“Kubo and the Two Strings” is an authentically Japanese setting that tells a western-style story.

Memories are a very powerful thing. They can help bring back what was once lost, and make sure a person never truley dies. This is the theme behind Laika’s beautifully animated, stop-motion movie.

This delightful story centers around a young boy named Kubo who lives with his mother outside of a village in rural Japan. I gathered that this may take place in the Sengoku (Warring States) era, or even up to the Meiji Restoration as there was not very many western influences were shown in the movie.

It starts out with a festival, the Bon Festival (or o-ban, if the honorific is used), which is a yearly celebration to honor the dead. The western equivalent could be considered Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) of Mexico. People gather in the town for the Bon Dance, which is a sort of greeting for the spirits, welcoming them home. People are also shown gathering in the cemetery to clean gravestones and leave gifts, often ozen, or special sweets for this day.

Kubo’s mother has always told him stories of his father Hanzo, so every year, he visits Hanzo’s grave, hoping for some kind of sign or answer to his mother’s condition. Today, he becomes frustrated, and throws his special cloth on the ground. His mother had always told him to never take it off, but never why. Now, suddenly, he knows. His village is attacked by strange witches and burned to the ground.

 

When he wakes up, he meets a monkey who vows to protect him, and a beetle-samurai who pledges his loyalty, despite his lost memories. They travel together to find Kubo’s father’s armor, which he believes will help him save his town. But his aunts and grandfather, who are still seeking his other eye, will stop at nothing to get revenge.

Memories are a major theme in this movie, from the very essence of Obon, to Beetle not having any, and even keeping his parents alive in them. Kubo, though small, is very powerful, just like his mother, having the ability to perform feats of origami magic by using his memories as well. And while Laika tried very hard to make the movie authentic, a few western themes did manage to sneak into the story.

Western and Eastern countries have very different community philosophies, and this is made clear in the movie. In countries like Japan, there is a sense of “all for the community,” while in the west it’s more of a family-centric culture. The over-protectiveness of Monkey and her wanting to make sure Kubo is safe when she’s gone is a very western idea.

That’s not to say Japan doesn’t care as much about their children; rather they encourage their young people to be as independent as possible, while still offering necessary support. Children as young as five are encouraged to walk themselves to school, whether that means taking a bus or train in the journey.

It was really nice how the idea that memories keeping people alive long after their gone was a closing as well. Despite having to face his evil grandfather, Kubo was able to overcome his power with the help of everyone else. And the help they provided to his grandfather after the final fight was a very communal effort. I can imagine him having a very happy and peaceful life, despite not having any memories.

All in all, it’s a very good story with beautiful animation. I saw a few behind-the-scenes videos of how they actually made it happen, and it appeared there is almost no CGI used. It’s all done with silicon and clay models as well as paper. A lot of the inspiration came from origami and Japanese ink wash paintings as well as classical art pieces native to Japan.

While I think in some places it tries a little too hard, it’s a very well put together movie. It’s got a great story, beautiful animation, and you can tell that Laika really did their research. I loved that they literally had an authentic Japanese festival right at the center of the whole story. Despite it’s flaws, it’s a delightful piece, and is worthy of the awards it’s received.

Eight new anime for the fall season! A roundup of Crunchyroll’s anime passport.

image (c) Crunchyroll.com 2017

Every otaku’s dream is going to Japan. I’ve wanted to go for many years. Now Crunchyroll.com is giving anime fans a chance to enter a drawing for one. What’s better, is all you have to do is watch the first episode of eight different anime. These anime are all brand new for the fall season, so here are my first impressions.

Urahara

Starting off strong, this anime has a very cute style of animation. The entire first few minutes were a little overwhelming because the scenes were very visually loud: bright colors, stylized, and blob-like in some cases. Even when the first characters were introduced, I found it hard to follow since the art style uses so many bright colors. Once the plot began, however, I had started to get used to the loud visuals.

