by his parents and left as chum for the loan sharks, who befriends a rich girl and through a series of misunderstandings becomes her personal valet and bodyguard. Darker Than BLACK is a near future occult mystery series with a pack of riddles wrapped in conundrums to draw in the audience. Souten no Ken (Fist of the Blue Sky) is a prequel to Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), and has all the camp and violence of the original. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:53 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_48.mp4 Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:36:56 -0400 trackshun-48-tv Chris Swett Episode 48 looks at "Claymore", "El Cazador de la Bruja" and "Deltora Quest". Episode 48 looks at "Claymore", "El Cazador de la Bruja" and "Deltora Quest". Claymore is a dark fantasy slasher, featuring loads of vicious monsters and the female sword-wielding warriors who routinely slay them. El Cazador de la Bruja is a girls-with-guns anime set in Mexico, pairing a top gun bounty hunter with a lab escapee psychic. Deltora Quest is a classic "find the gems and save the world" story, ideal for mindless Saturday morning fare. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:13 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_47.mp4 Wed, 30 May 2007 23:24:44 -0400 trackshun-47-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 47 looks at "Lucky Star", "Ayakashi Ayashi" and "Saint October". Episode 47 looks at "Lucky Star", "Ayakashi Ayashi" and "Saint October". Lucky Star is a slice of life anime that follows the day-to-day activities of a handful of girls, and is every bit as boring as that scenario implies. Ayakashi Ayashi is an historical fiction set in the first half of the 19th century, with monsters and exorcists thrown in. Saint October looks like a lot of "defender of justice" shoujo anime, except that in many places it takes a sort of creepy turn towards lolita-ville. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:41 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_46.mp4 Tue, 15 May 2007 16:50:10 -0400 trackshun-45-ipodsub-1 Chris Swett Episode 46 looks at "Seto no Hanayome", "Giniro no Olynssis" and "La Corda de Oro". Episode 46 looks at "Seto no Hanayome", "Giniro no Olynssis" and "La Corda de Oro". Seto no Hanayome follows the romantically comedic adventures of a middle school boy and his yakuza-mermaid shotgun-wedding-fiancee. Giniro no Olynssis pits kids in battle machines against mechanized monsters in what appears to be a throw-back to mid-eighties anime. La Corda de Oro is yet another shoujo high school music anime, with a mild magical twist. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 33:32 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_45.mp4 Sun, 29 Apr 2007 15:06:25 -0400 trackshun-45-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 45 looks at "Heroic Age", "Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!" ("Mamoru-kun Gets a Goddess' Blessing!") and "Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru" ("The Maidens Are in Love With Me"). Episode 45 looks at "Heroic Age", "Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!" ("Mamoru-kun Gets a Goddess' Blessing!") and "Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru" ("The Maidens Are in Love With Me"). Heroic Age is a grand sci-fi battle epic with mecha, space ships and ancient god-like beings in a war for the future of humanity. Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo! is a cross between a magic-imbued fantasy and a high school romance, with plenty of lolicon character designs and up-skirt camera angles to go with the mildly-amusing humor. Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru is a gender-bender of the first order, where a boy is forced to attend a Catholic girls' boarding school to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish, and if it weren't produced for television would be a shoo-in for a porn. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 39:37 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_44.mp4 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 22:57:03 -0400 trackshun-44-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 44 looks at "Gift - Eternal Rainbow", "Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight" and "Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge". Episode 44 looks at "Gift - Eternal Rainbow", "Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight" and "Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge". Gift - Eternal Rainbow is a harem anime with some fantasy thrown in, but the story drags like some melodramatic shoujo series. Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight follows the antics of a bunch of high school girls, who are drawn to look more like fourth-graders, and it appears to be aimed more at promoting voice actresses than in presenting an entertaining story. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge is a cross between "My Fair Lady" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", which wouldn't be too bad if the character designs of the main characters weren't a hideous parody of bishonen. