So here comes another butler series. Probably not as strong as the other one that just popped into your head but don't jump to any conclusions until you've met the main cast. Our main hero of this series is Uesugi Ren, a teenage boy who has recently run away from home with his older sister, Mihato, to get away from their abusive father. Naturally they did this without any planning or preparation so they're forced to scramble around during the day to find jobs.



It's not long before Ren happens to come across a pretty girl collapsing in broad daylight. And being the good-natured guy that he was raised to be by his sister, he helps her out and carries her all the way back to her home. Wow, who would have guessed? Her home is a mansion and she is a part of the wealthy Kuonji family. The 3 sisters and their servants are unique and crazy in their own right but it's all part of the fun. Shinra (green hair), the eldest, likes to play around with cute things, which usually includes some of her servants or her sisters. Miyu (blonde hair), who appears to be the youngest, is actually a genius who has already completed university and strives to make it know that she is a beautiful grown woman. And Yume (pink hair), who is also Ren's age, appears to lack any profound character trait to help her stand out as much as her older sisters.



Their team of servants appears to be even more fun to watch given time. Benisu (burgundy hair) is the head maid/master chef and being Shinra's personal attendant, she can turn into a lovesick puppy at a moments notice. Natose (blue hair) is Yume's attendant and is more like a dog than a human being. Chiharu is the girlish little boy in charge of cleaning. And leading them all is the head butler, the Colonel, who has a resume listing his war experience, special ops training, and his dazzling smile.



Ren and his sister surprisingly get hired on as Kuonji family servants on a 1 week trial period. It's painfully obvious they pass but let's see how many hurdles have to be jumped.

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From anidb

Based on a seinen manga by Sakuraba Koharu, serialised in Young Magazine.

Minami-ke is a manga following three sisters, Haruka, Kana, and Chiaki in their lives at home and school. It`s a funny series that depicts how these characters interact with each other and their classmates. It`s a story about ordinary girls and their ordinary adventures told in an extraordinary manner.

I find it to be a pretty funny daily life comedy.  The three sisters are so different that their personalities clash alot (especially Chiaki and Kana) which produces funny results most of the time.  There's no apparent story to be found, but that doesn't make it particularly bad, just episodic.  I recommend this if you're up for some decent laughs.  Fansub-wise, go with Ayu for quality and Ayako for speed, in my opinion.

A new heavyweight contender for the harem genre. Very amusing to watch and each scene has been enjoyable so far, from the comedy to the drama. My thoughts about the first episode were posted here already so I'll just add some thoughts about the second episode and introduce the female cast. I would like to note though that the ending theme is growing on me and I think I'm going to start loving it soon...



It's apparent already that each of the girls gets a scene or 2 per episode, which mostly brings out a few good laughs for now. However, the foundations for a friendship/relationship with Tomoya have all been set for later so maybe we'll see some more diverse conversations as he opens up to these girls more.



Tomoya ends up meeting several other interesting girls as he wanders around the school premises in episode 2. It was said that Tomoya's character was supposed to be a sort of delinquent who was hard to talk to but he's making friends with these girls very quickly and easily. I guess that's the harem genre for you. He meets up with Kotomi Ichinose, the school's quiet genius, in the library and Fuuko Ibuki, the school's cute airhead, in an empty classroom. I'm still having trouble picking a character to root for but with Fuuko's seiyu being Ai Nonaka, I'm kinda leaning that way.



On the deeper side of the spectrum, amongst the laughs and adorable scenes, we're also given a glimpse into Tomoya's home life and his relationship with his father. At first it was a little confusing seeing him run out on his dad in anger and frustration but now it's become all too clear. I'm not too sure if something like that can actually occur in a real life setting but it certainly set the stage for Tomoya's character.



Nagisa Furukawa - so far one of the less interesting girls to me. There's shy and quiet and then there's her. It's just too much. Her family is a riot though so I'll give her points for that. And it was a little touching to have her be the one to reveal Tomoya's difficult past even though everyone should have seen it coming. I am looking forward to seeing this theater club get off the ground so we can see just how far her character can grow. But someone explain to me what this Dango Family deal is.