It’s clear this series is meant to be as cute as possible, where evil aliens stealing national monuments are even designed to be cute. It turns out these aliens are trying to create their own culture by stealing Earth culture, and they literally have no imagination. A new character is introduced and her sidekick is an oversized fried shrimp (who is some kind of pet to the aliens). This character helps the girls fight back against the aliens using a sort of magical-girl type item.

The plot seems a little thin, but it seems like it might be a very cute anime, especially if it delves into the relationship between the girls. This series could go one of two ways: it could do just that, or it could turn into a parody of the magical girl genre. I’m hoping for either one, since I’d enjoy both. I’m really liking the art style a lot, too, even if it took a bit to get used to.

Black Clover

The episode starts out with two babies that seem to have been abandoned. A priest has decided to raise them and they grow up basically attached. However, fifteen years later, it’s come time for all the children that have come of age to receive their magical grimoires. Every child in the world is able to do some kind of magic by the time they are able to speak, but Asta just seems to not be able to.

Asta thinks that when he receives his grimoire, he might be able to do magic. When the children gather to receive their grimoires, they all float towards those waiting, except for Asta. Yuno, of course, recieves the most powerful grimoire – the four-leaf clover. But, the celebration is cut short when a strange wizard visits the village and begins to cause havoc. Asta tries to stop the wizard, but he is defeated quickly. When Yuno comes to the rescue, a strange event begins to take place. A shadowy grimoire appears in front of Asta – the five-leaf black clover. It appears to be shaped like a weapon (a sword and shield?). The episode ends with a line explaining that the five-leaf clover “contains a demon.”

I was a bit wary at first, thinking this would be a very cliched anime. I don’t like Asta’s voice actor very much – he seems very annoying and almost young-naruto-like. I do like the concept of a non-magical human in a magical world, and it could be interpretted as a statement about disabilities. While that may not have been intended, it could be a factor. I’m excited to see more, even if I have to suffer Asta’s voice.

Juni Taisen – Zodiac War

The episode starts out introducing Inonoshishi, the daughter of the “Boar” warrior. She has been training her entire life to participate in the “Juni Taisen,” a contest between the twelve clans every twelve years. Her father won the last contest, and she is determined to follow in his footsteps and be the next winner.

However, come time to chose the fighter, her father chooses her sister instead. So angry with this decision, Inono decides to destroy her sister by forcing her to commit various murders in the name of their clan. Eventually, her sister goes crazy and kills herself, leaving Inono to take on the contest.

The day of the fight, the coordinator instructs the warriors they must swallow a strange gem to participate, and of course they accept. They have twelve hours to collect all eleven othergems from the other warriors stomachs. Inono is confident in her abilities, but a strange rabbit warrior catches her off-guard. It turns out he’s actually a “necromatic,” or someone that turns those he kills into his best friends.

This first episode is very fast-paced, so I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. However, it does seem like it could turn out to be a very good story. It’s certainly starts out with a bang, and it quite quickly reveals how twisted the main character is and how far she will go to achieve her ambitions.

Food Wars! Third Plate

The only continuation anime in this lineup, Food Wars! comes out with a season three, picking up very quickly with Soma entering a high-class school for the culinary arts. There are ten of the top students aptly named the “Elite Ten,” who are masters at their cuisine. Wanting to be the best, Soma challenges one of them for a position in the group.

Kuga, the 8th seat in the elite ten that Soma challenges, is a master of Sichuan cuisine. Soma visits his practice area to get an idea of what he will be facing and is astounded to see a huge group of trainees cooking extremely efficiently. Any other person might be too intimidated to continue with the challenge, but Soma promises to reserve the booth right across from his rival at the Moon Festival. He plans to even outsell him with a challenge to his own dish!

If you’re a fan of the previous seasons, I’m sure you’d love to see where Soma’s going. For new viewers, it may be confusing, but I’m already hooked. Soma’s personality is pretty typical of anime protagonists, but I think the concept of the anime itself is probably the best part.