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:14 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_43.mp4 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:58:46 -0400 trackshun-43-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 43 looks at "Magical Pokahn", "Shounen Onmyouji" and "Venus vs. Virus". Episode 43 looks at "Magical Pokahn", "Shounen Onmyouji" and "Venus vs. Virus". Magical Pokahn follows the misadventures of four Netherworld princesses: a witch, vampire, werewolf and Franken-human, along with different ways to look up their skirts. Shounen Onmyouji is a well-produced supernatural monster hunter series set in Dark Ages Japan. Venus vs. Virus pairs girls with special anti-body guns and sets them against "viruses", which much more resemble supernatural shadow-dwelling monsters than tiny microbes. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 33:25 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_42a.mp4 Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:39:01 -0400 trackshun-42-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 42 looks at "Code Geass", "Ghost Hunt" and "D. Gray-man". Episode 42 looks at "Code Geass", "Ghost Hunt" and "D. Gray-man". Code Geass takes place in an alternate reality of a post-modern Britannia Empire, and the Japanese rebellion against it led by a Britannian student with a dark power. Ghost Hunt is a slow high school shoujo drama, which in spite of the name has little suspense and no action. D. Gray-man casts a young exorcist as a leader in the fight to rid the world of demonic "Akuma". [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:47 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_41.mp4 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:36:10 -0500 trackshun-41-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 41 looks at "Galaxy Angel Rune", "Bokura ga Ita" (We Were There) and "Death Note". Episode 41 looks at "Galaxy Angel Rune", "Bokura ga Ita" (We Were There) and "Death Note". Galaxy Angel Rune tries to be a lively sequel in a series that already has too many sequels. Bokura ga Ita pairs a whiney girl with an unapologetic liar in what may be the best alternative to drugs for insomniacs. Death Note is a chilling psycho drama wherein a top notch student suddenly finds himself in possession of a grim reaper's death book, and with it he will change the world. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:45 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_40.mp4 Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:26:37 -0400 trackshun-40-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 40 looks at "Soukou no Strain", "Hataraki Man" (Workaholic) and "Sumomo mo Momo mo" (Plums and also Peaches). Episode 40 looks at "Soukou no Strain", "Hataraki Man" (Workaholic) and "Sumomo mo Momo mo" (Plums and also Peaches). Soukou no Strain is a mecha war drama that pits a young, female mecha pilot against her turncoat older brother. Hataraki Man showcases a magazine writer working girl who puts doing her job ahead of everything to become the best in her office, at the expense of any kind of social or home life. Sumomo mo Momo mo is a sexually charged comedy about a young female martial arts expert who seeks out a boy she believes to be her equal, with the intent of bearing his child. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:27 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_39.mp4 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:26:23 -0400 trackshun-39-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 39 looks at "Joshikousei" (High School Girls), "Bartender" and "Asatte no Houkou" (Towards the Day After Tomorrow). Episode 39 looks at "Joshikousei" (High School Girls), "Bartender" and "Asatte no Houkou" (Towards the Day After Tomorrow). Joshikousei is another venerable entry in the pantheon of up-skirt late night anime that highlights the importance of clean underwear, especially for high school anime girls. Bartender casts the title role as a miracle worker with a cocktail shaker, whose prescriptions are as efficacious as the best of medicines. Asatte no Houkou pairs a little sister who wants to escape her childhood with a jealous ex-girlfriend who wants a fresh start... so they magically swap ages. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:26 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_38.mp4 Sat, 23 Dec 2006 10:25:58 -0400 trackshun-38-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 38 looks at "Juu Ou Sei" (Beast King Planet), "Super Robot Taisen" (Super Robot Wars) and "Pumpkin Scissors". Episode 38 looks at "Juu Ou Sei" (Beast King Planet), "Super Robot Taisen" (Super Robot Wars) and "Pumpkin Scissors". Juu Oh Sei follows a pair of twins who are whisked off to a prison planet of carnivorous plants following the apparent political murder of their parents, their only escape embodied in becoming the planet's Beast King. Super Robot Taisen is yet another in a long line of battle suit anime sponsored by toy company Bandai to promote a new line of action toys, special psychic powers included. Pumpkin Scissors, despite the strange title, is a fairly straightforward post-war reconstruction epic, complete with banned weapons, government coverups and pushy girls with guns. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 37:09 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_37.mp4 Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:26:13 -0400 trackshun-37-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 37 looks at "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" (When the Cicadas Cry), "Nishi no Yoki Majo" (Good Witch of the West) and "Garasu no Kantai" (The Glass Fleet). Episode 37 looks at "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" (When the Cicadas Cry), "Nishi no Yoki Majo" (Good Witch of the West) and "Garasu no Kantai" (The Glass Fleet). Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is what you would get if you did a mash-up of a horror, mystery and harem anime... and made it engrossing. Nishi no Yoki Majo is an often boring, sometimes exciting, Cinderella story... that is, if Cinderella had had to deal with the Inquisition. Garasu no Kantai is a retelling of something akin to the French Revolution, except it's done in a weird parallel universe outer space, where countries are populated asteroids and there's no lack of oxygen. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:10 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_36.mp4 Thu, 23 Nov 2006 16:20:21 -0400 trackshun-36-preview-ipod Chris Swett Episode 36 looks at "Honey & Clover II", "School Rumble Second Term" and "Love Get Chu". Episode 36 looks at "Honey & Clover II", "School Rumble Second Term" and "Love Get Chu". Honey & Clover is a coming-of-age series, highlighting the simple but enjoyable lives of poor college students. School Rumble is a Japanese High School comedy, but better executed than most. Love Get Chu follows the trials and tribulations of five young girls who, for various lousy reasons, are trying to become voice actors in a series heavily sponsored by, duh..., a record company. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 27:51 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_35.mp4 Fri, 10 Nov 2006 16:20:43 -0400 trackshun-35-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 35 looks at "Muteki Kamban Musume", "Gakuen Heaven" and "NHK ni Youkoso". Episode 35 looks at "Muteki Kamban Musume", "Gakuen Heaven" and "NHK ni Youkoso". Muteki Kamban Musume follows Chinese restaurant takeout girl Miki through her teenage trials and tribulations with other part-time working girls in the shopping district. Gakuen Heaven is a bishonen boy-on-boy romance set in a high-end boys' school (aren't they all?). NHK ni Youkoso is a scary revisitation of the otaku phenomenon of Japanese shut-ins, loosely based on the reality of about a million actual members of this demographic in Japan today. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 27:14 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_34.mp4 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:21:01 -0400 trackshun-34-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 34 looks at "Le Chevalier d'Eon", "Black Blood Brothers" and "Innocent Venus". Episode 34 looks at "Le Chevalier d'Eon", "Black Blood Brothers" and "Innocent Venus". Le Chevalier d'Eon takes the Court of Louis XV at Versailles as its setting, then adds alchemists, necromancers and a legion of undead as foes for the gender-confused protagonist. Black Blood Brothers reveals a future world where humans and vampires live together, but not in harmony. Innocent Venus pits a whole army against one little girl and her two protectors, but why does everyone want her? [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:49 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_33.mp4 Thu, 12 Oct 2006 16:21:21 -0400 trackshun-33-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 33 looks at "Tsuyokiss Cool x Sweet", "Binbou Shimai Monogatari" and "FLAG". Episode 33 looks at "Tsuyokiss Cool x Sweet", "Binbou Shimai Monogatari" and "FLAG". Tsuyokiss is another dating game adapted to anime, this time with a drama club theme. Binbou Shimai Monogatari is the improbable tale of two orphaned/abandoned girls who somehow manage to raise one-another, but the viewer may sleep through it. FLAG takes a few pages from the headlines regarding civil wars in far away countries, adds a comely female photographer, then screws it up by pitting high-tech mecha against insurgent nomads in the sponsor's effort to sell toys. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 27:06 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_32.mp4 Fri, 29 Sep 2006 16:21:35 -0400 trackshun-32-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 32 looks at "Witchblade", "Air Gear" and "Zero no Tsukaima". Episode 32 looks at "Witchblade", "Air Gear" and "Zero no Tsukaima". Witchblade follows a young mother and her 6 year-old daughter as they flee the Child Welfare Ministry, which wants to save the girl from a destitute mother without knowing about the monster that mother turns into. Air Gear re-invents physics using roller blades with super-powerful internal motors, and kids daredevil enough to leap from rooftop to rooftop on them. Zero no Tsukaima borrows as much as it possibly can from Harry Potter, but instead of an owl to do her bidding Louise gets a Japanese boy. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 34:58 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_31.mp4 Sun, 27 Aug 2006 20:28:36 -0400 trackshun-31-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 31, the first episode of our second season, looks back at "Kamichu" from episode 1, "Elemental Gelade" from episode 2 and "Gun Sword" from episode 4. Episode 31, the first episode of our second season, looks back at "Kamichu" from episode 1, "Elemental Gelade" from episode 2 and "Gun Sword" from episode 4. Kamichu follows the life of a young girl who suddenly became a god one day, but didn't receive an instruction manual. Elemental Gelade pairs a young sky pirate with a cute girl, who is also a weapon of great power only he can invoke. Gun Sword follows a loner's search through a Mad Max landscape for the claw-handed man who killed his wife. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 43:19 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_30.mp4 Thu, 17 Aug 2006 21:54:08 -0400 trackshun-30-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 30 looks at "Himawari", "Zegapain" and "Coyote Ragtime Show". Episode 30 looks at "Himawari", "Zegapain" and "Coyote Ragtime Show". Himawari follows the high school life of a young ninja girl and the teacher she has a crush on. Zegapain takes a page from The Matrix and adds battlesuits suitable for marketing as toys. Coyote Ragtime Show is a "girls with guns saga" that splatters the screen both with blood and the shattered pieces of attack androids. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:13 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_29.mp4 Thu, 27 Jul 2006 21:52:06 -0400 trackshun-29-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 29 looks at "Nana", "Ah! Megamisama! II" and "Powerpuff Girls Z". Episode 29 looks at "Nana", "Ah! Megamisama! II" and "Powerpuff Girls Z". Nana is a slice of life anime about two girls, both named Nana, who meet on a train and end up rooming together in Tokyo in spite of having personalities which are complete polar opposites. Ah! Megamisama! (second tv series) is a continuation of last year's 26 episode run about a geek and his goddess girlfriend, oh, and her inconvenient sisters, etc. Powerpuff Girls Z is a Japanese trashlation of the popular American Cartoon Network series, with little more than the names of the characters preserved. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 37:47 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_28.mp4 Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:10:28 -0400 trackshun-28-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 28 is a retro special and looks at "Wandaba Style", "Chobits" and "Onegai Teacher". Episode 28 is a retro special and looks at "Wandaba Style", "Chobits" and "Onegai Teacher". Wandaba Style is a goofy comedy where a young inventor with way too much money cons a quartet of young female singers into piloting a series of rockets to the moon for a live concert. Chobits is the classic anime extension of the girlfriend-roommate genre of PC games, wherein a loser guy creates the perfect girl through trial and error, mostly error. Onegai Teacher explores several contemporary fetishes, but none more than the allure of the be-spectacled older woman. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:19 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_27.mp4 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 14:49:43 -0400 trackshun-27-ipodsub Chris Swett no 29:41 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_26.mp4 Sun, 18 Jun 2006 21:43:41 -0400 trackshun-26-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 26 looks at "The Yoshinaga Family Gargoyle", "Ouran High School Host Club" and "Black Lagoon". Episode 26 looks at "The Yoshinaga Family Gargoyle", "Ouran High School Host Club" and "Black Lagoon". The Yoshinaga Family Gargoyle pits a rock guardian against numerous and sundry foes, whilst his young mistress berates him about the collateral damage. Ouran High School Host Club starts out as a smarmy boy-on-boy bishonen romance, but quickly turns into an enjoyable gender-bent comedy. Black Lagoon is an adventure in sea piracy and military hardware, along with the obligatory girl-with-guns. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 24:05 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_25.mp4 Wed, 31 May 2006 21:48:22 -0400 trackshun-25-ipodsub Chris Swett no 30:32 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_24.mp4 Wed, 17 May 2006 23:38:27 -0400 trackshun-24-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 24 is a retro special and looks at "Chrono Crusade", "Haibane Renmei" and "Fruits Basket". Episode 24 is a retro special and looks at "Chrono Crusade", "Haibane Renmei" and "Fruits Basket". Chrono Crusade follows Sister Rosette and her demon companion on a monster hunting spree that spans the North American continent, but all that's well doesn't end well. Haibane Renmei showcases life as a pseudo-angel in a sort of semi-comfortable purgatory, but no one will actually explain that to you. Fruits Basket is an amicable shoujo high school romance series, with the twist that all the male characters turn into animals when hugged by a girl. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 37:56 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_23.mp4 Thu, 04 May 2006 16:13:56 -0400 trackshun-23-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 23 looks at "Strawberry Panic", "Simoun" and "Haruhi Suzumiya's Melancholy". Episode 23 looks at "Strawberry Panic", "Simoun" and "Haruhi Suzumiya's Melancholy". Strawberry Panic follows the antics of the lifestyle-confused high school girls in three all-girl academies. Simoun combines technology and mysticism to create a war epic with hot girls and impossible sky machines. Haruhi Suzumiya's Melancholy follows the antics of a custom-made high school club that attracts the strange and supernatural among the student body. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:32 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_22.mp4 Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:41:48 -0400 trackshun-22-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 22 looks at "Soul Link", "Kiba" and "Aria the Natural". Episode 22 looks at "Soul Link", "Kiba" and "Aria the Natural". Soul Link follows a group of space cadets through their first training session in space, making stops in the girls' shower, and teaching them the importance of clean underwear. Kiba follows a young Shadow Caster from the grime of his home city to an alternate universe of magic and monstrous avatars. Aria the Natural revisits Akari and her gondolier friends of Neo Venezia, on the aquaformed planet Mars of the distant future. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:54 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_21.mp4 Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:18:15 -0500 trackshun-21-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 21 is a retro special and looks at "Grenadier", "DearS" and "Scrapped Princess" from 2004. Episode 21 is a retro special and looks at "Grenadier", "DearS" and "Scrapped Princess" from 2004. Greneadier is an alternate universe fantasy girl-with-guns anime where the girl has exceptionally big guns, and a revolver as well. DearS is an alien girlfriend anime in the Chobits vein, but this time around she isn't a computer. Scrapped Princess is a far future post-apocalyptic series that thinks it's a fantasy series, sure to please both audiences. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:41 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_20.mp4 Thu, 23 Mar 2006 10:33:58 -0500 trackshun-20-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 20 looks at "Meine Liebe Weider", "Ergo Proxy", "Lingerie Senshi Papillon Rose" and "Shinigami no Ballad". Episode 20 looks at "Meine Liebe Weider", "Ergo Proxy", "Lingerie Senshi Papillon Rose" and "Shinigami no Ballad". Meine Liebe Weider is a bishonen saga about boys in prep school for the elite political life of turn-of-the-century Europe before WWI. Ergo Proxy is a return trip to the Blade Runner well in search of yet another incarnation of the hunter of escaped androids. Lingerie Senshi Papillon Rose remakes a soft porn direct-to-video release as a TV series focused on maid cafes, Akihabara and a monster-of-the-week. Shinigami no Ballad follows the life, or afterlife, of Momo the grim reaper and her cute bat-winged cat. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 39:07 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_19.mp4 Sat, 25 Feb 2006 00:06:40 -0500 trackshun-19-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 19 looks at "Binchoutan", "REC" and "Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star". Episode 19 looks at "Binchoutan", "REC" and "Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star". Binchoutan is a slice of life anime about tiny girls living in the forest, beautifully animated and more powerful than valium. REC is a love story about a salaryman with broken dreams falling for a young voice actress who's living her dream. Pretty Cure Splash Star is yet another sequel series in the Pretty Cure canon, a must-view for Pretty Cure fans and almost noone else. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 26:36 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_18.mp4 Mon, 20 Feb 2006 17:50:37 -0500 trackshun-18-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 18 looks at "Yomigaeru Sora Rescue Wings", "Nerima Daikon Brothers" and "Rakugo Tennyo Oyui". Episode 18 looks at "Yomigaeru Sora Rescue Wings", "Nerima Daikon Brothers" and "Rakugo Tennyo Oyui". Rescue Wings follows the first assignment of a young Self-Defense Force pilot assigned to a rescue helicopter squadron in a rural area of northern Honshu. Nerima Daikon Brothers is a rather silly musical comedy, which would probably be funny if anyone beyond a native speaker of Japanese could decipher it. Rakugo Tennyo Oyui is a Sakura Taisen wannabe hidden in a mystical time-travel story, from the background music to the Edo Japan setting. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 21:35 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_17.mp4 Sun, 05 Feb 2006 20:20:12 -0500 trackshun-17-ipodsub Chris Swett Episode 17 looks at "Kage Kara Mamoru", "Ayakashi" and "Karin". Episode 17 looks at "Kage Kara Mamoru", "Ayakashi" and "Karin". In Kage Kara Mamoru a ditzy pink-haired girl is protected day and night by her ninja neighbor under a 400 year-old arrangement. Ayakashi tells the tale of a vengeful ghost and how her tragic life brought her to this end 180 years ago. Karin is a high school romance about a steadfast boy and his reverse-vampire girlfriend. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 19:07 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_16.mp4 Sat, 28 Jan 2006 18:20:27 -0500 trackshun-16-ipod Chris Swett Episode 16 looks at "Lemon Angel Project", "Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora" and "Kashimashi ~ Girl Meets Girl". Episode 16 looks at "Lemon Angel Project", "Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora" and "Kashimashi ~ Girl Meets Girl". In Lemon Angel Project a quirky music producer tries to rebuild a legendary idol singer group using all new talent. Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora explores teen romance in the critical care ward of a hospital, where sick boy meets dying girl. Kashimashi ~ Girl Meets Girl is this year's prominent gender-bender where boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy turns into girl, girl gets girl back. no 26:44 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_15.mp4 Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:22:02 -0500 trackshun-15-ipod Chris Swett Episode 15 looks at "Fate/Stay Night", "Tactical Roar" and "Amaenaideyo! Katsu". Episode 15 looks at "Fate/Stay Night", "Tactical Roar" and "Amaenaideyo! Katsu". Fate/Stay Night is about the adventures of a boy in an alternate universe where sorcerers and their servants battle for possession of the Holy Grail. Tactical Roar is a confused anime, not sure whether it wants to be a serious military story or a slapstick comedy with girls in skimpy attire. Amaenaideyo! Katsu is a sequel series, searching for a plot amidst the panty shots and cheap gags. no 19:22 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_14.mp4 Sat, 07 Jan 2006 22:56:01 -0500 trackshun-14-ipod Chris Swett Episode 14 looks at "Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus", "Majikano" and "Kagihime Monogatari - Eikyuu Alice Rondo". Episode 14 looks at "Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus", "Majikano" and "Kagihime Monogatari - Eikyuu Alice Rondo". Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus is the latest installment in the long-running battlesuit space opera, sporting the finest in CGI starship design, awesome mecha and hot chicks fainting. Majikano is a witch girl junior high romance, just because there's a requirement to have at least one of these every season. Kagihime Alice proffers cuteness in the form of girls in elaborate cosplay costumes and bunny ears, fencing with long antique keys, and it kinda works. no 23:25 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_13.mp4 Fri, 30 Dec 2005 08:33:10 -0500 trackshun-13-ipod Chris Swett Episode 13 looks at "Sugar Sugar Rune", "Noein ~ Mou Hitori no Kimi e" and "Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart". Episode 13 looks at "Sugar Sugar Rune", "Noein ~ Mou Hitori no Kimi e" and "Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart". Sugar Sugar Rune is an aptly named Saturday morning magical girl fest that should come with a Surgeon General's warning about diabetes. Noein takes us to the not-so-distant, but very ugly war-torn future of aliens vs. humans, where only a 12 year-old girl can save humanity. Pretty Cure Max Heart reprises the Pretty Cure dynamic school girl duo from the original tv series, because the need to fight evil never really ends. no 25:47 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_12.mp4 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 20:10:19 -0500 trackshun-12-ipod Chris Swett Episode 12 looks at "Gunparade Orchestra", "Paradise Kiss" and "Shuffle!". Episode 12 looks at "Gunparade Orchestra", "Paradise Kiss" and "Shuffle!". Gunparade Orchestra is yet another giant battlesuits vs. alien monsters saga, but I'd bet it has great toys to go with it. Paradise Kiss is a shoujo tale about finding one's self among non-conformists while under the pressures of a conformist society. Shuffle is a good old fashioned date-sim anime, with good old fashioned supernatural twists. no 20:43 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_11.mp4 Thu, 15 Dec 2005 20:10:42 -0500 trackshun-11-ipod Chris Swett Episode 11 looks at "Capeta", "Solty Rei" and "IGPX". Episode 11 looks at "Capeta", "Solty Rei" and "IGPX". Capeta follows a ten year-old boy and his obsession with racing as he receives a go-cart from his father and practices relentlessly. Solty Rei introduces a nearly indestructible android girl to a grieving bounty hunter who has lost his daughter, and mixes in some babes in hard suits for good measure. IGPX takes fantastic CGI battlesuits and casts them in the incongruous role of skate racers, but it looks sooo good! no 22:15 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_10.mp4 Sun, 04 Dec 2005 20:51:10 -0400 trackshun-10-ipod Chris Swett Episode 10 looks at "Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's", "Rozen Maiden II" and "To Heart 2". Episode 10 looks at "Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's", "Rozen Maiden II" and "To Heart 2". 