Sensate Saturday: Inuyashiki by Hiroya Oku

This week for Sensate Saturday I’ve got another Quick Review. It’s Inuyashiki by Hiroya Oku!

Plot Synopsis: Inuyashiki has a family, a wife and two kids, none of which care about him. When he learns that he has only three months to live he realizes that the only one who will miss him is his dog…

Plot: This series is really depressing, and if it weren’t for the fact that I had already prepared for doing this Quick Review in advance prior to the US Presidential Election, I wouldn’t be covering this series. This first chapter is really depressing and frankly if anyone has any mental health issues, especially after this last week, don’t read this series right now. Wait until next summer, before trying this series out. I know I plan to do just that. As this is a series written by the creator of Gantz, I’m expecting a lot of tragedy and heartbreak, though if he kills the dog I will stop reading this series faster than a sinking piece of lead. I’ll probably never read another of his works either, I’m a dog lover so sue me.

Characters: Inuyashiki is a really sad guy, and I feel for him deeply, although I have a family who cares about me, I understand feeling lonely except for your dog. Ironically enough both Inuyashiki and my family have the same breed of dog, the Shiba Inu. They really are smarter than some humans I’ve met, and frankly my favorite character is the dog, Hanako, thus far. The rest of the cast is okay, but really depressing.

Art: The art is amazing, which is to be expected by the guy who made Gantz.

Overall: This looks to be a great series, but I’m going to be holding off until the summer to read this due to it being so depressing as well.

For those who like: Dogs, Older Male Leads, Being Depressed, Amazing Artwork, Great Plot, Fantastic Cast of Characters (really though the dog is awesome.)

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, but especially the Depressed part.

Sensate Saturday: Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

This week, and for this year’s Halloween, I’m covering a series people can’t stop praising for Sensate Saturday! It’s Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama!

Plot Synopsis: Over 100 years before the beginning of the story, giant humanoid creatures called Titans (巨人 Kyojin) suddenly appeared and nearly wiped out humanity, devouring them without remorse or reason. What remains of humanity now resides within three enormous concentric walls: the outermost is Wall Maria (ウォール・マリア Wōru Maria); the middle wall is Wall Rose (ウォール・ローゼ Wōru Rōze, pronounced like rosé) and the innermost is Wall Sina (ウォール・シーナ Wōru Shīna, alt. “Wall Sina”). Inside these walls, humanity has lived in peace for one hundred years; many people growing up without ever having seen a Titan.

Plot: The plot is gritty, and dark, and so many people fawn over this series it sickens me. I personally have read the series up to current release, but it still has yet to impress me as much as other dark series like Gantz. I think people overvalue this series way too much, simply because it’s so shocking and not something most western countries would even consider writing. That isn’t to say the plot isn’t gripping, it is gripping. It just isn’t super amazing, compared to other master horror series.

Characters: I hate the cast, I never enjoyed any of them personally. They were all too gloomy or self righteous for me.

Art: The only good thing about this series is the artwork which is very detailed, which means lots of gore.

Overall: Overrated, but not super terrible.

For those who like: Horror, Action, Dystopias, Drama, Mystery.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

 

Sensate Saturday: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

This week I’m covering a happy series that makes you just feel all warm and fuzzy for Sensate Saturday. It’s Higurashi no Naku Koro ni!

Plot Synopsis: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni takes place during June 1983 in a fictional rural village called Hinamizawa (雛見沢) (based on the village of Shirakawa, Gifu, a World Heritage Site), which has a population of approximately 2,000. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and befriends his new classmates Rena Ryugu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Houjou. Keiichi joins their after-school club activities, which consist mostly of card and board games (and punishment games for the loser – usually him).

Plot: The plot’s pretty happy go lucky and is more slice of life than anything else. That being said I won’t spoil anything, so just go into this with a very open mind when you first watch it.

Characters: Keiichi is pretty neat for a main character, but it’s the rest of the cast that makes the series. That being said Satoko is probably my favorite.

Art: Unfortunately this is animated by Studio Deen, which is a joke of an Anime series.

Music: The music is great though!

Overall: Go into this with an open mind and you might enjoy this happy go lucky series.

For those who like: Interesting Plots, Mysteries, Great Cast of Characters, Excellent Music.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

TNT: Martial God Asura by Kindhearted Bee

This week for Translation Necessary Thursday I’m covering a series I recently read. It’s Martial God Asura by Kindhearted Bee.

Plot Synopsis: Chu Feng is viewed as trash by almost everyone in his school, the Azure Dragon School, and in his Chu clan. There are a few however who view him with kindness and thus he continues on to improve his skills by cultivating and practicing martial techniques.

Plot: I had to come up with that plot synopsis on my own, as the ones I found elsewhere were lacking. That being said this series is incredibly well done, and while it has insane amounts of violence it’s still pretty awesome. I found that I really enjoyed all the drama and especially loved the action scenes.

Characters: Chu Feng is not only incredibly skilled at what he does, he’s also incredibly ruthless. The rest of the incredibly large cast is quite awesome, though my favorites are the Su sisters. Su Mei and Su Rou are just awesome and kick lots of ass, which is a quality I always enjoy in female characters especially when it’s in male dominant setting like this.

Overall: If you can deal with the gory details, and yes there are incredibly descriptive passages, and like action you’ll love this series.

For those who like: Action, Martial Arts, Drama, Super Violent Series, Amazing Cast of Characters, Fantastic Plot.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, especially the violent part.

TNT: Yobidasa Reta Satsuriku-sha Volume 01 by Ido Masayoshi

 

This week for Translation Necessary Thursday I’m covering a series that I really enjoyed, although I’m a little worried about what that says about me. Anyways, it’s time to make your head spin with Yobidasa Reta Satsuriku-sha Volume 01 by Ido Masayoshi!

Plot Synopsis: Touno Hifumi was summoned to another world, to be a Hero for a kingdom. Unbeknownst to the summoners, he’s a kill-happy person who restrained his killer instincts with martial arts.

Plot: The plot in this series is super serious. It doesn’t hold back and I really enjoy that. That being said if you can’t stand reading about a lot of violence that puts Game of Thrones to shame, this series is most certainly not for you.

Characters: I love Hifumi, he takes no one’s crap and while he’s got very little compunctions about using his skills to get his way he isn’t immoral. He treats others with kindness if they treat him like that. Origa and Kasha are also really interesting, they are each other’s foils and are pretty amazing. The rest of the cast is rather small so far, but I enjoy them all.

Art: I’m reading the web novel translation, but there is a light novel version out there. The artwork is pretty freaking awesome.

Overall: If you love a protagonist who doesn’t mind going all out without restraint this is the series for you.

For those who like: Fantasy, Magic, Anti-Hero Protagonists, Excellent Plots, Fantastic Cast of Characters, Awesome Artwork.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, or can’t stand super violent series.