White Album 2 - Episode 9

What should have been so simply has proven to be anything but, as the relationships between Hazuki, Setsuna and Touma become ever-more tangled.

In fact, as this episode begins and we enter January, the relationship between Hazuki and Kazusa has broken down entirely - she ignores his calls and visits under the auspices of practicing hard for a piano recital, but given that she finds at least some

Little Busters! Refrain - Episode 9

Having won Masato over from whatever insanity had gripped him, Riki's next target in his reforming of the Little Busters is Kengo.

Just like Masato, Kengo immediately knows what's up when he's approached by Naoe and he wastes no time in warning him off trying to get him to join his merry band.  With no obvious way of persuading Kengo appearing before him Riki talks to Kyousuke, who lets slip one

Space Brothers - Episode 84

After the initial shock of discovering that only one of them will be selected for the next lunar mission, Mutta has quickly found the resolve he needs to fight for his place, even if it means thwarting Kenji's own lunar dreams as a result.

Having initially agreed to cut his suggested parts of the scale lunar base they're tasked with building, Mutta has now rescinded that decision and insisted

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 8

I have to admit that I suspected that somebody had spiked my cup of tea while I was watching last week's Samurai Flamenco but no, apparently all that crazy shit really did happen, and any assumptions that the whole thing was some kind of crazed fever dream on Hazama's part are also quickly vanquished this week.

So, it seems that the Torture organisation and their leader, the cunningly named King

Galilei Donna - Episode 8

The pendant may be lost, but the search for Galileo's sketches continues, meaning that it's off to Japan we go for this week's episode of Galilei Donna.

However, before the sketch hunt begins in earnest, Hozuki and her sisters have a request - to make a stop in Kyoto to visit their grandfather.  Even Anna can't resist this request when it comes so earnestly from all three of them, and so this

Golden Time - Episode 9

Banri's subconscious outburst at the end of last week's episode of Golden Time certainly made his feelings clear, if only to us as onlookers (and most likely to Linda as well) - but were we the only ones to hear those words?

As night turns to morning and a sluggish Banri sleeps in as the other party-goers in his room leave, Koko seems to be far from her usual ebullient self, and when classes

Kill la Kill - Episode 9

With the prospect of learning the truth about her father's death dangling in front of her, Ryuuko is face with one simple task - she only has to defeat the student council's Elite Four to be granted an audience with Satsuki.




While all of the parties concerned are ready and raring to go in this battle, it's Gamagoori who gets the first crack at defeating Matoi... but not until the specified

Nagi no Asukara - Episode 9

The appearance of saltflake snow on the surface is certainly unusual, but seems like little more than a novelty to most.  Is it, however, portentous in signifying a forthcoming calamity?

Meanwhile on that surface, Hikari finds himself privately worrying about his father while publicly stating that he has no interest in returning home - a thought process pushed to the back of his mind by a

Coppelion - Episode 9

As if things weren't tough enough with a pregnant woman about to give birth, the Ozu sisters on the rampage and the 1st Division looking to destroy the whole world, now even the weather is against Naruse and her charges.

More to the point, a strong wind seems to be blowing the radiation in all directions, moving the centre of the Zone dangerously close to the Planet, and meaning that there's

Beyond the Boundary - Episode 9

Ironically, things are getting dangerous in the midst of the Calm, and no more so than for Akihito.

Although this event should theoretically be responsible for weakening youmu, in Akihito's case it appears to be doing the opposite, with his human half weakening considerably and thus allowing the youmu half of his being to take over - no wonder he's the source of so much interest.  While various

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova - Episode 8

Repaired and refreshed at their island home of Iwoto they might be, but Gunzou and his growing team now find themselves surrounded and with nowhere to run, as Kengou and Maya close in on them.  Their base may be well fortified thanks to Hyuuga's efforts, but can it really withstand this kind of offensive?

However, it seems that Chihaya has no intention of allowing himself to be besieged, or

Monogatari Second Season - Episode 21

Now that my eyes are just about dry after last week's emotional farewell, we move forward into the final story arc of Monogatari Second Second season.

This time around, our tale is being told by Kaiki, meaning that - as he succinctly points out - we really don't know how much of it is the truth or how much of it is a lie.  Anyhow, the story begins on New Year's Day, where Kaiki's reverie (if you

White Album 2 - Episode 8

The school festival is over and Hazuki's heart has been won... or has it?

Certainly, he has at least accepted Setsuna's confession, even if she's feeling incredibly guilty about it and the fact that she feels that she's "stolen" him from Kazusa - not that Touma is having any of this, which only serves to further cement the bonds between the two of them.  Indeed, it seems as if nothing has

Little Busters! Refrain - Episode 8

Trying to recreate the Little Busters from their recent adventures as a baseball team have proved fruitless, but that isn't the end of the matter for Riki, as he sets his sights on going back even further into the group's history to effectively recreate it from the very start.