Dies Irae

This cryptic anime starts out with a man that can supposedly predict the future having a vision of another man standing above a city. It seems the second man has accomplished some kind of goal and is now very powerful. This second man is some kind of general and it appears that it is set in Germany, during WWII.

The problem with this anime is basically that I had no idea what the heck was going on, even at the end, where they supposedly explain everything. At some point, three women join him on his mission, but it isn’t clear what the mission is. There are a lot of crazy-type people running around and causing problems, it seems.

The only way I was able to even get a grasp of what was going on was to read the episode description. “At the start of a great war, an important leader in the German security bureau takes on a mission to fight supernatural mutants himself.” Okay, so I guess those crazy people are mutants. This is not explained at all. Basically, I’m not sure what to make of this series. It’s so cryptic that I’ve concluded that it’s not the first anime in the franchise, but I see no other related shows.

Recovery of an MMO Junkie

Morioka is a NEET and hikkikomori in the extreme, spending her days playing games on the computer. She finds a new MMO that she thinks she might like, and immediately sets into the world, making friends quickly. There’s one thing she doesn’t tell her new friends: she’s actually a woman, not a man like her character.

The first thing I noticed was the blatant name change. The Japanese version is called “Recommendation of the Wonderful Virtual Life,” which has a much better connotation than treating the main character as some kind of addict. While I’m not denying she may be an addict, I think the original title shows a more positive side to the story.

That aside, it seems like a pretty cute anime. Morioka, on her “hot guy character,” quickly makes friends with adorable Lily and it’s apparent there might be something else there. It’s also hinted early on that Lily might actually be a man in real life, and they may have even bumped into each other at the convenient store. I’m interested to see where this goes.

The Ancient Magus’ Bride

This has been a three-part OVA for a while, but it was just recently adapted into an anime. I had learned a bit about the movies previously, and loved the story, so needless to say, I was excited when I saw this on the fall lineup. The story starts out with a young girl names Chise who can see spirits, but everyone thinks she’s insane. From what I gathered, her parents passed away and she’s been sent from one relative to another for many years. She’s thought of as some sort of pariah, and has no place she feels safe or loved.

As a sort of last resort, she decides to sell herself in a supernatural slave market hoping something might come of it. She states that she just wants a place where she’s wanted. People begin to bid on her, but before long, a strange creature appears before her. The room goes silent as he approaches the stage, placing a big much higher than anyone else. She’s confused by he gentle treatment, and though he’s purchased her, he treats her like a great treasure. He dresses her and feeds her and bathes her, and even protects her when mysterious fairies try to take her away. He explains why he cares so much, besdies wanting to make her his apprentice. He also would hopefully like to make her his wife someday.

This one is completely adorable, but in a hugely endearing way. The animation is beautiful, and the magus is both wise, protective, and a little bit comedic. I did think it was funny that when the magus speaks, they decided to not animate his mouth, but that’s pretty common with non-human characters (see “Guin Saga” with his non-synced opening and closing mouth). I’m really excited to see more, even if I was upset the fairies turned out to be bad guys!

Kino’s Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series

I did find out that this is a redux of an older anime made in 2003 of the same name. It appears this series is a collection of completely new stories not related to the older series. From what I understand, this new anime will also be similar, detailing tales of a girl named Kino and her talking motorcycle named Hermes. This episode was interesting, and slightly strange as well.

This first episode starts out with Kino and Hermes meeting another traveler on the side of the road. He explains he’s going to a nearby town where murder is not illegal and he wants to live and kill freely. However, the town seems a little different than Kino might have imagined. It’s actually a very safe town, and the strange traveler she’d met gets himself into trouble by demanding Kino hand over all her supplies. An old man explains that even though murder is not prohibited, it doesn’t mean it’s permitted. The episode ends with another traveler asking Kino if the town she just visited is safe, and he just wants peace. She nods and happily explains that it’s the safest place around.

