Sometimes God Cannot Forgive You Unless You Forgive Yourself

This is what I read on the back of the DVD case of a new anime I got for Christmas titled Haibane-Renmei. Unlike the Soul Eater DVDs I also got, I've never heard of this particular anime and the summary on the back sounded really interesting. So I popped the disc into my computer, watched it over a span of two nights, and I'm here to say it did not disappoint.

In a walled city known as Glie there exists people known as Haibane who are born from cocoons and resemble angels with small, nonfunctional, charcoal gray wings. Upon being born, they have no memory of any life prior to the current one and are given a new name based on the dream they had when they were in the cocoon.They now have and abide by certain rules such as being required to work and only own second-hand possessions.

Our story follows a new-born named Rakka after her dream of falling. She lives with a group of Haibane who live in a place known as "Old Home". As she bonds with her new friends, especially the kind and loving Reki, she searches through Glie in search of a job and learns the rules set by the Haibane-Renmei, an organization that looks over the lives of the Haibane. Rakka's curiosity of her surroundings grow, wondering what is beyond the walls of Glie that everyone is forbidden to cross over.

The first few episodes follows a slice of life sort of plot; just showing the lives of the characters and explaining about the Haibane at a slow and easy to understand pace. However over time, several questions crowd Rakka's mind of her existence, the purpose of the Haibane, and even the secret past of her closest friend, Reki.

Well...That's as much as I can give away without idly throwing out spoilers. This really was something different with a unique set up with interesting fantasy and traditions surrounding the Haibane. The only downside would be that nothing is really explained in a lot of detail, but it does allow you to reach your own conclusions about the Haibane and the world they live in. Again, I won't throw out spoilers, but I did make my own interpretations about the series, and they are very somber interpretations. Trust me, it'll become that way once you reach the last episode (By the way, this anime is only 13 episodes so it's short).

The animation is good, and I like how it never has characters have over-exaggerated expressions because it felt like this anime wanted to take itself seriously and not go off on any silly tangents. The backgrounds are really something to look at cause it's literally looking at water color paintings and I do appreciate how slow the series is so you can just breathe and enjoy the artwork someone took their time creating.

Check it out if you're looking for something not too long to watch with an intriguing set up and developed characters. It is most definitely worth your time.

World War II

What comes to mind when you think about it? Of course everyone remembers the major events and the important people involved. Adolf Hitler, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bombing of Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and the most tragic, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended the war between the United States and Japan. However there was also another event five months before the war ended known as the bombings of Kobe.

On March 16 and 17, 1945, the United States executed a strategic bombing on the city of Kobe, Japan because it would be easily burned to the ground and would cut off the country's largest port with the largest shipbuilding and marine-engine manufacturing as well as damage transportation and business. Unlike the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they didn't just drop a nuclear bomb to wipe out the city in one hit. The American bombers came back six times after the first raid and continued to ensure that Kobe wouldn't recover and help Japan to get back up and win the war.

This is when our anime feature film takes place. I am talking about Grave of the Fireflies.

Being an anime film that has the subject such as the second World War, you could probably tell this will not be a happy film. It is based off of a semi-autobiography of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, and it is the most beautifully tragic piece of work I've ever seen out of Studio Ghibli and that says a lot seeing as how much I love Spirited Away. This is a pure classic done by the studio and I'm surprised it's not as well known as its other films. I will point out that this is not directed by the famous Hayao Miyazaki but rather another important co-founder that has helped to produce many Studio Ghibli films, Isao Takahata. But enough talk, what's the plot of this film that sounds so fantastic?

Well along with being set around the Kobe bombings, the story focuses around 14-year-old Seita and his family unfortunately getting caught during the first raid. Although Seita and his 4-year-old sister, Setsuko, survive from being destroyed with their home, their mother is horribly burned and eventually dies from her injuries. Seita is now left alone to protect Setsuko while they live with a distant and cruel aunt while awaiting their father to return home from the war and enduring constant raids.

Now how can this be a tragic film? The first picture I have shows the two main characters looking happy and surviving the war. That's actually the beauty of the film. Seita and Setsuko still have to deal with great struggles like keeping a roof over their heads and malnutrition. On top of which, they're just children. Seita does take a heavy responsibility to take care of his little sister, but he's still just a kid. He's impulsive and self-centered while still being a loving big brother.

While this film has its very dark and graphic imagery, there are many moments where you just see pure beauty and moments where Seita and Setsuko are giggling and just having fun despite the tragic circumstances. It shows that even in a seemingly cruel world, there still some sign of hope and happiness if you just look hard enough. It makes way for the most beautiful animation I have ever seen.