'Tis the season for sequels, and all of the above are at least the second series in a set. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's picks up again with third grader Nanoha's efforts to stem evil and save the world while avoiding getting a chill when her clothes disintegrate. Rozen Maiden revisits the theme of living gothic lolita dolls in a series specially produced for those who like to stay up at night and dress figurines in cute outfits. To Heart 2 goes one series too far in the second extension of the now classic 1999 franchise based on a date sim game. no 21:50 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_09.mp4 Wed, 23 Nov 2005 06:06:03 -0500 trackshun-9-ipod Chris Swett Episode 9 looks at "Blood +", "Jigoku Shoujo" and "Mushishi". Episode 9 looks at "Blood +", "Jigoku Shoujo" and "Mushishi". Blood + is a series sequel to Blood: The Last Vampire, a movie that delivered gore in drips, gushes and high volume spray. The Jigoku Shoujo, or Hell Girl, delivers revenge for the downtrodden at the cost of their own souls when they themselves die, a sort of supernatural kamikaze facilitator. Mushishi follows the travels of a paranormal investigator who tries to learn everything he can about the "mushi", or progenitors of all life. no 22:15 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_08.mp4 Sun, 13 Nov 2005 01:43:25 -0500 trackshun-8-ipod Chris Swett Episode 8 looks at "Ramune", "Ginban Kaleidoscope" and "Black Cat". Episode 8 looks at "Ramune", "Ginban Kaleidoscope" and "Black Cat". Ramune is fun in the summer sun with the girl next door, and her vegetable patch. Ginban Kaleidoscope pairs a Japanese figure skating Olympic wannabe with the ghost of a Canadian stunt pilot in what will either be a gold medal success or a crash landing. Black Cat is about an invincible assassin who delivers bad luck in the form of a bullet in the back, but only to those who deserve to die. no 24:37 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_07.mp4 Fri, 28 Oct 2005 12:34:30 -0400 trackshun-7-ipod Chris Swett Episode 7 looks at "Aria the Animation", "Mai Otome" and "Shakugan no Shana". Episode 7 looks at "Aria the Animation", "Mai Otome" and "Shakugan no Shana". In Aria, teenage girls aspire to become professional gondoliers in Neo-Venice on an aquaformed Mars. Mai Otome leads us into a parallel universe version of the highly acclaimed Mai Hime of two seasons before. Shakugan no Shana combines horror and the occult with high school romance and a gothic lolita for fun in the twilight zone. no 19:53 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_06.mp4 Sat, 15 Oct 2005 21:49:41 -0400 trackshun-6-ipod Chris Swett no 20:49 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_05.mp4 Fri, 07 Oct 2005 23:04:06 -0400 trackshun-5-ipod Chris Swett Episode 5 looks at "Fighting Beauty Oolong", "Happy Seven" and "Canvas 2". Episode 5 looks at "Fighting Beauty Oolong", "Happy Seven" and "Canvas 2". In Fighting Beauty Oolong, a high school girl shows off her almost miraculous fighting skills while demonstrating the importance of clean underwear. The Happy Seven come to the rescue of the unluckiest girl in the world, taking on a giant bug but doing little to help with her homework. Canvas 2 explores intra-familial relationships and how much fun it can be to have an adopted "sister". no 20:51 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_04.mp4 Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 trackshun-4-ipod Chris Swett Episode 4 looks at "Bioboosted Armor Guyver", "Gun Sword" and "Tsubasa Chronicle". Episode 4 looks at "Bioboosted Armor Guyver", "Gun Sword" and "Tsubasa Chronicle". In Bioboosted Armor Guyver a high school student must face down an invading army of aliens with only a bio-animated symbiont armor suit for protection. In Gun Sword an impossibly tall and lanky man pursues his wife's murderer across a steam punk/road warrior landscape. Tsubasa Chronicle attempts to recast most of the manga team "Clamp's" characters in new roles and sends them on an impossible mission across time, space and all the parallel universes. no 29:22 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_03.mp4 Wed, 21 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 trackshun-3-ipod Chris Swett Episode 3 looks at "Pani Poni Dash", "Peto Peto-san" and "Okusama wa Joushikousei". Episode 3 looks at "Pani Poni Dash", "Peto Peto-san" and "Okusama wa Joushikousei". In Pani Poni Dash an eleven year-old teacher takes over an unruly class, populated by eccentric girls and cardboard cutouts. Peto Peto-san follows the antics of a middle school class that has integrated mythological beings into the student body. Okusama wa Joushikousei follows a newlywed teacher and his highschooler wife through the tribulations of insane in-laws, prying high school-girl friends and the perils of student-teacher fraternization. no 30:21 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_02.mp4