I wasn’t sure what to make of this series. It wasn’t confusing, just unnerving. While it might just be this episode that’s weird, I’m not sure if I’ll be checking out more. On a side note, I’m pretty good at picking out character genders in anime, but I had no idea that Kino was a girl until I checked out information about the 2003 series. The animation is really good, but Kino seems to almost have no personality. She’s a road-hardened traveler who seems nice enough, but I suppose I’ll wait for more to come to learn more about her.

Candy Art! Wagashi is as delicious as it is beautiful.

A display of a variety of wagashi.

Have you ever seen something edible that is so beautiful that you just can’t bring yourself to eat it? In the world of wagashi, this is sometimes the case, but those that specialize in making this confection might be upset if you don’t! In fact, you may regret it, since wagashi are so delicious, too.

The practice of making wagashi has been around for many generations in Japan. In the early 13th century, Japan and China began to trade, and China’s afternoon appetizer, dim sum influenced Japan and the creation of wagashi. They are often served with tea, but unlike dim sum, wagashi are always sweet.

Sakura wagashi to celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival in Springtime.

There are many types of wagashi: some that look like fruits, some that look like flowers, and even totally clear ones. People often buy them for special occassions like holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, and there are many seasonal wagashi to match. From spring and fall themes to Christmas and White Day, these confections are an art form in themselves.

Just watching videos of them being made on Youtube was enough to make me fall in love with the tradition of wagashi. I found there are many confectioneries that specialize in just wagashi, and have been practicing the art for many years, and some for more than six generations!

One thing I did notice is that not a lot of anime feature this special part of Japanese history. That’s why I decided to feature it myself, since not only are the creations so beautiful, but mesmerizing to watch being made. From what I have heard, they are also very delicious, with some being stuffed with azuki beans, to others looking like fish bows with candy fish inside.

Ferris Eris of “Legend of the Legendary Heroes” enjoying a colorful dango treat.

I also found out that dango, doriyaki, and mochi are considered wagashi, and these are featured in some anime, but these are the only kind from what I have seen. These wagashi, though, are not as fancy as the others, usually fried and put on sticks and served at festival vendor stands. Mochi can sometimes be made of ice cream, and can easily be purchased in a supermarket. These wagashi, though delicious, are more simple to make, and more easily found in Japan.

 

Tradition is a very important part of Japan, and it really shows in the art and skill of those that continue to make fantastic wagashi. I hope some day that I’ll be able to experience it, and maybe even make some myself! There are classes designed for those interested all over Japan, but I haven’t found any in the United States…yet!

Picture Credit: (x)

The “Yu-gi-oh!” Experience

“And this is the card I sleep with every night!”

As a middle-schooler I was obsessed with Yu-gi-oh!, just like I was with Pokemon. I didn’t think about it at the time, but there’s a lot of key features within the actual show that may or may not have defined the “Card Game” genre, which eventually expanded to other things including spinning tops and bead battler toys. As an anime itself, it was a little unbelievable, looking back on it now.

 

The anime itself, before the multiple spin-offs (which included Yu-gi-oh! GX, Yu-go-oh! 5Ds, and Yu-gi-oh! Zexel), came in about five seasons. It started off with a group of middle-schoolers (of which, only the main character Yugi looked the appropriate age) that liked to play a game called Duel Monsters. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s basically the classic card game War with a few extra things.

The Japanese version is actually quite a bit different, including a complete removal of the true episode one, but that’s a whole other can of worms we won’t go into (stupid 4Kids). Anyway, the entire anime is basically a series of Duel Monsters tournaments in different locations, and an episode usually consists of an entire card game or sometimes even a small part of a card game. If I recall correctly, at least twice, a game extends four to five episodes.