There's also a lot of parts in the film where there's no dialogue and you just watch whatever's happening, or it's even just moments where it's pure silence. There are moments of action plus slow moments to provide for absorbing the atmosphere and even developing the sibling bond between Seita and Setsuko. Just seeing them together and play is really touching and sweet, especially seeing as how Seita will do anything to keep Setsuko happy.

The one moment that really began jerking tears out of my eyes was when little Setsuko asks this: Why must fireflies die so young?

That just sums up the suffering of the Japanese people during the Second World War. This is why I like the slow and sometimes silent moments of the film. It just gives you time to think that these people were suffering while we just kept bombing them mercilessly. At the time, we had no choice but to fight and not let just let the enemy win and take over our home, but at what cost? We caused the suffering and deaths of millions without giving it a second thought. And this movie is a real eye-opener to see the pain they had to suffer. But it's not like the American bombers were the only source.

Seita and Setsuko also experience neglect and abuse from adults. Their own people. People they would most likely call friends and family turned against them. Everyone is so occupied trying to survive the raids that they won't even look again at two orphans who have little to nothing to live off of. It's a bit of a reality check that there are always going to be people who are just don't give a care about what's going on around them and who's suffering as long as they themselves are happy. But again, it goes back to finding happiness in such a cruel world because Seita and Setsuko still remain happy and together no matter what.

I could go on more and more about this, but I think I may have accidentally spoiled you guys a bit too much.

Overall, this is the most powerful anti-war film ever, and it does everything that such a genre of film should do by displaying the horrors and pain of World War II, but also contradicts it with, for a lack of a better phrase, pure beauty. And it is the greatest emotional piece ever done in anime history. Forget the depressing scenes of Clannad, Angel Beats!, Air TV, Elfen Lied, and Spirited Away combined. This will rip your heart to shreds. And don't even try to argue that you don't easily cry. This is the biggest tragedy in film history period.

While it is greatly known as extremely sad, it's still beautiful and is a great classic anime film that deserves more recognition.

Top Anime Openings: Part Two

Yeah it's only been like almost a month since I've updated this thing.

So I'm gonna finish off the remaining songs in my top 20 anime openings. Once again, beware of spoilers and mature content and I'll try to provide the opening itself or the full song when at all possible and if the video gets removed cause YouTube is full of jerks, I provided the title of the song if you wanna look it up on your own.

So let's continue with...

~Liz's Top 20 Anime Openings (#s 10-1)~

10. Go!! Fighting Dreamers by Flow (Naruto)

Yeah I think any Naru-tard knows this song by heart and is obsessed with it. And it remains to be one of the best openings of Naruto ever.

It's just so freaking catchy, has a great beat to it, and well yeah, is memorable. Like I really gotta say much. It's another song done by the band Flow and they've done a few openings for this anime. This song of course is the best when the show was at a really good and exciting point that really just drew you into the action of ninjas and fighting. Even though I think the show's completely overrated, I still enjoy listening to this song every now and then.

9. Ready, Steady, Go! by L'Arc en Ciel (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Another opening that's most memorable in the original FMA series. I know I'll love this song till the day I die.

Played by L'Arc en Ciel which is mostly known for doing music for Fullmetal Alchemist, they created one of the best songs ever. It's very catchy and pulls you into the show. It's one of my favorite songs of the original series. Speaking of, will I be including any openings from FMA: Brotherhood? Well just stick around and find out.

8. O2 by Orange Range (Code Geass R2)

Orange Range is once again one of those J-pop bands that is known for the anime openings they do. And this is no exception.

While I did put another opening from Code Geass on the list already, I did find this one better than the opening by Flow. Not that it was bad, just this one was really better. I guess since the first season left everyone off on such a big cliff hanger they wanted to do something epic to start off Code Geass R2. And the opening does help quite a bit. It's fast-paced, energetic, gives great visuals, and does a lot that an anime opening does: drag you into the show itself. And sooner than later you're greeted with intense action and drama that is more than your brain can handle.

7. Hologram by Nico Touches the Walls (FMA: Brotherhood)


Yeah this was gonna pop up eventually. Sorry I can't get a video up because embedding videos is getting f***ed up big time...

This song is just so appealing to me. It's soft and touching but also upbeat and energetic at the same time. I just like how the singer sounds with his voice. It just really sounds beautiful to me. Once I heard it in FMA: Brotherhood, I would constantly listen to this to my heart's content and I will do so for as long as I live.

