Paulaelia

Episode 8 and the finale of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

This series is usually so full of comedy and lighthearted action that when it gets serious it makes a big impact (one could almost say it LAGANN IMPACTS your heart). I can’t help but shed some manly tears for Kamina and Simon.

And I’m not afraid to admit it.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Several points in the series cause a manly tear to be shed, sometimes more than one. But the last 3 episodes really make me cry a river of sparkling tears that would make even Major Armstrong jealous.

And I’m not afraid to admit it.

I just finished up watching the 12 episodes of Mashiro-Iro Symphony: Love is Pure White and I have to say it is one of the better romance/slice of life/harem shows I’ve seen in a while. The characters are all very lovable and the story moved along in. I enjoyed it, I was frustrated by it, I was surprised and I nearly cried. All in all, it gets my vote of approval. Now on to the details:

Shingo (pictured below) is a very friendly student who lives with his very cute sister Sakuno (blue-haired girl in above picture).  The school he and his sister are attending is in the process of merging with a nearby all-girls-upper-class-fancy-pants school. Shingo, his sister, his best friend, and a large collection (of both male and female) students from his school are set to move into a class at the all-girls school at the start of the new term.

Before that happens, Sakuno gets lost on her way home from shopping (she’s the airheaded slow paced girl). Shingo goes to find her, only to have her cell phone battery die with them still separated. Sakuno meets Airi Sena (blonde girl in top picture) who is also lost and uses her phone to contact Shingo. They all meet up in a local park. Airi leaves them with the feeling that they have made a new friend and they look forward to their change in school.

Uh oh, Airi Sena not only attends the all-girls school, she is in Shingo’s class, and she is completely AGAINST the merging schools. She doesn’t want any males in her school! Thus begins their conflicting school days.

The rest of the cast is made up of Ange the maid-in-training (green-haired girl in top picture), Miu Amaha the animal loving senior (purple-haired girl in top picture) , Sana Inui who is Miu’s best friend (pictured above), and all their classmates and teachers.

The story is nicely paced with everyone getting their own little mini-plot arcs and events, and the romance isn’t so overbearing on the story that it distracts from the rest of their lives. The animation is soft and flowing and it really lends itself to the pacing of the show. All of the characters, while at times frustrating, are rich and have their own thoughts. A few points here and there they show some minor flaws, but ultimately I really enjoyed it.

SCORE: 9/10 - Really Good Watch! Recommended!