After quizzing Rin on how Kyousuke started the Little Busters, he learns that his first target is to be Masato, although

Space Brothers - Episode 83

Paired together in their underwater NEEMO training, Mutta and Kenji seemed to be a perfect team - a combination that would take them all the way to the Moon.  At least, that's what they thought....

Having been informed that, in fact, only one of the two of them will be selected from their team for the next lunar mission, the atmosphere suddenly changes markedly, and while Mutta seems to almost

Galilei Donna - Episode 7

In spite of their globe-trotting adventures, was the Galilei Tesoro really being carried around by Hozuki the entire time?  It certainly seems that way, but perhaps there's more to this enigmatic legacy of Galileo's than meets the eye.  Regardless, the same can certainly be said of Alice, as we get full confirmation of the fact that she's been working with Roberto and Adni Moon all along,

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 7

Between them, Samurai Flamenco and the Flamenco Girls have been doing a sterling job... perhaps a little too good a job, given that criminals now seem to be few and far between.


Ironically, this proves to be rather frustrating for all and sundry - Hazama is left pondering what to do next, Mari is climbing up the walls without any crotches to stomp on, the hunt to reveal any of the hero's

Kill la Kill - Episode 8

Having inadvertently aided Satsuki in her plan to refresh the student council and Gou uniform owners with her whole Fight Club idea, Ryuuko now finds another tantalising carrot dangled in front of her in the form of a survival game-cum-general election (or General Selection, as Kiryuin would rather have it) to pick the best of the best in a free-for-all involving the entire student body.

While

Golden Time - Episode 8

This week's episode of Golden Time begins with some further dipping into Banri and Linda's past to fill in more of the blanks in their prior relationship (if there were any such blanks still to be filled in).

Any such musings are interrupted by Koko's report that Mitsuo is in trouble, sending Banri to his rescue in her stead - a smart move perhaps, as his ability to improvise and overact on the

Coppelion - Episode 8

Trying to get a heavily pregnant woman in labour to a hospital isn't really the time to be dealing with any distractions, but that's exactly what Naruse and company have to deal with in this week's Coppelion.

With every route blocked by the mysterious appearance of canisters of high-level nuclear waste, the group eventually comes across the origin of these obstructions - two girls in school

Nagi no Asukara - Episode 8

Having survived the trials and tribulations associated with their difficult decision to leave for the surface, Akari and Hikari are all set to begin their new lives, however awkward those first steps might be.

Indeed, their first evening at the home of Akari's boyfriend and daughter Miura is a classic case of nobody knowing quite how to act and what to say, while any attempt for Hikari to be

Beyond the Boundary - Episode 8

Everything has settled down for Mirai now that her issues with Sakura have been resolved (so much so that the two now effectively act like sisters around one another), and with news spreading that the Calm is on its way, surely there's nothing left to be worried about?

For a Spirit World Warrior like Mirai this is perhaps true, but the impending Calm is problematic for others, marking a period

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova - Episode 7

Its back to the water we go for the start of this week's Arpeggio of Blue Steel, as the I-401 returns to the sea for a journey "home"... and this time, she's bringing a trio of new guests with her.

Upon arriving at Chihaya's carefully hidden dock, Iwoto, it appears that it perhaps wasn't quite so carefully hidden as they have an unexpected guest waiting for them in the form of Takao.  Of course,

Monogatari Second Season - Episode 20

With Shinobu missing and the instinct danger tormenting them liable to show up again at any time, Koyomi and company have finally managed to track down Izuko Gaen in search of help with their current quandary... or perhaps I should say that Gaen has tracked them down.

Given that she claims to know everything, it seems that nobody is better placed to inform Araragi et al how to defeat their

White Album 2 - Episode 7

It's the day of the festival at last, and everything is running smoothly, assuming you're happy to discount Touma's complaints about the outfit chosen for her.

This week's instalment wastes no time in getting the light music club take to the stage, allowing us to watch the increasingly enraptured crowd taking in two of the three songs that make up their set list, as well as Setsuna's MC'ing

Little Busters! Refrain - Episode 7

Their attempt to run away ending in failure, it seems that everything has changed as this seventh episode of Little Busters! Refrain begins.

Perhaps the most marked shift here belongs to Kyousuke, who returns from job-hunting in Tokyo a broken man with no interest in his friends, instead locking himself away in his room, reading manga, and generally being decidedly emo.  Things aren't much

Space Brothers - Episode 82

Kenji and Mutta's undersea training and testing continues apace, but first this week's Space Brothers treats us to some very good news for both Serika and Ena.