6. Resonance by T.M Revolution (Soul Eater)

Damn did this show know how to drag us into the scary imagery that was put in this show. And this opening sure dragged us into the intense action and horror that is Soul Eater.

The song itself is intense and fast paced and anticipates you to get a really great show. The use of guitar and other instrumental elements that make it the way it is. I don't really have any other words for it other than it's just a really f*** yeah! song.

5.  H.T by Tsuneo Imahori (Trigun)

While this is an anime I haven't done a review on, Trigun is definitely a classic that any otaku should check out. And trust me when I say that it's a good series; I just haven't gotten too far into it to do a review.

It's one minute and thirty seconds of nothing but electric guitar, and it's freaking awesome! Like the show itself, it's full of intense action that just keeps you on the edge of your seat every second. It's what I look forward to every time I play an episode is that opening for that amazing guitar, and I'll enjoy hearing it over and over.

4. Lilium by Kumiko Noma (Elfen Lied)
Again can't get the video due to embedding issues..Mature content warning. God, I'm just getting shivers down my spine listening to it.

Out of every anime opening that has ever existed, this is probably the most unique. Obviously, it's in Latin. Don't know many anime openings in Latin. And it's not like it's used for 10+ episodes and it's scrapped; Lilium is used in variations throughout the show, including a Tenors version, a music box version, a Saint version, and the original. It sets the mood for any situation to add intensity, drama and pure emotion to the scene that'll just jerk tears out of your eyes. It suits perfectly for such a dramatic anime.

You listen to the melody and it sounds really peaceful and calm and then the first thing you see afterwards is a severed arm twitching (Yeah I don't think I give much away when I say that). I think it's the Latin. Just the use of a dead language just makes it so ominous and unique. And some of the different versions can range from dark and terrifying to sweet and peaceful. That's what makes it a beautiful song.

I'm still questioning about the lyrics and the overall meaning of the song. I know that it has to relate to the anime and from what I can gather, the lyrics are used from biblical passages and a Renaissance hymn. If anyone has a proper translation of the song, I'd love to see it.

Plus, the drawings used in the opening are beautiful. They are based off of paintings by Austrian painter, Gustav Klimt which include The Kiss, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, and others. It really does give off quite a bit of artistic culture that's really fascinating

Eerie and beautiful, this song definitely ranks as one of the best openings of all time, but we still have a few to go.

3. My Soul, Your Beats! by Lia (Angel Beats!)
Embedding problems...

Any openings from animes made by Key are awesome. Including this one. Of course Lia has the best voice ever, and she helps to create a song that soft and emotional but also fast paced and dramatic. The opening is also unique by showing clips from the episode that foreshadow what will happen, but it goes fast so you don't get too spoiled. Even when it shows the characters, some will be added or some will vanish depending and what episode you're on and what's happening at the time.

I'm not too big of a fan of the version sung by the character Yui. I'm not saying it's bad; it's just that the original is so much better. Her voice works for some songs but not all of them. I didn't feel like that version had as much emotion as the original, but mind you that's just an opinion. I love the original version better.

2. Toki Wo Kizamu Ita by Lia (Clannad: After Story)

 A stronger sequel series calls for an even stronger opening.Again it's another song by Lia and it's beautiful. After watching the whole series, this whole song just reminds you of all those moments, joyful and tragic, and it really makes my eyes water up. I'm not gonna lie. Really, just watch the show and listen to the WHOLE song and tell me if it gets ya tearing up. It's really just nostalgic hearing this song and remembering what a fantastic anime this was, is and always will be.

And the number one anime opening is....

1. Tori No Uta by Lia (Air TV)


This.. It's just beautiful. It's upbeat but still has this sense of peace and beauty to it and just attracts me so much. I love it and it remains to be one of the best J-Pop songs ever!

What I also like is this song can have any variation, and it's still beautiful. Instrumental, piano, music box, it doesn't matter. It's just amazing in any form and I enjoy hearing it again and again. <3

Top Anime Openings: Part One

Anime openings are amazing. It's what gets otakus like us into the great and magical thing called J-Pop music and love it more than some of the American smut produced these days. But the openings seem to be one of the few things that draws us into watching anime. I got into quite a few animes solely just because the openings looked freaking sweet. They give us a look to what we are about to watch accompanied with a minute and a half of great music. It gives us a sneak peek of something we're all bound to love. And I'm here to name off the top twenty anime openings. Why twenty? Well I was listing off so many, I decided to hell with it; I'll just make a huge list. And this is all personal opinion and keep in mind, this was very difficult to make because I'm a sucker for great music, especially anything Japanese. So if you don't see an opening you like on this list or you think it's not placed properly, then sorry. Also, beware of spoilers and mature content in the openings. I will try to provide the actual anime opening but if not, then I'll just give the full song. So welcome to...