While I’m sure this is an excellent marketing tactic for the company that owns Yu-gi-oh!, going back and watching it now, as an adult, has made me realize how rediculous the show actually is. First, the main character has some kind of ancient spirit within him, thanks to his super cool necklace called The Millenium Puzzle, but he apparently doesn’t realize this until midway through season one. The irony being that he magically transforms into this spirit before every duel, which does nothing to him except make him look more serious, about a foot and a half taller, and have a much deeper voice.

“This is how we get all the chicks!”

Also, the games apparently require the use of holographics to make them super cool and playable, so the characters use special arenas to make their monsters come to life. But, sometimes the monsters actually hurt the people. Like, losing actually causes physical pain sometimes, according to a few episodes, and as the series goes on, the monsters seem to get more and more real. I constantly found myself asking “Do they realize this is just a card game?” Apparently not, because the bratty Seto Kaiba decides to throw a tournament just to defeat Yugi, and when he loses, blows up a whole island.

While this genre is mostly aimed at young boys in middle school, it does sometimes draw older people, especially if they grew up in the Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh! era. For me, however, it’s just background noise while I update any various social media sites I have or play videogames.

Skip Beat! Character Profile: Kyoko Mogami

Kyoko is a strange one, but also a determined one. She enters the acting business with hopes of getting revenge on her former friend Sho Fuwa. But, it’s not as easy as she initially thought. While her first audition was quite different that what the recruiters first thought she might show, she ends up landing a spot in the agency she hoped she could get into.

But, the agency has taken a liking to her, and puts her in a new special section called the “Love Me” section. Not only is it embarrassing to wear their bright pink jumpsuits, but she is asked to carry out various tasks such as errand running and carrying luggage. At first she is very upset about it, but she realizes that this is her chance, and she grabs the opportunity by the horns and puts her all into her tasks.

She soon gains some fame by taking a few jobs in commercials, but she really proves herself when she takes over the role of a quiet woman performing a tea ceremony. Having fractured her leg helping that very woman make it to the shoot, she goes through with the role, not making a single complaint the entire time. The director and her costars are stunned, and soon she gains more jobs.

However, an old enemy has joined the “Love Me” section. When the woman, Kanae, and Kyoko first meat, the former is very rude and says she will never make it. But now that they are both in the same section, they are forced to work together. I liked the development of friendship between them despite their differences. They even team up to make a commercial together and really knock it away.

Kyoko is not only determined, but passionate about everything. When revenge fueled her, she would get visibly angry when Sho was mentioned. But as she moved away from him, her anger softened, and she became passionate about the roles she played. In the end, she really shows how much she’s grown as an actress and how much talent she has.

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Skip Beat! Character Profile: “Sho” Fuwa

Shotaro, or “Sho” as he goes by on stage, Fuwa is a classic jerk. He plays the perfect antagonist against Kyoko as she fights her way into the world of show business. Originally, he was her goal and sought revenge against her, but eventually, Kyoko realizes he wasn’t even worth it.

When the series starts out, Kyoko is completely in love with Shotaro. She grew up with him, Shotaro’s parents hoping she would marry him and help him settle down. She learned all the “important” wife-things, like how to cook, clean, and care for children. But, not knowing his parents’ plan, Shotaro had another goal. He wanted to be a rock star and become famous and adored.

Right out of high school, the pair took off to the big city. Neither of them even graduated, but Shotaro was on the right track. Kyoko simply came along because Shotaro trusted her and she thought they could be together. But as Shotaro became more famous, he started to change. He would come home late, and get angry easily, especially when his professional rival Ren showed up on the television. But Kyoko was always there with his favorite snack and a joke to calm him down.

Convinced she was in the right place, Kyoko continued to act as a sort of maid and servant to Shotaro. Until one day, she had made him lunch and he’d forgotten it. Deciding it would be nice to visit him at work, she pushed through the crowds and headed up to his office to deliver it. But upon arriving, she discovered Shotaro speaking with his manager, claiming to only be using Kyoko as a maid. Obviously she is furious and vows revenge at him. He simply laughs it off and leaves.

