Since I am a de facto arm chair analyst/reviewer of most anime, I thought I may as well do the thing properly. =)

So I give to you – my very first anime review, starting with a show I enjoyed quite a lot. =)

Kyou Kara Maou!

 

In India: On Animax
Alternative Title: God(?) Save Our King!

Complete at three Seasons. Seasons one and two have been dubbed into English and are out on DVD. The 3rd has been subtitled into English by a group of fans (fansubbed) and is out on the internet.

There are also 5 OVAs, which kinda fall between season 2 and 3 and follow mostly an independent plot.

If you still want to know more, wiki it.

The ShowShibuya Yuuri’s a very normal fifteen year old Japanese schoolboy.

One day, he sees a classmate being bullied…

And when he tries to help out, he ends up becoming the target instead, and just when he’s about to forced head first into a the toilet in the girl’s bathroom…

He gets sucked down the toilet, through the water (yuck) and lands up in another world. Yes, you read that right. :P

Yuuri is then told he’s got a whole country depending on him to be the 27th King…of a country of demons.

Shocked Yuuri is shocked. XD

My Thoughts, Let Me Show You ThemI remember I first started watching this show because of the way it was advertised on Animax – ‘the show where all the cute boys are!’ – and really, with a tagline like that, who could resist? Certainly not me. ;)

And boy, this show delivers the cute. In spades.

Proof:

Conrart

GWENDALGWENDALGWENDAL

Shinou!

…And I shall stop now. While I still can.

The animation style differs a lot through the three seasons. The OVAs and season three are pretty much uniformly well done, it’s seasons one and two that can get a little…iffy, sometimes.

Look at Yozak’s foot! XDOf course, there are some truly beautiful bits, too.

Coming to the infamous subs vs. dubs debate – I saw the first two seasons in the English dub, and I quite enjoyed it. The voice actors were all enjoyable, despite what the dub nay-sayers may have you believe. I had to catch the fansubs for season three, though, so I can say that the VAs for both fit the characters well.

As for story – I remember thinking somewhere around the middle of season one, after a particularly dramatic development – ‘omigod, was this the same show that had flying teddy bears?!’ – because, really, somewhere between vegetarian sharks and endangered dragons and flying skeletons and accidental engagements/elopements, this show actually develops a Plot. And while not wildly original, it is still quite an entertaining one.

I like the fact that the humans are the ‘bad’ ones here, and how much Yuuri struggles with that fact and the consequences of his determination to trust everyone. There were times, of course, when I wanted to whack him over the head and tell him not to be such a gullible idiot, but the characters all grow on you (even Wolfram and Saralegui) and you love them despite their faults.

I also like the fact that this is one of those shows that is perfectly ship neutral – in that it gives equal importance to any possible pairing of characters. And all the non-romantic aspects are explored equally well, too, you have lots of lovely brotherly love and family moments. =)

I did roll my eyes at stupid little emo boy Sara in the last few episodes of season three, though. Talk about mommy issues! :P

More importantly, though, the ending was pretty satisfying, in an ‘awwww’ kind of way. ♥

Soundtracks:
Season 1
Opening Theme Song: Hateshinaku Tooi Sora Ni by THE STAND UP
Ending Theme Song:Suteki na Shiawase by THE STAND UP

Season 2
Opening Theme Song: Hateshinaku Tooi Sora Ni by THE STAND UP
Ending Theme Song:Arigatou by BON’Z

Season 3
Opening Theme Song:Sekai yo warae by YOSHIDA SHOUGO with M-Tone
Ending Theme Song: Going by YOSHIDA SHOUGO

OVAs
Opening Theme Song:Romantic Morning by THE STAND UP
Ending Theme Song:Hitsuyou no Pocket by THE STAND UP

I’m not a fan of the OP of any of the seasons, but I like the ED of both seasons one and two. The animation style for season 2 is especially nice. =)

As for the OVAs, I really like the OP. And the chibis in the ED are cute. =)

Why You Should Watch ItBecause, holy shit, there really isn’t any other show that produces crack like this one does. Except maybe the new Doctor Who series.

Rabid giant goala bears, talking lecherous swords, flying sheep, cross dressing spies, water tentacles of justice, huge glowing eggs, cursed tiaras, mad scientists, more bishounen pretty boys than you can shake a stick at…

I waaant what the writers of this show are smoking.

Seriously, though, KKM moves between cracky silliness to drama to angst – sometimes all in the same episode, and it manages to do it without giving the viewer emotional whiplash. So, go writers!

Fanfic RecsHeavily based on my own shipping preferences. I will say that this is the show that first got me into slash, and I quite adore the Conrart/Yuuri and Shinou/Daikenja ships. But this is also the show that instilled in me a love for ‘pairing soup’, where I can read most characters with mostly anybody. Except Gunter.

Mostly spoiler-ific, so if you haven’t seen the show yet, run, RUN for life from the spoilers! In fact, run and rent/download KKM right now. =)

MiscellaneousForgotten
By PoisonAngel7, Julia/Adelbert
Word Count: 89, Rating: PG

Crowsong
By elveljung, Wolfram centric
Rated: R!, Warning: Tragedy/Angst
Words: 5,706

In the Royal Tradition
By peroxidepest17
Word Count: 1,576, Rating: PG-13
Summary: Wolfram and Conrad are, as Gwendal sees it, behaving like children.

Awake
Author: Melusine, Shinou/Wolfram, Yuuri/Wolfram, Shinou/Murata
Word Count: 9096, Rating: NC-17! Warnings: This is dark and f*cked up. But goood.

The Burden of Knowledge
Author: poisonangel7, Julia/Conrad
Word Count: 669, Rating: PG

The Decision
Author: Crystalwrenn, Gunter x Gisela
Word Count: 358, Rating: PG

Gwendal/AnissinaPaperwork
Author: DaystarsMom
Rating: PG

Untitled
By KayWillow
Rating: PG

Through the Looking Glass
Author: Clorinda
Word Count: 1858, Rating: PG-13

Conrart/YuuriThe Wait
Author: poisonangel7, Word Count: 666 (heh)
Rating: PG

Learning
Author: icefalcon, Rating: PG

Incubus
By Demus, Rated: R!

And the sequel: Lovers’ Notes and Stealing Kisses
By Demus, Rated: R!

Swordplay
By pyrrhicvictoly, Rating: PG-13

Contact
By pyrrhicvictoly, Rating: PG-13
Still a WIP (Work In Progress), but very enjoyable. =)

Shinou/DaikenjaName Game
By Insidiae, Rated: PG

Yuuri/WolframTogether
by susiichan, Rated: PG
Words: 1,382

I’m not a fan of this pairing, but I liked this fic.

~

[mood| w00t!]
[music| Oh Shanti Shanti: 'Surya s/o Krishnan' OST]