~Liz's Top 20 Anime Openings (#s 20-11)~

20. Connect by ClariS (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

A beautiful song to open up to a beautifully done anime. It's fast paced and strong while still maintaining a slight sense of softness to it. The song speaks of being trapped in a world of darkness but prevailing through every difficult challenge to see a bright future. It's message is simple: Never give up no matter what. And that's essentially what the anime itself is about. It has a simple message but through both the opening song and anime, it is displayed so strongly and just drags you in through every tragedy, twist and turn Madoka, Homura and others have to suffer to ultimately reach for a miracle of hope. A great song that fits just perfectly with a great anime.

19.  Monochrome no Kiss by SID (Black Butler)

First off, this was as good of a video I could get without getting some half-assed cover or dub of it. Seriously! If you can't sing, don't share it to the world and don't cover a good song if it's great in it's original format! Do you people have no appreciation for good music?! *rant over*

I like how the song just starts off with the guitar and whatever other instruments are used and then suddenly rocks out with electric guitar. From what I can get from the translation, it sounds being attached to some temptress while knowing it will cause you pain and eventually the bond with that person will eventually have to be broken no matter what pain the other has to go through. Again, fits perfectly with the anime with the relationship between Ciel and Sebastian (Yeah yeah go crazy you yaoi fans). The song also feels slightly dark and matches the tone of the anime too. Dark, dramatic and catchy, it's another great anime with a great and memorable opening.

18. Sakura Kiss by Cheico Kawabe (Ouran High School Host Club)

Ignore the crappy dubbed over opening that was a total shame on Funimation and focus on the original Japanese one. God, I'm sorry but that chick could not sing.

It's a very cute opening for a very cute romantic and comedic anime. If you can find the original music video to this song, watch it cause it's pretty random but still oddly cute. I probably sound like a broken record but it is uncanny how the message of the song fits with the anime. I don't know if it's intended or not but it's still pretty awesome. The song itself is about a girl confused about the feeling of love but dreams of giving the one she loves a "cherry blossom kiss". The animation of the opening is very adorable too with introducing the main cast. I mostly enjoy the opening for the song itself. It's cute and catchy and well... freaking adorable! <3

17. Sekirei by Saori Hayami, Marina Inoue, Kana Hanazawa, and Aya Endo (Sekirei.... Couldn't have figured up with a creative title for the song yourself...?)

Sung by a portion of the main cast of the anime itself, the opening is very intense and drags you into the action the anime has to offer. It's much like the anime; fun, exciting, cute and full of power. The song itself speaks of hope prevailing in a dark world, just like Puella Magi Madoka Magica. In fact the message in the two different animes are pretty similar too. Yet both make for great animes while stayin unique.

16. Paradise Lost by Minori Chihara (Ga-rei: Zero)

Yet another song that sings of searching for some light in the darkness. A perfect fit for this tragic anime. It's loud, fast-paced and fits well with the dark elements of this anime. It just feels so epic and gets me excited for whatever action is gonna come my way. I just absolutely adore both the opening and the anime itself for everything that they are.

15. Sorairo Days by Shoko Nakagawa

Nothing like a great song to get someone pumped into a mecha anime full of action at every turn. It's just so freaking epic! I love it! It speaks of determination like the determination of Team Gurren to reach the skies! This song just feels so "F*** yeah!" every time I hear it. It gets you pumped and excited for the action you will soon see.

14. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni by Shimamiya Eiko (When they cry [English translation]

How about something completely eerie and terrifying for an equally eerie and terrifying anime? This song just sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it, because I know it's associated with this particular anime. The arrangement with the vocals, instruments and whatever is used makes for a rather scary song. The English translation of the lyrics is pretty creepy too. Almost gives off the paranoia you feel the characters feeling in the show. And of course the animation of the opening itself is somewhat as scary but it's very artistic and unique that it's actually very beautiful in its own way. It really does draw you into the show itself despite whatever violence will come your way.