Though Shotaro is confident in his skill, he is extremely competitive. He does his absolute best at everything, even going over the top sometimes. He practices as much as he can, trying to get every note right in order to “beat” his rival at the show business game. But he is constantly pushed back by his own drive to dominate that he comes off childish, causing Ren to basically ignore him. This causes Shotaro to become even more furious. But when he realizes that Kyoko has pushed off the ground and rocketed ahead of him, even working directly with his rival, he can’t stand it anymore. He can’t stop thinking about her and is confused why. Not only is he angry that she’s achieved even more than him, but that he may still be attracted to her.

In the end, he gets his just desserts. He’s a great character, and I actually really like him because he plays his part so well. It just goes to show you that using people and being a jerk doesn’t get you anywhere, and really all it does it slow you down on your way to your dreams.

Anime Review: “Skip Beat!”

When I first heard about this anime, I thought “Wow this is probably going to be awful and boring.” But rather quickly, I began to think completely different. I’d have to say that this anime quickly became one of my favorites, and I’m sad to say there’s not a continuation series.

The story starts out with a girl named Kyoko living in an apartment with her childhood friend who just happened to become a famous musician and TV personality. While they were children, they spent almost every moment together, but now that he is famous, Shotaro, or “Sho” as he is called in the business, has begun to change. Kyoko quickly finds out that Shotaro has been using her as a housemaid while she thought he really cared for her and she vows revenge on him. He laughs it off, saying she would never be able to get revenge unless she got into the acting business, so that’s what she plans to do.

Upon making the vow, she seeks to join the competing talent agency LME and runs into Shotaro’s biggest rival, Ren. At first, he dislikes her because of her motives, but she soon proves that she has more than just guts. She has talent and creativity, willing to go the extra mile. She is assigned to a special department as a sort of “intern” and manages to secure a few positions. But, even after becoming friends with Ren, the two have to face their biggest role and all the challenges that come with it. They’ll have to work together and learn more about each other as well as themselves to get it right.

The story is heartwarming, showing how Kyoko grows from a revenge-seeking amatuer to a real professional. I didn’t want it to end, and I felt my heart swelling when Ren realizes how much he cares for her. The friendship between Kyoko and her department-mate “Moko” is perfect, too! I wish they made more than one season of this made. But apparently the manga is still going. I might have to resort to that! I give this wonderful anime a 10 out of 10 on my rating scale!

Picture Source: http://www.pageresource.com/wallpapers/30728/skip-beat-muzic-world-free-hd-wallpaper.html

“C3” Character Profile: Sonora Kashima

Current president of the C3 club, Sonora is the tallest and oldest of all of the members. She sports a positive, but relaxed attitude, letting things happen as they do. In the beginning, she finds that the new member her club wants is actually her new roommate, but doesn’t jump on the opportunity like the rest of the club. Instead, she answers questions that Yura has and says that if she doesn’t want to join, it’s fine. The other members have a fit and beg her to get Yura, but Sonora simply brushes them aside with a grin.

To some people, Sonora might seem aloof, but she really doesn’t want people to be forced into a decision. She prefers to let them come to their own realizations. She keeps a hands-off approach to everything in the series, but remains enthusiastic and positive. When in a survival game, she is an excellent leader, and simply tells everyone to have fun and do their best. If they lose, she doesn’t take it personally and has great sportsmanship.

Her combat gear includes a set of Tokyo Marui Desert Eagles, which she keeps in two shoulder holsters. She has owned these since she was very young and just learning the sport. These are her primary weapons, but when in a tournament, she uses a Tokyo Marui AUG A1, and owns at least a dozen Airsoft Innovations Tornado Grenades, which the series shows are only used in practice games. She lends her M60 to Karila during practices, but also owns a M14, an M24. She also owns an M4A1, which is used Yura in her first tournament, a G3A4, and a USP40. Her eye-wear for practice games is blue, which she prefers.

