One Punch Man

On an alternate unnamed world in the metropolis of Z-City, strange monsters have been mysteriously appearing and causing disasters, resulting in the world's superheroes rising to combat them. Saitama, the protagonist of the series, is the strongest hero who easily defeats the monsters or other villains with a single punch. However, due to his immeasurable strength, Saitama has become bored with his power and is constantly trying to find stronger opponents who can present a challenge to him.

As Saitama is active as a hero, he meets various other heroes and villains. He gets a disciple in the form of the cyborg Genos and consequently joins the Heroes Association in order to gain official recognition. Despite defeating many strong monsters that even the Heroes Association’s top members are unable to defeat, Saitama struggles to gain respect. Most people look down on him due to his plain physical appearance and some accuse him of being a counterfeit hero. Only a small number of individuals in the series recognize his talent and humility towards others

When I read about this show and saw some short previews.  I didn't think this was worth the time and it had longevity.  But this show was rated high amongst the anime shows.  I have a list of the top ten rated anime shows that I needed to check out so I had to at least see a show or two.  Again, I was wrong and waited too long to start watching this funny, creative series.  The series opens with this guy fighting a monster as he leaves his boring job.  As he uses the only skills he knows to defeat it.  It was all about saving a child with a chin that looks like testicles (yup, testicles).  What makes his journey ridiculous and interesting to become a hero is what he says he does to get this extreme power.  100 Push ups, and sit ups everyday. Thats all.  He works out so hard he loses his hair.  The animators are so cool when they show him as a plain guy that is bored with anyone or thing that challenges him.  His dismissive nonchalant look and attitude is entertaining.  But when he feels he finally gets a challenge from one of these creatures, his appearance changes and you see him more as a hero that a small bald character.  Then its the one punch that destroys his opponent and frustrates him more because he once again has no one to challenge him.  Along the way he picks up a student, and deals with other registered heroes in the city, but he continues to feel he doesn't fits in.  His student tries to challenge him constantly but continues to be frustrated because he never seems to come close to even defeating him.  I am about done with the first season but I am totally enjoying this series.  Very amusing and exciting.        

Attack on Titan (Season 1)

Attack on Titan (second half)

So, remember this.

“ Attack On Titan is set in a world where the remains of the human population live inside cities surrounded by enormous walls due to the sudden appearance of the Titans, gigantic humanoid creatures who devour humans seemingly without reason. The story revolves around Eren and his surviving friends enlisting to fight against the insatiable monsters.

So from episode 12 to 25 (season finale) we find that some how Eren has become a hybrid of a human/Titan.  His conscieness slips from Eren to the monster Titan.  The courts trying to side with the military police to make a decision if he is a danger to everyone or side with the Garrison Regiment if he can assist humanity with defeating the Titans.  But then there is a twist.  A female Titan with intelligence and special abilities appears out of no where when the squadren goes out on a mission outside of the wall.  The big twist is these super Titans are actually humans in the body of Titans just like Eren.  But we are not given access to this mystery.  There are hints along the way but nothing has come together as of yet.  

We end this season with the squadren rebelling against each other because of what they want to do with Eren and they find out that one of their members is the female Titan.  It ends with lots of questions but anticipation for the next season.   

Attack on Titan (Season 1 )

Attack on Titan 2013 (First half)

I was introduced to this series years ago but never put it on my list.  There has been many great Anime series I’ve seen but this one just didn’t interest me.  Even the trailer and previews didn’t interest me to want to start this series.  So when I heard there was a live action film.  I decided to take a little time to binge season one.

This was the synopsis I read prior to watching the first episode.

“When the man-eating giants called Titans first appeared, humans retreated behind massive walls. After a hundred years of safety, a colossal-sized Titan smashes through the defenses, unleashing a flood of giants and carnage in the streets. Eren Jaeger watches helplessly as one of the creatures devours his mother. He vows to kill every Titan walking the earth.  Eren and his surviving friends enlist to fight against the insatiable monsters. The future looks bleak, but there’s more to Eren than meets the eye: he may be humanity’s last hope against extinction. 

I’m on episode 14 and I had no idea there would be this amount of intensity and well-written human experience into this series.  The evolution of the story and characters kept me waiting for the next episode.  The story read like most Anime series.  Monsters appearing in their country and how does the citizenry fight back with a hero or two to lead them.  Or school kids finding power enough to fight demons or monsters.  But these first 12 episodes has shown the human race chased back into a cage to only see each cage being broken down while the titans move forward to devour them.  But you are enthralled by the tension of what will occur episode after episode.  Now back to the episodes. Eren has changed and we now will see what the humans will do with this revelation.  

Death Note (Series)

Death Note (Japanese: デスノート Hepburn: Desu Nōto?) is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The story follows Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook from a Shinigami named Ryuk that grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name and face he knows. The series centers around Light's attempts to create and rule a world "cleansed of evil" as "God" using the notebook, and the efforts of a detective known as L to stop him.

Here are the different publications of this story:

o   Shueisha Manga series from 2003 -2006in Shonen Jump (108 chapters)

o   Viz Media adapted it for North America in 2005

o   Television Anime aired in Japan from October 2006 - June 2007 (37 episodes)

o   Released on DVD in 2007.  Prior to this it was downloadable via the Internet

o   Separate Light novel based on the series was published in 2006

o   Three live action films released in Japan June 2006, Nov. 2006 and Feb. 2008

o   Television drama released in 2015

o   Fourth American adaptation will be released 2017

I ran into Death Note around 2009 - 2010.  I read a small article about this anime that told the story about a young genius who found a book from a demon that could kill anyone when they put their name in it.  I was already into watching Anime suspenseful stories, so this seemed interesting that it was a very long series and was rated very high in Japan.  What came next was becoming obsessed with this series and not getting enough of it.  Yes, I saw all 37 episodes but really couldn't get into reading the Manga's.  So next I had to find ways to get the live action TV series as well as the Movies.  I was thoroughly satisfied.

Why is this Death Note Series so good?  Think about a serial killer and the best international detective in the world playing a cat and mouse game to figure each other out.  One to stop the deaths of people.  The other to kill that person that is tiring to stop them.  Watching these two geniuses trying to find each other's identity while hiding their own is so entertaining.  it was hard to look at this as a cartoon ( not a cartoon, Anime). In the mean while, people are dying for their bad deeds or perceived deeds and new characters and followers appear to cause chaos in the investigation as well as world domination plan.  The writing is amazing and for an anime, the characters are well portrayed.  I could say great acting but this is illustrated.  If you are just looking at this Japanese Anime as American cartoons.  Please get that out of your mind.  This is serious story writing.  I'm revisiting this because there is an American version coming out in 2017. Netflix is the orchestrator to this movie and it looks interesting with the characters they have chosen.  The Anime News Network has recent details of this development.  Nat Wolf (Paper towns, The fault in our stars) will play the lead Light Yagami.  A relative unknown but with good acting reviews.  There have been some good Japanese adaptations in the past when it came to horror and some action movies as well.  Even though this was made into a Japanese live action film, I would like to see what a Westerner take is on this morally divisive movie.  So if you look forward to this new version, try watching the Anime and live action movies.  The anime is fantastic and gives you time to see the director develop the characters.  The live action speeds through it but gives you enough as a stand-alone.  Like the Girl with the dragon tattoo, this really can be an amazing conversion.  Take the time to try both, the anime series and live action.  You won't be disappointed.