13. Colors by Flow (Code Geass)

Flow is one of the few J-Pop bands well known for doing openings to animes, including Naruto. This is just one of them. From the first note of the song, I'm instantly drawn into it. Everything about this song is great. Look up the full version of the song, it actually has a great guitar solo in the middle of the song and when it ends, it has really great piano. This song marks the beginning of the ambitions of Zero and the Black Knights to create a better world.

12. Motteke! Sera Fuku! by Aya Hirano, Emiri Kato, Kaori Fukuhara, and Aya Endo (Lucky Star)

Yeah yeah this was bound to show up eventually. Even if you haven't seen the anime itself, any otaku at least knows the opening dance, even if it's been parodied with a completely different anime. I discovered this anime from a parody of this opening with Kingdom Hearts. It's catchy, fun and matches with the colorful energy of the anime itself. What can I say? I'm a sucker for it. And yes, I know the dance by heart too. I guess when a song is choreographed to a dance, it makes it more memorable and attracts a bigger audience.

11. Rolling Star by Yui (Bleach)

This was really hard to decide. Bleach is filled with such great openings and it's really hard to pick just one. Out of what I've seen of Bleach, I love all the openings except for one. And they're really great openings too. All are catchy and memorable and full of energy. The fifth opening of Bleach is no exception. I love Yui's voice. I even loved her in the first opening of FMA: Brotherhood. Her music is so energetic and fun but it takes time to be slow and beautiful. This is one of my favorite Bleach openings because it's catchy and powerful. I really love it.

So that's part one of my stupidly long list. Keep watching for part two: Coming soon! <3

Uwaaa

Yeah I haven't posted in a while. Once again I've found myself distracted with homework, having relatives in the same room and more recently, getting distracted by the Olympics and imagining Hetalia at the same time. Luckily I've squeezed in time to finish one anime... And a rather unusual one at that. Here's Sekirei. (Sorry about the low quality pics by the way..)

Taking place in the year 2020, 19-year-old Minato Sahashi has recently failed his college entrance exam for a second time after falling under pressure once again. His life spirals when a beautiful busty girl named Musubi literally falls from the sky and is under attack. Obviously, Musubi isn't any ordinary girl. She is a "Sekirei", a superpowered being with a unique ability that allows her to fight powerfully. She chooses Minato as her "Ashikabi", a human with unique genes that empowers their Sekirei. Sekirei like Musubi are pitted against each other in a dangerous competition called the "Sekirei Plan" formed by MBI corporation chairman and founder, Hiroto Minaka.

Life for Minato soon turns into mass hysteria as he becomes involved in fierce battles and other Sekirei want him as their Ashikabi as well or want to battle Musubi and defeat her. And what are the real intentions of Minaka, the MBI and the so-called "Sekirei Plan"? Is it all just fun and games or something greater?

Okay, I need to point out, this anime has extremely mature content with mostly nudity and (implied) sexual content. And at many times it can be very over the top extreme. A nice fair warning if you're not into seeing breasts every episode. Other than that it has really good and colorful animation and a ton of intense fight sequences that are really enjoyable. And it even has quite a few comedic moments as well. It's overall a good anime that I enjoy despite how short it is.

First Top Ten List: Anime Men

So I'm doing my first top ten list just because I'm bored and have absolutely nothing better to do with myself besides slack on watching anime because other people are in the room. Hopefully people can find this enjoyable ^^ Now this is going to be based off of some of my opinions and off the anime I myself have seen. So if you don't see certain characters, it's because I haven't seen the anime or enough of it to judge characters. Also, beware of spoilers.

So welcome to...

<3 Liz's Top Ten Anime Men <3

10. Yuki Sohma (Fruits Basket)

Yeah sorry for Yuki fans that he's low on the list, but hey, at least he's on it. 

Obviously, Yuki displays a very handsome high school student and every girl's fantasy of a "prince". Violet eyes seem to be a fascination with me, and it's just really appealing. Along with his good looks, he is polite and gentleman-like to his peers (excluding Kyo), but can be kinda quiet at times. Yet, he has proved that in a given situation, he can speak up and take action to what is going on. He's really caring while secretly strong. I don't really remember too much else catching my eye about him, which is why he's at the bottom. Again, sorry Yuki fans but he doesn't strike my fancy too much. ^^;

9. Simon (Gurren Lagann)

 Simon still remains to be my all time favorite character in Gurren Lagann and one of the top anime boys I like. Apart from being extremely cute as a kid and extremely sexy as an adult, he is so full of determination to help lead a rebellion group and to come out as the conqueror. No matter what robots or creatures are thrown in his way, he won't stop fighting until he achieves freedom for not himself, but for everyone. Even though the tragic death of his "older brother", Kamina, leaves him devastated, he finds the strength to pull through and accomplish what Kamina wanted. Although when he's put in action with a very serious game face, outside of fighting, Simon is a very wide-eyed and sweet boy. He's very energetic and can have very silly moments, and also is very caring and sweet for his friends, especially his future love interest, Nia. Even as an adult, Simon still maintains his determined and confident spirit and his loving character.