Sonora is the most experiences member of the club, so she always likes to share things with new members. She shows Yura everything she needs to know, and even lets her borrow her Scorpion-style gun that her master gave her. Without her, I have a hard time thinking the club would even exist.

More C3 Articles -> Here!

Picture Source: http://c3-bu.wikia.com/wiki/Sonora_Kashima

“C3” Character Spotlight: Yura Yamato

Yura Yamato is the focus of the anime Stella Women’s Academy – High School Division C3. Initially, she is so shy that she cannot even get herself to start a conversation with anyone. But, as it is soon made clear, she has a very vivid imagination.

As Yura enters the academy, she promises herself that she will change. She seeks to become less shy and to make friends, but isn’t sure how to start. She searches for her room, and after getting lost a few times, she eventually makes her way to the dormatory, only to find that her roommate has not yet arrived. Being curious, instead of unpacking, she looks around the room to see what her roommate is like. She finds much more than she expects: military-style uniforms, air guns, and action movies. What sort of roommate would she have? She decides to put in one of the movies and becomes so enthralled, she is soon playing out the scenes in full gear.

Meanwhile, the C3 club is seeking new members, but it seems that no girls are interested in survival games. Rento, one of the members, seeks out their club president, Sonora, to get ideas on how to draw more girls to their club, and walks in on Yura who is role-playing as a soldier saving her friend. Rento gets so excited, she drags Yura to the club room to try to convince her to join.

Yura in unsure at first, as the club begins a game to show her what it’s about. But, just like with the action movies, she finds herself enjoying them so much, that she can’t get enough. But her cautious nature makes her feel silly and she promptly refuses to join. But after some thought, she realizes that she should just do what she loves, even if she feels silly. As a sign of her important decision to change, Yura cuts off her hair so that it’s nice and short. In most Asian countries, this act also represents renewal and a decision to follow a new path.

In combat, Yura uses prefers to be an attacker, so she usually uses small guns that are portable and easy to reload. Sonora gifts her a special gun called a Scorpion, which was a gift from her own teacher. It’s a simple gun, but it means a lot to the two of them, and Yura works hard to master it. She has been seen using larger guns, but only when nothing else is available. She is fast and agile, as well as a quick thinker and a natural leader – she takes over as leader when Sonora is out on an injured ankle. Though she had some misplaced intentions throughout the series, she can be a great leader if she tries.

For more information on what C3 is, CLICK HERE.

Picture Source: http://angryanimebitches.com/2013/07/stella-jogakuin-koutou-ka-c%C2%B3-bu-episode-3-blitzkrieg/

Why I love Oogami Sakura.

“Yes, baby girl, enjoy that donut.”

I never expected to see a character anything like Oogami Sakura. I mean, the Dangan Ronpa universe has quite a few odd characters to begin with, mostly on physical parameters, but that makes their souls all the more interesting.

When I first saw this hulk of a woman, I actually thought she was a man. But, as I found out later, she is actually the most sweet, loyal, and generous character in the whole anime. I found myself wishing I could hug her multiple times. She really didn’t deserve anything that happened to her. It was awful.

I could just feel her inner struggle. People might not have been willing to speak to her because she was so huge, but she really had a deep love for Aoi. Sometimes I wish I could have been the friend Sakura was. She’s the woman I always thought I should be: strong and protective, yet caring and compassionate. While that’s not to say I’m not that way now, it’s just, wow, she’s just great.

Sakura is really just a mirror of all of us, thinking about it. She just wants to be loved and cared about. Aoi was her best friend, and she went to huge lengths to make sure she was safe. When someone even threatened to hurt Aoi, Sakura went into a blind rage and had to be held down so she didn’t hurt anyone in the immediate area.

Basically, I just really love Oogami Sakura.

Picture (donmai.us/posts/1392988)