Letter From The Encyclopedist

Anime Festival Asia 2009
Justin's blog of the Singapore anime scene comes to a close with a look at AFA itself, the big consumer show boastin 45,000 attendees. Updated 11/23 2009-11-23

Shelf Life - The Sweet Life
Erin has her cake and eats it too when she reviews two sugary shows, and one about dead people.
- Ghost Hound collection 1
- Sugar: A Little Snow Fairy collection 1
- Yumeiro Pâtissière ep. 1-8
2009-11-23

The Gallery - Comitia 90
This week, we head to Japan's largest convention devoted to original manga! On tap: how portfolio reviews are done in Japan, talking donuts, and a handy manga guide to "real" Japanese culture. Fun! 2009-11-22

Evangelion: 2.0 You Can [Not] Advance
Evangelion 2.0 feels as though the project has been put on mood stabilizers: it's not any happier, but it's more stable and certainly more focused. And in the end, it's a vast improvement. It hurts so good.

S.A Sub.DVD
Despite a flimsy premise and lackluster male lead, this story about a girl doomed to perpetually finish second to a chief rival who has secretly fallen in love with her (mostly) succeeds for two simple reasons: it is often quite funny and occasionally endearingly sweet.

Claymore GN 15
The Whole Truth comes out, but other parts are actually more interesting, as Norihiro Yagi answers many long-standing questions and orients the series for its next climactic run. Although certain parts may be a letdown, there is still a lot to like.

Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee Episodes 1-6 streaming
This is an anime for those of us whose inner child does not dream of conquering the world, but simply making it a better place ... one delivery at a time.

Comic Party: Revolution DVD
Another in the growing field of otaku-life comedies. Although perhaps comedy is the wrong word. Aren't comedies supposed to be funny?

Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk DVD
Forget that it was based on a game only two generations removed from Pong; this is unexpectedly involving popcorn fare with a wickedly circular sense of humor. Good stuff all around.

Blue Drop Sub.DVD Complete Collection
An amnesiac girl enrolls in an all-girl boarding school where she meets and forms a tumultuous relationship with a secretly alien beauty in this sci fi-themed yuri series. Despite its gimmicky foundation, this nearly-overlooked gem is elegant in execution as it focuses more on developing its characters and relationships.

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie Blu-ray
Fullmetal Alchemist is a series for the ages, and even if this part of it doesn't quite live up to its earlier incarnation, it's well worth watching and definitely worth owning. Fans will deeply appreciate this better-looking re-release.

Hayate the Combat Butler Sub.DVD Part 2
The (small) boost in emotional content notwithstanding, this is still the series to hit up for a watching experience that is consistently fun and never taxing.

Magikano: The Complete Series DVD
This is a collection of gags in search of a plotline, and when it finally does find a story to tell, the change in tone is so abrupt that you end up wishing it had stayed pointless and stupid.

School Rumble DVD 2
Shows the first signs of the shaggy underdog panache with which the series can balance big laughs and understated emotions, and of course is still a big ol' goofy good time.