8. L (Death Note)

In the great battle of L vs. Light, it'll be L every time no questions asked. Sorry but by the time the series comes to its close, Light becomes kind of a jerk.

Yeah so L probably isn't the most "attractive" male character in the history of anime. He has those famous huge eyes with bags under them, slouches and can make some weird faces. But honestly, that just fascinates me. When I saw Death Note, I was head over heels with L. I found him just really cute and attractive. And of course not to mention that hair, which of course, spiky hair is a plus just cause it looks cool. Now outside of his looks, what else is there about L? Well there is the obvious fact that he is highly intelligent and a world famous detective. Who doesn't want a smart man in their life? Even when he's serious about the cases he takes, L still has an odd sense of humor and his funny moments just make him cuter. What's actually surprising about L is how somehow he's always a step ahead of Kira (Light). Even when he dies, he's still ahead of Light when his successor is brought into action. Remember the ending where you see L standing over Light's body as he's dying? I believe that symbolizes that L knew all along who Light really was and is like "Yeah, guess I really won in the end". That's really amazing in a some what eerie way. Even if he looked like he was behind, L was always in someway a step ahead of Light. Okay I'm kinda going off on my own thing now ^^; Anyway, overall, L is a smart and oddly attractive man. That is all lol.

7. Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji)

One hell of a butler and one hell of a very sexy one at that. I'd hire him any day (insert picture of me drooling in fangirl-dom).

Indeed, Sebastian is the eye candy of every single Kuroshitsuji fangirl. He's dark and slightly mysterious and you're not really sure what's on his mind, yet it's that darkness about him that's just oh so luring. He's a strong demon and able to fight solely using kitchen utensils or sometimes nothing at all and just let out his true form. While he appears scary, Sebastian is actually really caring and willing to do anything to keep his master safe (Dammit Ciel. You're so lucky!!). When not using acts of violence to protect what matters to him, he's very polite like the butler he is and knows how to have a home well-kept. On top of that, he's a cat lover. How great is that? Could grow old and become one of those weird old couples with a crap ton of cats! XD lol All jokes aside, Sebastian is the great choice of a man with a dark side yet is secretly sweet and a great protector.

6. Tamaki Suoh (Ouran High School Host Club)

Yeah who saw this coming? Someone from OHSHC had to pop up sometime and Tamaki did.

Another "princely type", Tamaki Suoh is probably the most handsome blonde haired, blue eyed Japanese/French boy to ever walk the face of the universe. And being voiced by the great Vic Mignogna adds a plus to the sexiness. Though I guess you could argue the burden is that he is handsome and can be pretty narcissistic very often. But hey, he's gorgeous! I'd have him speak sexily to me any day. Oh, and of course another plus is that he is very gentlemen like and sweet to all the girls he's with. On top of which, he can play the piano. I don't know what it is with me and anime boys playing piano but just something about them making beautiful music is just really beautiful imagery. Anyway, another downside is that he is pretty oblivious to the surrounding world outside of his luxuries, but isn't most of the rich kids at Ouran? His reactions to little things are over the top but sometimes he can just be so hilarious, you don't want to tell him to knock it off. Although he may seem a bit unintelligent and hysterically silly at times, Tamaki is overall really sweet, kind, romantic and the ideal "prince" of any girl's dreams.

5. Edward and Alphonse Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist/FMA: Brotherhood)

Yeah, I know I'm cheating having two people on the same ranking slot, but I love both Elric brothers as much and it's hard to decide between the two. Besides, from the same anime(s) so what the hell? Also I put the two in the middle of the list because both balance each other out. Let's start with Edward.

Edward is ambitious, tough, intelligent, and an overall bad boy. Oh, and again, voiced by Vic Mignogna. God I love his voice so much ^^ Anyway, it's awkward with him being a little under 5 feet and the fact he'll have better hair than any girl in the universe, but he's still a really sweet and caring soul. He's willing to do anything to protect the ones he loves, even if it means being in harm's way. It's good that he's tough but the burden is that he is tough and can get cocky, resulting in getting himself into too many fights and gaining quite a few enemies. Yet he still prevails as a strong kid who won't stop fighting until he gets back the body of not only himself but of his brother too. Truly a sweet and caring older brother.