For the main focus of this instalment however, the three teams engaged in NEEMO training receive their first mission - to build a 1:3 scale model of a moon base, which they can base upon either an existing design or by creating one of

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 6

Samurai Flamenco and Flamenco Girl have parted ways, but despite their differences neither of them seem to have any intention of backing away from their lives of crime-fighting.

Indeed, in Maya's case she's actually somehow managed to rope her fellow idols into joining her to create a trio of crime-fighting heroines - three peas in a pod... at least until Maya manages to persuade Goto to drop by

Golden Time - Episode 7

Nothing punctuates a confession of love quite like being arrested for theft immediately after - well, it certainly makes for a memorable event if nothing else...

So it goes that Koko's confession to Banri is quickly followed by her arrest for the bicycle she stole to chase after Banri, leading to some time in questioning followed by the rite of passage that is having your father come to collect

Kill la Kill - Episode 7

What's a girl got to do to get some peace and quiet?  As if having her bath time interrupted by the peeping Toms which make up her surrogate family isn't bad enough, Matoi's lunch breaks at school seem to leave little time for eating in the midst of the constant attacks from low-rent school clubs desperate to prove their worth by defeating her.

As the saying goes, "when you can't beat them, join

Galilei Donna - Episode 6

It's Hazuki's turn to be injured courtesy of the fallout from last week's episode of Galilei Donna, leaving Hozuki with no other alternative than to set a course for the nearest hospital despite their status as fugitives.  If only you'd brought the homeless guy with the magic medical robot along with you, eh?

Speaking of homeless people, this week's episode also delves into the back story of two

Nagi no Asukara - Episode 7

After all of the various trials and tribulations surrounding its creation, the Ojoshi is finally complete - cue celebrations from those responsible for crafting it, be they from the sea and the surface.

In fact, so proud are those involved that a stirring of a more fundamental desire springs forth - these kids want to use the fruit of their labours to resurrect the Ofunehiki festival that has

Coppelion - Episode 7

Things have gone decidedly sideways in the latest attempt to rescue Aoi, and although this member of the Coppelion team is now safe, it seems to have come at a great cost to Ibara.

With a shrapnel wound, heavy blood loss and in cardiac arrest, it takes everything that Haruto and the rag-tag collective around him have got to stabilise her so that they can return her to The Planet for surgery and

Beyond the Boundary - Episode 7

With its idol-esque shenanigans out of the way, in this week's Beyond the Boundary Mitsuki joins HND48... at least, in Hiromi's dreams she does.

That aside, Mirai's never-ending cavalcade of problems continues, as it becomes clear that Sakura Inami is about to transfer to her school - and into her class no less.  This wouldn't be such a problem is Sakura wasn't still so dead-set on wreaking

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova - Episode 6

Never mind the pair of mental models on their doorstep, the armed forces have only one target in mind as this week's Arpeggio of Blue Steel begins - little kid-cum-artificial intelligence Makie.

Having befriended her however, Haruna in particular has no intentions of letting Makie come to harm at anyone's hands, and thus she sets about attacking the forces which have come to dispatch this child

Monogatari Second Season - Episode 19

Shinobu's long tale about her past, and her previous encounter with the mysterious "darkness", may be over, but it seems that we're still no closer to finding a solution to the crisis currently facing Araragi and company.

However, perhaps three heads are better than two, as rather than going off to return to work as she'd previously suggested it seems that Ononoki has been handing around to

White Album 2 - Episode 6

Whether it's through overwork, stress or plain old organic illness, Touma's collapse isn't exactly good news with the school festival only a couple of days away.


Having not turned up to school or answered her phone, it's Haruki who comes to the rescue and finds Touma in a heap, and he sets about skipping both school and the light music club's first rehearsal to look after his old friend and

Little Busters! Refrain - Episode 6

As if having to say goodbye to Rin as part of her temporary transfer of schools wasn't bad enough, Riki also has to swallow the fact that the entire thing - and indeed the entire history of the Little Busters - was manufactured by Kyousuke as a way to help Rin in growing up and maturing.

Although Naoe has no problem with that concept in and of itself, the way Kyousuke has gone about it leaves

Space Brothers - Episode 81

To get closer to his ultimate goal, Mutta must first move further away from it, as the latest step in his training to reach the Moon sees him move deep underwater for NEEMO training.