Kyou Fujibayashi - the resident tsundere because every series nowadays needs one. It's fun watching her interrupt conversations between Tomoyo and her sister over every little thing and hurling a textbook at his head and out the window. I wonder if there will be a day when he doesn't dodge. But I'm waiting to see her softer side, no matter how funny she is while she's on a rampage. How easily she speaks with Tomoya is evidence that they have been friends for a while now I think so she's the only girl who isn't a new face to him.



Kotomi Ichinose - the barefoot genius with a knack for cooking. This is one character type that I did not see coming when I first read about the series. I don't have much to say about her so far since she hasn't really said or done anything to comment about. I am wondering, however, how it is she gets closer to Tomoya. She seems a little shutout and secluded so it will probably take something drastic to get her to open up.



Tomoyo Sakagami - the aerial combo-juggle master who reminds me of Chun-li. I would have thought that watching her beat the crap out of Tomoya's friend 2 episodes in a row would get old, but it doesn't. It's obvious she has her own twisted sense of humor when it comes to dealing with troublemakers which I can't get enough of. She made a little note of mentioning her encounters with Tomoya somewhat familiar but I'm wondering what that means. There should be a key reason as to why she has transferred to this school but so far I'm drawing blanks.



Fuuko Ibuki - the cute airhead who's seeing stars. Another cute girl with adorable tendencies and a strange obsession for stars? I couldn't stop laughing during her first introductory scene and I look forward to all of her hilarious moments. From the opening credits, she might be another class president, which could end up drawing some problems for Tomoya who confiscated something from her. Every harem needs their overly cute character and I'm glad this one has Ai Nonaka at the head.

Okay before I say anything, I'd like to say I hate how you understand nothing about what the hell is going on until you see the ending footnotes of the episode.



Newest project by faithful Gonzo and visually, they deliver just like they always have in the past. The quality of the hand drawn and CG animations is up there among the best but I don't like how some of it meshes together in this series. Fight scenes seem fluid and smooth and I look forward to seeing some intricate skirmishes between the cute girl and those monsters. I just wish someone had put out an HD release because shinsen usually compresses too much for my tastes.



Not much to say about the characters so far. Jin is the typical quiet, secluded teenager with a difficult past protagonist. You'll understand how he's got every reason to be depressed after you read the ending notes. I thought his family would make some interesting characters when I first saw them but that all changed in a few minutes didn't it?



My impression so far? It's not up there with Gonzo's better works yet I'll tell you that. I feel like I got bombarded with too much information in the first episode and I'm still trying to sort out all the terms and labels they used. A lot of characters were given a few seconds on screen and nothing was revealed about them, which is alright for a few but I think they overdid it. And nothing concrete was revealed so far related to dragons other than a weird blob with and eye. The title of the series obviously implies that dragons have something to do with everything going on in Jin's life so I hope they give us something to work with in the next episode.

Not a great episode of lucky star last week but it still has it's high points. Some innocent naughty thoughts were thrown in with the rest of the jokes so I still managed a few good laughs.

Hot dogs... that's all I'm gonna say.



I wish someone could knock some sense into children these days. Now all you see is punk kids with too much attitude and not enough common sense.



Hiyori is making her way to becoming my favourite character over Kagami bit by bit. The way in how everything she does is so over the top makes her such a fun character to watch. Then there's her imagination, unleashed and unstoppable, that runs wild whenever she looks at her friends.



Priceless... simply priceless...

That's right, I'm not entirely dead yet. I'm back and ready to get all caught up with my episode reviews. I probably have about 5 to do tonight so prepare yourself.

This episode of SZS is more, how should I put it, inspirational than the previous ones. Although it still holds the typical comedy elements that I've come to love seeing over and over again, it introduces some moral concepts that I never thought it would even try to incorporate.