Speaking of brothers, let's talk about Alphonse. Compared to his older brother, Al is more of a pacifist and tries to avoid fights as much as he can, but will resort to violence if he deems it necessary. He's a very kind and very sweet boy, but is also very smart and strong and a talented alchemist just like Ed. Al is also more positive than Ed and tries to think situations through before doing something rash, even if it doesn't always work. And just overall, Alphonse is so adorable!! Also, I'm just gonna throw this out there, I didn't really like Maxey Whitehead as the voice of all for FMA: Brotherhood. I know she does well in other roles in other animes like when she was Crona from Soul Eater but personally, I preferred Aaron Dismuke when he was Al. Why did you have to hit puberty Aaron?! Why?! Anyway, yeah, I just didn't like Al's voice in Brotherhood. Kinda high pitched and a bit annoying. But again, just a personal opinion.

Okay so if I had to pick between the two, it'd have to be Alphonse, but I'm glad I included Edward here too. Also I think it's kinda obvious that I like them better in the original anime series simply cause they looked better with the different style of animation. Maybe I'm just being nit-picky but I just like how they look better in the original anime than in Brotherhood. Anyway, next one!

 4. Allen Walker (D. Gray-man)

Good God, do I love Allen! <3

The obvious aspect about Allen is that he just looks cool. Love the silver/white hair and love his weapon. Though you better be good at and love cooking cause this boy sure does have a big appetite lol. Like most everyone else on the list, he's kind and friendly and always thinks about his friends before himself. And also, he's smart and a great fighter and at times can just have clumsy and silly moments. What I really like about him that really stands out is that he never looks back on his horrid past. Something I noticed about some characters (male mostly) is that they always dwell on the past and hold grudges against the tragedies and their mistakes they made. With Allen, he's totally optimistic and positive. He knows he never had an easy childhood and for the most part it was pretty shitty. He was abandoned by his parents because of his left arm, he almost got himself killed when he was tricked into trying to bring back his surrogate father from the dead, and God knows how many time he's seen people, close friends for that matter, be turned into Akuma that he has to kill. Yet he never looks back on those tragedies. Allen was taught to just keep walking forward no matter what. His positive attitude does really stand out and truly makes him a great person.

 3. Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket)

Yeah, I prefer Kyo to Yuki. So I put Kyo on this list too.

Unlike Yuki, Kyo's just a bad boy. Bad boys just seem to be much more of a turn on to anime girls. They like it when they're bad asses, tough, loud, and have pasts too complex to understand. And it's why I like Kyo over Yuki. Though I guess the problem with that is that he is a bad boy and can be really cocky, irrational and a hard ass most of the time, which gets him into quite a few fights with his family. But on the inside, he's just a poor kid tortured by rejection by his own family solely because of being the cursed cat and having a demon inside him and fearing rejection by the ones he cares about because of that demon. On the inside, Kyo is a really caring person even if he doesn't want to admit it and he shows his caring in a very odd way. He still does have a heart even if it's not fully shown all the time. Hard on the outside, sweet and fluffy on the inside. And not to mention totally cute proving that gingers do have souls.

2. Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass)

If you want a man with complexities, then look no further than Lelouch!

Other than being completely handsome and a total womanizer, Lulu is another smarty even if he chooses to slack in school and gamble on chess. He's pretty bent on revenge for the death of his mother, but also fights for his blind and crippled sister, Nunnally. Talk about a loving brother huh? He knows that innocent people will probably get in the way and die, but he won't stop until he makes the world a better place for everyone, including Nunnally. He can go from a nice and polite school boy to a harsh ex-prince so easily that it's hard for others to believe he could be Zero. He always keeps his enemies guessing and always has a plan. Even if it's a flawed plan or he's just making it up as he goes along, Lelouch always seems to know what he's doing up until the very end. And he's not always perfect. Loved ones always seem to get in the way and die. But it's not like he just forgets about it; he carries his failures with him just to get that perfect world all for his little sister. He's so complex and keeps you guessing until the end, yet still gives off a vibe of sexiness that attracts fans. All hail Lelouch!

And Liz's number one anime man is...

