Manga Review: Pandora Hearts GN 19

Pandora Hearts volume 19
Author: Jun Mochizuki
Yen Press
192 pages

Pandora, now under the control of Leo and the Baskervilles, bears witness as the truth of the being known as Oz Vessalius is exposed for all to see. Amidst the warped tragedy that plays out mercilessly, one who has lost everything catches a glimpse of the ridiculous fairy tale contrived by a living ghost as though a forbidden box has just been opened. (Source: Yen Press)

Spoiler warning: Spoilers for the Pandora Hearts story up to this most recent volume are in this review.

This review will be slightly incoherent at parts, emotionally heated at others. This is because Jun Mochizuki, whether through a pact with a witch or a contract with the Abyss itself, has the unmatched ability to metaphorically pluck out the reader's heart and squeeze it dry before putting it back, leaving the person in a pool of their own tears.

Do I speak too strongly? Perhaps, but it only begins to describe the emotional roller coaster that Oz, Gil, Alice, and the rest of the Pandora Hearts crew have been on for the last couple of volumes. Volume nineteen is the breaking point, an explosion of drama and revelations, and much like any explosion, it's so very hard to look away.

Titania In The High Tower

Leafa is making enemies leaving her area and group to team up with Kirito. On their way to neutral Territory, they speak more of the rules and areas of the ALO. / Something isn’t right; Recon has sent Leafa a message “I was right. Be careful. S." What does he mean and will Leafa and Kirito have the time to figure it out? (Source: Crunchyroll)

Spoiler warning: Post contains spoilers up to episode 19, "The Legrue Corridor".

It's been a while since I've visited the series Sword Art Online, mainly because Toonami has been pre-empting its usual schedule as of late with feature-length films, putting SAO on the back burner until recently. Despite the gap between episodes, fitting back into the world of Kirito and Asuna was an easy one, although not the most pleasant. Coming back to Sword Art Online after so long is like revisiting an old friend from high school you haven't seen in years; you still like them very much and enjoy their company to a point, but after a while you realize just why you haven't visited them in a month.

Favorite Anime Fandom Moments of 2013

Relevant photos be damned.
Have a random and very pretty Pet Girl of Sakurasou image!

I honestly don't finish enough anime series in a year to warrant any sort of 'top 5 anime' list, unlike other animanga bloggers who can polish off series on a monthly basis and have a great, diverse list. So I'm looking back at moments in anime fandom from 2013, where industry and otaku have come together to make everyone happy (or, in the case of moment number one, is just an event that made all otaku happier - and safer- because it happened).

Feel free to include your own favorite moments in the comments!

PR: Naruto Shippuden Coming To Adult Swim This Weekend

(OP: Datte-freakin'-bayo! Excited to see post-time skip Naruto on the new Toonami line-up - although it's gonna take forever to catch up with Viz's DVD releases of the series, if ever.)

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN ANIME SERIES ON

ADULT SWIM’S TOONAMI IN 2014

VIZ Media has announced the debut of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series on Adult Swim’s Toonami programming block beginning in January 2014. North American fans can catch dubbed and uncut adventures featuring the world’s most popular ninja from the beginning with a new episode airing each week. Check local listings for specific airtimes and channel availability.

Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim is basic cable’s #1 network with persons 18-34 and 18-49, and is seen in 99 million U.S. homes.

Manga Review: Tegami Bachi GN 15

Tegami Bachi volume 15
Author: Hiroyuki Asada
Viz Media/Shonen Jump
200 pages

To The Little People: Searching for the truth about Amberground, Lag heads home to the little town of Campbell. There, a woman named Sabrina Mary holds the secrets he seeks. But can he handle what he learns about his world, his government ... and his own mother? (Source: Viz Media)

It's rather fitting that my first manga review of 2014 would turn out to be Tegami Bachi's latest volume. After all, Tegami Bachi is a title I never expected to enjoy as much as I do now, and it continues to surprise me with every book. This book is truly no exception. We're kicking off the new year with a journey of self-discovery as Lag goes to Campbell in order to find the truth about his mother and the world around him. But what he finds will change his life forever, as well as the lives of those around him.