Such as right off the bat, it falls to the typical physical examination sessions for the girls in the class and draws out into a discussion about a human beings actual worth. Itoshiki sensei goes on with his ramblings of how people are too absorbed with their outward appearances and I wholeheartedly agree. Too much time, effort and money is spent on improving the physical image of the perfect human being and in the process, the true value of their inner worth is overlooked.



Then he goes on to talk about how people are living out lives that are unbefitting of their status. He speaks of hypocrites, people in denial, and people who acquire things that should be out if their reach. Now I don't know if I entirely agree here. Even though people should take a step back and get a good look at themselves more often, I don't see the problem in aiming higher than you should be able to go.



So afterwards, the girls decide to visit a special hot springs to cleanse themselves of the imperfections that are bothering them. Itoshiki sensei comes along separately due to some prize that he received. More fanservice fun ensues and we get a nice look at all the girls that have been introduced to us so far. Counting Kafuka who isn't in the image, and Kiri who is still at the school, it brings the total to 9 girls.



But once again, another important lesson is presented by Itoshiki sensei about how wrong it is to try and detox your imperfections. It is these slight flaws and quirks that make us all who we are.

The multitude of questions just don't stop piling up as more and more secrets are revealed all over the place. It's too bad the group couldn't make up during the sleepover event but I guess it keeps things more interesting that way. Myself I want to see more of the Yasako+Haraken pairing just because it seems like they're both holding onto something from their past which keeps them from getting closer.



After Isako absorbed that illegal, she seems to have fully stabilized her form and gained some power boost to her abilities. She not only blocked the attack from Satchii but it looked like she all but completely destroyed the annoying thing. This is a pretty drastic change compared to before when she would either stall them for a brief moment or create a makeshift shrine to conceal herself. But what is up with the keyhole on her digital body? Is she somehow similar to the illegals since she gained some secret techniques through tinkering with the glasses? Is she herself in a constant state of deterioration or maybe she's just incomplete? I'm thinking all of our answers will appear when we find out the facts behind her "brother".



And about her brother, one can only assume that this was the mysterious boy that Yasako met in her youth and gave her that very nickname. In the flashback, it also explains the reason behind the 4-4-2-3 code and her familiarity with it because he claims this as his username so to speak. Although it's all cute to see Yasako in her younger form, it only raises even more thoughts about where this 4-4-2-3 is now and who he really is. Also, even if they did live in this town in the past, why did they move away? But what really interests me is the potential behind the name 4-4-2-3. I'm sure it has more meaning than just a random grouping of numbers. "Yon-Yon-Ni-San" doesn't ring a bell because I can't figure what the "Yon-Yon" is for. The "Ni-San" is interesting because it sounds like "Nii-San" which means older brother. Maybe I'm onto something?



Also in this episode, is a more in depth look at Kanna and the trail of bread crumbs she left behind for Haraken in case she failed to do what she planned. Included in her encrypted folder is a digital form of her diary, which may very well be the key to solving the mystery behind the illegals and their link to virtual pets who "die".

More mystery and intrigue gets blown into our faces as episode 2 really gives us a solid look into the personalities and mannerisms of several of the groups aboard the Flying Pussyfoot. Not nearly as much confusion occurring as the first episode but just as many questions raised about the grand design in store for the train and it's passengers.



We're given a nice background to Miria and Isaac before the whole incident in the opening scenes. Supposedly they were digging for gold in a remote area, which seem very odd considering most people would be panning for gold at this time. Naturally their crazy scheme draws no progress and they eventually get a letter from Ennis urging them to come visit. Being in the sad state that they are, there's no way they can normally afford train tickets to go that far. So what else should they do but rob from the mafia and run like hell before they catch on? What are you talking about? Of course it makes sense.



But the rest of the trains passengers are just as interesting. Like the 2 suspicious groups of black and white suited people. It's obvious that they are after something on this train and they plan to take it by force. Are they working together to an extent? Will they clash when the object they seek turns out to be a shared goal? I sure hope so because Ladd's level of insanity is just creepy.