1. Tomoya Okazaki (Clannad)

Oh God, yes. It's Tomoya!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

He is probably one of the best characters in the entire Clannad series. Everything about him makes him stand out among everyone else that makes me and my friend Kelly crush so hard on him <3

Yeah, another sexy bad boy. Why is it such a turn on to see boys like Tomoya tortured? I have no clue. At first he starts that way, but slowly over time, Tomoya becomes a caring soul willing to help his friends no matter what the cost. He's another complex character with a crappy past involving a distant father because of the death of his mother. He becomes a delinquent instead of falling into depression and often gets in trouble, yet he slowly learns to get over the past and move on with his life and finds purpose in it, along with being able to make friends who really matter to him. Tomoya's tough and sarcastic but sweet and protective too. He can be angry, but also light-hearted and funny. He truly does care about the ones he loves and does anything to help and never gives up until a solution is made. Nothing matters more to him than the people he loves.


I like seeing how dynamic he is as the series progresses from him not caring about anything to valuing his friends and family. He has bumps in that road of his life, but learns to overcome those obstacles to just ultimately live a happy life. Goes from negative to positive from the people he has met and unknowingly helped him to that epiphany of how much family and friends mean in one's life. And I've never seen a guy cry so much as I've seen Tomoya cry. Most times I see a guy in an anime cry is never or in private. This really changes it cause it shows that Tomoya's not always tough. He can be weak and show that emotion too. He'll say what's on his mind and not care what anyone says and to get people to get over their issues.


And that makes Tomoya Okazaki the sexiest anime man alive! <3


Well I hope you enjoyed my first top ten list. Sorry if these don't match your opinions of what anime guys you consider hot. Give me your opinions of what characters you consider to be hotties or add on to a character mentioned above. Adios! <3

I can call myself tough now

That was one of the few things I was thinking today as I finished this anime. I finally got the balls to watch it when I saw it on my dad's Netflix and decided "What the hell". I originally wanted to wait until I was older, but whatever, I saw it and I don't regret it. So let's get the title out of the way: Elfen Lied.

If anyone is at least familiar with the title then it should be known that this is notorious for being one of the most gory animes ever. Despite this obvious fact, it's impressing for other aspects of this 13 episode series like its themes and story.

There is a big focus in this anime about a new kind of human race called "Diclonius". In appearance, they're exactly like human beings with small horns sticking out of their heads. They have a special ability using invisible arms called "vectors" that can grasp and impact anything, can reach out various meters and is commonly used to kill by slicing up their human victims. They're very prone to violence against the human race (whether it's in their nature or from abuse by humans as children) and seek to destroy it and repopulate the world with Diclonii.

The main character, Lucy, is a Diclonius held at a facility where she and others like her are experimented on. She manages to escape while leaving behind almost two dozen bodies dead by her hands. However, she receives a head injury during her escape and loses her memory.

Lucy is found at a beach in Kamakura, Japan by two locals, Kohta and his cousin Yuka. Because of her injury and memory loss, Lucy developed a child-like personality called Nyu and is clueless to her surroundings and lacks speaking skills other than the word "nyu". Assuming she's a runaway teenager, Kohta and Yuka take her in as she has no place to go. Little do these cousins know that they're getting themselves in over their heads than they could possibly imagine as people seek out to hunt for Lucy/Nyu and Lucy's split personality makes her unpredictable of what she'll do next.

I'll address this again: this is the most graphic and violent anime ever, which I feel is kinda unnecessary because the story itself is great and so are the various themes. Decapitation, limbs being torn apart, you name it, likely chance Elfen Lied has it. And I'm just gonna throw this spoiler out there just to say "Don't say I didn't warn you": There is one scene that involves animal abuse and just one. There is also a great amount of nudity and other mature content so if this kind of stuff  will give you nightmares for the rest of your mortal life, you may want to avoid this.

But if you got guts like me and are able to get through the extreme violence, everything else about this anime is just amazing and beautiful. There are definitely plenty of parts that are complete tearjerkers, such as back stories of some of the characters and the actions these characters take. I let out a few tears at the ending which I will not spoil. It's also interesting to hear about this fictional species, Diclonius, and their psychological and physical struggles with these harsh experiments. And of course, the themes really stand out as well.

There are various messages in Elfen Lied revolving around social outcasting, prejudice, revenge, abuse, regret, and simply the value of humanity. I don't think I've seen an anime press issues like this as much as Elfen Lied did and it does it really well. And again, a lot of scenes revolving around these themes brought tears to my eyes. I truly loved it.

Now I did hear that the manga is completely different in plot because the anime was being made before the manga was finished so now I'm interested in seeing how big it differs. But for what the anime is and what it has to offer, despite the mature content, it truly is a great anime if you're able to stomach the violence.