As part of a group of trainee astronauts, Mutta is thrilled to find himself paired up with Kenji alongside a couple of more experienced individuals, both of whom seem to be rather dismissive of the newcomers.  What

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 5

The double-act of Samurai Flamenco and Flamenco Girl remains at the cutting edge of crime-fighting, although even amongst the criminal fraternity interest has piqued far more in the latter than the former, not least because the bounty on Flamenco Girl's head is twice that of her predecessor at this point in time.

All of this is enough for Hazama to start seriously questioning where he should go

Kill la Kill - Episode 6

Having seen the true extent of Matoi's powers, it seems that Kiryuin isn't in the mood to mess around any longer, ordering in a bulk load of Life Fibres, seemingly with a view towards creating even more Goku Uniforms and club presidents to sport them.

Before all that however, Satsuki is asked for a favour from a former rival and now one of the school's so-called Elite Four, Uzu Sanageyama.  

Golden Time - Episode 6

This week's Golden Time begins by allowing us to dig a little deeper into Banri's pre-accident memories, giving us a view into the life of a far weaker boy than the one we now see before us, and also one besotted with Linda, only to find his confession to her put on hold until the following day.  A day which effectively never came.


Of course, moving back to the present day Linda is continuing

Galilei Donna - Episode 5

It's off to the Netherlands we go - the home of clocks and interesting cheeses, as our goldfish AI helpfully informs us.

As we see the Adni Moon company being asked awkward questions by the press as their self-serving schemes seemingly become more evident, the Ferrari sisters quickly come unstuck as they land in the Netherlands once they find themselves walking straight into a group of armed

Nagi no Asukara - Episode 6

This week's episode of Nagi no Asukara begins by bringing a rather unique experience to the school-goers of Shioshishio - a swimming lesson.

Needless to say, those who reside under the sea aren't used to the etiquette of getting changed, wearing swimsuits, or even warming up before jumping into the water, leaving them with plenty of alien territory to tentatively explore - in fact, when it comes

Coppelion - Episode 6

Taeko may be injured, but that aside all is well within the temporary safety of The Planet as this week's Coppelion begins.

However, "temporary" is the operative word here, and it's no time at all before the 1st Division come knocking on their front door.  This might not be such a big deal normally were it not for Aoi answering the front door and being summarily taken hostage - after announcing

Beyond the Boundary - Episode 6

Mirai has her youmu hunting license back, and with most of her money spent on bonsai trees boy does she need it.  Then again, given her opponent in this week's Beyond the Boundary, perhaps there's more to life than money after all...

Such thoughts are far from Mirai's mind as she's offered the chance to defeat a youmu worth half a million Yen however, and what's more it's a fruit-based creature

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova - Episode 5

Haruna and Kirishima may have been defeated in last week's episode of Arpeggio of Blue Steel, but they haven't been entirely destroyed, which proves to be an important development in events this week.

Having been discovered unconscious (can an AI be unconscious?), Haruna finds herself in the care of an impressively large and lavish house which seems to be mostly empty but for a made and a young

Monogatari Second Season - Episode 18

Settle down and make yourself comfortable, as it's story time with Shinobu in this week's episode of Monogatari Second Season.

In short, this instalment is all about Shinobu's past as Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade, and more specifically her previous visit to Japan.  Having arrived from the Antarctic via a single, mighty leap, her landing in a lake near an area of drought saw her

White Album 2 - Episode 5

Just when everything was going so well, all it takes is a pesky toothbrush to get in the way...

It's this toothbrush which tells Ogiso that Haruki hasn't been entirely forthcoming about his recent movements, and more specifically that he's been staying at Touma's house despite having never mentioned it to her.  Seething with jealousy and a more simple disappointment that she was kept out of the

Little Busters! Refrain - Episode 5

All that purportedly now sits between Rin, Riki and the secret of the world is a spot of volunteering at school - what could possibly go wrong here?

So, with this final task delivered by Lennon at hand, this new couple steps up to the plate and volunteers when required of them by their homeroom teacher.  It turns out that what they're volunteering for is the duty of escorting an inspector and

Space Brothers - Episode 80

Returning home early from his rehabilitation in Russia at NASA's behest, it seems as if Hibito's career is at a low ebb at just the moment that Mutta's own ambitions are about to receive a major boost.

With the first prototype of the new lunar buggy he helped to design now ready to roll, Mutta gets the call that he really wasn't expecting at this point in time - the call to join a team of a

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 4

From his humble beginnings, it seems that Samurai Flamenco is moving up in the world as he starts dealing with purse-snatchers and "proper" crimes instead of harassing people for putting out the trash too early.

With his training at the hands of Joji Kaname, Hazama certainly seems to be getting the hang of the whole hero thing, leading him to go on patrol in a particularly seedy and dangerous