I'm surprised at the double release but no way in hell I'm going to complain.

OMG animal girls!



Some interesting bits in these two episodes that delves deeper into the characters and their personal growth. Most importantly is Konata's milestone into adulthood through her eighteenth birthday. I don't see why she makes such a big deal out of it when there was nothing really stopping her from playing adult games before. I don't know the details but it's probably the same as kids buying violent or graphic games in north america. The stores just want to make a sale so they'll sell the products to just about anyone.



Another great story bit was a more detailed look into Kagami and her family. They talk briefly about the preferences of having siblings or being and only child and it's obvious that they all would rather be in someone else's situation. Kagami lives up to her livelihood as a tsundere, showing her soft personality through her rough exterior. It's the only real look we've gotten into the Hiragi family and I'm glad they did it.



note - Meito Anizawa's appearance on Lucky Channel was brilliant and I promise you won't stop laughing



Episode 18 fully introduces a second group of four girls with Yutaka and her other first-year classmates. It's great because now we can stop trying to guess who all those girls in the opening sequences have been all this time. Yutaka Kobayakawa is Konata's cousin and fills in the short and adorably cute girl role. Minami Iwasaki is the green haired girl who is the tall and stoic type. Hiyori Tamura is the black haired girl in glasses who is a manga artist with some yuri tendencies. Patricia Martin is the foreigner student (otaku) with blond hair and an outgoing personality. I really can't decide which group I would prefer more. I really want to see how this new group acts together but from what I've seen so far, they're amazing. Just think about dodgeball.



Konata battling her teacher in "Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid" mode!



There's also Kagami's two classmates who we've seen and heard about briefly who resemble Konata and Tsukasa in their personalities. Misao Kasukabe, the slacker with short brown hair and fangs and Ayano Minegishi the quiet and innocent girl with long orange hair in a hairband. It's interesting that they joke a little about the 3-5 second rule when food is dropped onto the floor. If you've never seen Mythbusters, I recommend you start soon because they test out myths, legends, and common sayings to see if they're true or not. And the issue with dropping food on the ground that they tested came to the conclusion that no matter how long or short, from 1 second to 5 seconds, it makes no difference. The food has touched the ground, and it's already been contaminated with bacteria and germs, making it unwise to consume.

We're finally getting closer to the 3/4 mark where the series can finally set into motion the beginnings of the climax as the pieces of information have come together and formed an extremely complex storyline. Although the series may seem a little on the slow side at times, you can't dispute the fact that everything that happens has a distinct purpose behind it to further every aspect of the series onward. Sure I do get bored but I still remain attentive to everything that is happening.



In the previous episode we caught some glimpses of Shuga within the same town as Balsa and the Prince and it has lead to an inevitable confrontation over the custody and responsibilities of Chagum now that his older brother has passed on. There is also the importance of the newly deciphered scripts which have brought a new light upon Chagum's "possession". However, Balsa remains firm and determined to carry out her promise to Chagum's mother and makes it known that her vow to protect the Prince lasts until one of them is dead. Shuga, someone not practiced in combat is easily dealt with, while Balsa and Chagum flee to form new travel plans.



But what of Tohya and the home? Of course he finds a way in but he doesn't realize the situation that he's in. The hunters have tracked them for quite some time and now, after some questioning of the locals and logical deductions, they gather and surround the shack. I knew Tohya was a clever kid but I never took him as being that brave and resourceful.



I really have no idea what tricks Balsa is going to come up with this time. Before it was a crew of 4-5 hunters tailing her and she barely fended them off, sustaining some serious injuries in the process. Now it's the full 8 and their actions will be even more devoted based on the fact that they are retrieving their beloved Prince and not assassinating him. Granted, Balsa was fighting with a damaged and then a broken spear, and we all hope she is amazing with her weapon of choice but still it doesn't look great for them. Then again, they'll be with Torogai soon and she can kick anyone's ass I bet.